SAN DIEGO — The Coast Guard terminated an illegal charter of a 26-foot pleasure craft in San Diego, May 3, 2025.
A Coast Guard boarding team conducted a safety inspection of the vessel and discovered 11 individuals aboard. 10 passengers for hire and one serving as a non-credentialed crew member.
During the boarding, the Coast Guard determined the vessel was operating as an illegal small passenger vessel and cited the operator for the following violations:
• Failure to have a valid Certificate of Inspection (46 C.F.R. 176.100(a))
• Failure to employ an appropriately credentialed mariner (46 C.F.R. 15.401(a))
• Failure to have a drug and alcohol program (46 C.F.R. 16.201)
Before operating any passenger-for-hire service, vessel owners and operators must meet specific Coast Guard requirements:
• The vessel operator must hold a valid Coast Guard license.
• The operator and any crew must be enrolled in a drug and alcohol testing program.
• Vessels carrying more than six passengers for hire must have a valid Coast Guard Certificate of Inspection.
For businesses conducting bareboat charters, the following guidelines apply:
• No more than 12 passengers, plus the charterer, may be aboard—not including crew.
• Crew may be provided, but they cannot be assigned or paid by the charter company.
• Charterers must be allowed to choose their own captain, even if a recommended list is provided.
• The vessel’s registered owner cannot be onboard during the charter.
Owners and operators of illegal charters may face significant civil and criminal penalties, including:
• Up to $5,996 for operating without a valid Certificate of Inspection
• Up to $22,647 for operating without a Coast Guard license
• Up to $20,468 for coastwise trade violations without proper documentation
• Up to $9,624 for not having a drug testing program
The Coast Guard will continue to pursue vessel operators who place the lives of patrons at risk by not complying with Coast Guard passenger vessel regulations; always ask for the captain’s credentials and safety plan.
Violating a Captain of the Port Order is a Class D felony, punishable by up to six years in prison and fines up to $250,000 for individuals or $500,000 for organizations. Civil penalties for such violations can reach $117,608.
For more information about recreational boating safety, visit the Coast Guard’s Boating Safety Division at www.boatingsafety.org. To report illegal charters, contact the Coast Guard Sector San Diego Joint Harbor Operations Center at (619) 278-7033 or submit a tip via the Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) Tips app.