Kinda ticked off

[Tim Powell]

while fueling two very nice coast guard men were watching. I began to put fuel in the boat from the overflow came maybee two table spoons of fuel ( unexpected ) I Had a rag around the fuel nozel so any back flush would be cought or soaked up befor going in the water. The small amount that came out of the overflow ran down the side of the boat and into the watter. There could not have been more than 2 table spoons total. Because it created a slick or as they said a sheen. The sheen was about 0ne foot wide by about 2 feet long absolutely no bigger. So they issued me a citation. The coast guard boys say i will receive a warning and my name added to the black list. The second offense will be a possible 40,000$ fine. wonder how you get your name off the list???
After i got the ticket he ask me to sign another statement. Stating i was personally responsible and i did not clean it up. The slick was gone by now. However I signed the statement but put a note on it as to the size and where it came from. There were a set of trip 250 hp outboards running just on the other side of the fuel dock their slick was bigger than mine. I poined this out and ask him to sign a statement to that effect he would not but three witnesses did. The Southport king mackral tournament was going on some 400 plus boats entered, Some with four 300 +hp outboards of course all were not two stroke. The four strokes are a little cleaner. Anyway after my sunenlaw ask for the two coast guard names and rank and where they were stationed did the coolness stop. Introducing himself as who he was and was a maritime lawyer. Which is a lie. They made me call a 1800 number and report the so called spill. I was inforned if it was less than a gallon it would be a warning ticket and my name added to a list and if it happened again in us watters i would be fined, I can understand a large spill or mismanagenent of a fuel nozel. But a small amount from overflow kinda tuff. O by the way this deal went on for a good hour at the dock...So watch your fuel fills.
Tim

[bigbill]

that's our govt. hard at work. it's a shame they were not out looking for real criminals.

[captddis]

The CG ceased being our friends in the 80's. Now they are revenue agents with unlimited powers.
There are often commecial spills in Tampa Bay. The CG always says that it was a small spill of less than 100 gallons and will dissipate. Let a boater dribble and they get fined.

[dottieshusband]

Before long, what happens at airport security, will be the norm of everyday life. When the regulation was implemented that a "spill sufficient to cause a Sheen on the water" was allowed to stand, a little freedom went out the window with the common sense. We have become a Nation of "Agency Law", with no political recourse...

[Ggranger]

Keep some 'Dawn' dish washing liquid handy. Make a 50% solution in a spray bottle and spray it onto the spill (don't shake the bottle!). Just be discreet, and tuck the bottle next to the filler cap. If you have any overflow, spray the water where it went in with the Dawn. The fuel will immediately break up and sink. This is the same stuff they used in the Gulf oil spill and is widely used to rescue oil- slicked birds.

[Boatsb]

I roll up a bilge diaper and tape it to the hull under the vent to catch any spill or spatter. Never left a film on the water. Just have to lean over a bit and put it in place.

[Tim Powell]

Keep some 'Dawn' dish washing liquid handy. Make a 50% solution in a spray bottle and spray it onto the spill (don't shake the bottle!). Just be discreet, and tuck the bottle next to the filler cap. If you have any overflow, spray the water where it went in with the Dawn. The fuel will immediately break up and sink. This is the same stuff they used in the Gulf oil spill and is widely used to rescue oil- slicked birds.

that is big no no a whole diffrent set of problems come up if you get cought. I told them i woukd do that very quickly and both of them said no at the same time. I did not ask questions it was done by then

[rsmith]

The joy soap is what everybody's done for years. There was talk that they would nail you worse for doing it since supposedly it took the oil to the bottom and killed sea grass and bottom stuff. The real skinny is they feel that your covering up a crime. They need to take pics of the slick to prosecute you. No slick or sheen? It's your word against theirs. Keep the joy in an unmarked container and who's to say what's in the bottle. Sucks to have to think like this but like Dave said they are not our friends.

[eze2bme]

Mean Green spray will also cause it to break up very quickly - same thing we use on our engine to get grease/oil off.

[rwappleton]

I am considering re routing over flow hose as ours gives no warning at all.....it just spits! I am not sure what to do yet but I do agree that the USCG is using things like this as a revenue source.

I do not want to pollute our waters either but when our boat was built things were different then.

I do like Scott's idea with the diaper but we kinda have to hang off the swim platform to reach