Taking GPS coordinates of a site... captain's permission?

[Captain_Bob]

Bottom line, my numbers remain secure, and the party attempting to steal them, got what was promised.

---------- Post added January 14th, 2013 at 10:57 PM ----------



You may be coming in late in this one. I am the Captain. I wrote that scenerio from the point-of-view of the person who was trying to steal numbers.

My Bad sorry

 

[redacted]

Boats that think they have some really valuable numbers would be foolish to take open charter divers to such sites with the location technologies available today.

 

[Reck Diver]

Your approach of doing whatever you like while assuming that others will limit themselves to legal solutions alone should work fine, so long as (1) you're smart enough not to get caught and (2) you don't try those games on someone who also thinks the rules don't apply to them and decides to you back. Best of luck to you as to both elements, you seem like you'll need it.

Certainly there is nothing new to my approach. It happens all them time. Even LEO's often use these type of tactics in a variety of situations, rather than the required, more formal method. Here is just one example. I knew a gentleman that was cast netting bait. He was using a 10' net in a neighboring county where the maximum allowable size net is 8'. On a routine stop, LE noticed the violation and offered the choice of writing up the violation, including confiscating the net and hundreds of dollars of live bait; or making the net legal. The fisherman chose the latter and the LEO cut 1' (which included the leadline) off the bottom of the net. This made the net legal, but forever useless.

Granted my GPS numbers are not the Colonel's 13 herbs and spices or the formula for Coke, but I have a couple of sites that are very valuable to me. Once the passenger in question obtained them and is off the vessel, that is it.... games over. They are now worthless. The value of the GPS numbers in this situation far outweigh the cost of the device used in the attempt to capture them. At least everyone was forewarned and agreed.

The rules certainly apply to me. I govern myself accordingly.

 

[nimoh]

Certainly there is nothing new to my approach. It happens all them time. Even LEO's often use these type of tactics in a variety of situations, rather than the required, more formal method. Here is just one example. I knew a gentleman that was cast netting bait. He was using a 10' net in a neighboring county where the maximum allowable size net is 8'. On a routine stop, LE noticed the violation and offered the choice of writing up the violation, including confiscating the net and hundreds of dollars of live bait; or making the net legal. The fisherman chose the latter and the LEO cut 1' (which included the leadline) off the bottom of the net. This made the net legal, but forever useless.

I don't follow the analogy, the fisherman still got a good deal since the former choice involved losing the net, hundreds of dollars in live bait, and probably a fine while the latter choice involved only losing the net. Basically, the fisherman was let off with a warning and was probably happy about it, but if he did complain to (other) authorities, the LEO would have no reason to deny that it happened since he (the LEO) did nothing wrong.

Searching a diver's personal belongings and confiscating their personal property is wrong, and the captain needs to deny it later in order to avoid prosecution.

 

[Reck Diver]

So you are saying you rifle through your customer's belongings while they are diving? Nice! And what was the name of your operation? I simply have to put all my mouse traps to good use on your boat.

To the best of my limited knowledge, the laws regarding a search aboard a vessel vary. Are you certain about Florida state waters? U.S. Federal Waters? Over in the islands? I know in Bermuda there are cases where a ship's passenger belongings were searched with no warrant. When tiny amounts of contraband were found, they were arrested and forced to pay fines.

You might want to get a second opinion about your "booby trap" idea. Causing intentional personal injury aboard an underway vessel could prove troublesome for you.

Might be worth your while to get the answer to your question prior to boarding a vessel.

 

[Gombessa]

I have a couple of sites that are very valuable to me. Once the passenger in question obtained them and is off the vessel, that is it.... games over. They are now worthless.

I have a hard time drawing the line to this conclusion. Why are the numbers worthless as soon as someone not yourself has them? Can you not go back? If that's really the case, why even take people there?

 

[vondo]

I have a hard time drawing the line to this conclusion. Why are the numbers worthless as soon as someone not yourself has them? Can you not go back? If that's really the case, why even take people there?

Would you book a charter with this guy if you had another choice?

 

[Reck Diver]

Boats that think they have some really valuable numbers would be foolish to take open charter divers to such sites with the location technologies available today.

You are correct. It could be a private vessel and the party could be the guest of an invited friend.

 

[redacted]

Searching a diver's personal belongings and confiscating their personal property is wrong, and the captain needs to deny it later in order to avoid prosecution.

Or anonymously admitting to it assuming his anonimity is safe in a public forum. Some folks are not very good at keeping secrets.

 

[nimoh]

To the best of my limited knowledge, the laws regarding a search aboard a vessel vary. Are you certain about Florida state waters? U.S. Federal Waters? Over in the islands? I know in Bermuda there are cases where a ship's passenger belongings were searched with no warrant. When tiny amounts of contraband were found, they were arrested and forced to pay fines.

You might want to get a second opinion about your "booby trap" idea. Causing intentional personal injury aboard an underway vessel could prove troublesome for you.

Might be worth your while to get the answer to your question prior to boarding a vessel.

I think there is a big difference between searching a person's belongings in their presence (even though I am not sure that this is legal either) and secretly searching it and denying it later (I am pretty sure this is illegal).