How to Flex Your Rights During Police Encounters

Essentially, the U.S. Coast Guard may board and conduct administrative inspections of any vessel on navigable waters of the U.S. That includes the Great Lakes, the near shore waters of the oceans and the major river systems (i.e. anywhere that has commercial interstate boating traffic).

Further, the U.S. Coast Guard may board and inspect any U.S. registered vessel anywhere in the world except when that vessel is inside the territorial waters of another sovereign nation.  Any evidence of a federal crime discovered during that inspection may be seized and used as evidence against you in a federal civil or criminal action.

(This information was provided thanks to Greg Francisco, former U.S. Coast Guard boarding officer.)