The Coast Guard has actually provided a notification of infractions to a leisure watercraft rental business running as an unlawful charter service out of North Myrtle Beach, S.C.
On May 19, Coast Guard workers straight observed a leisure vessel being run by an unlicensed master with 2 paying guests aboard along theIntracoastal Waterway
The master was a worker of Action Watersportz, LLC, had by Asymmetrical, LLC, as well as did not have a legitimate Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC). Although offered as a leasing, the circumstance fulfills the standards of an unlawful charter.
The adhering to activities were taken:
Letter of Warning (LOW) instead of Civil Penalty for the driver
- 46 CFR 15.401 (“Employment of individual, or service in aposition by an individual, without the appropriate license”)
Notice of Violations (NOV) for proprietor:
- 46 CFR 15.605 (“Failure to have an uninspected passenger vessel under the control of a properly licensed individual”)
- 46 CFR 16.201 (“Failure of marine employer to comply with the requirements concerning chemical testing of personnel in accordance witht his subpart and 49 CFR Part 40”)
- 46 CFR 15.401 (“Employment of individual, or service in a position by an individual, without the appropriate license”)
The NOVs will certainly amount to $2,000 for an initial violation.
“We can’t stress enough the importance of asking the captain to verify his license and looking into the charter company that you are going to book – if you’re a passenger, paying for a ride you should expect and verify the operator to have followed the regulations for licensing,” statedCapt John Reed, Commander,Sector Charleston “Enforcement of these regulations will directly contribute to the safety of passengers and will level the playing field as the majority of charter operators maintain their credentials and comply with uninspected passenger vessel regulations.”
In enhancement, the Coast Guard has actually seen a boost in individual boat (PWC) leasings as well as assisted trips in the Myrtle Beach location as well as a number of have actually been determined as possible prohibited charter procedures. An prohibited charter procedure can exist when a visitor does not run their very own PWC as well as rather is with an overview that does not hold a legitimate MMC.