This chit is outta control

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2004/12/17/s6b_boat_1217.html

And that doesn't include the maintenance budget or the guns.

The "Security Business" is very big right now. That title alone puts another 25% onto the bill.

I'd like to get me one of them so the next time the canal patrol race over and yell at me I can open fire. Course I don't exactly have 164K sitting around either.


Canal Patrol guys remind me of doo-doo.....

Worth every penny IMO...I hope they buy a lot of them. Anything we can do to improve port secuity in this country has my support.
It is WAY to easy to take out a ferry or cruise ship or commerical vessel.

Tell me about it...
Working in the tour boat industry we deal with cruise ships alot, and it is DEPLORABLE how little attention is paid to these guys... I can take my 13 whaler and circle them with no attention being paid,

I actually had a CG ask me, as a Capt of another, civillian (tour) boat to keep an eye out and call them if I saw anything suspicious since were were shuttling pax all day and would be in the vacinity all day...
I know the CG is understaffed, but comeon, at least keep a 23' near by with a few '16s locked and loaded just in case....

Working in the shipping industry I see allot of this "port security". Just recently all the commercail shipping companies had to write a new VSP..."vessel security plan"...

I do like the idea of spending money on Port Security but the unfortunate truth is this... It is just another word for someone covering thier a$$. A boat like the one pictured will not have M16's but something bigger in the 7.62mm cal or even a 50cal. But unless you have a prior good intell the says a 30' cigerette boat with red topsides is going to drive into a ship sometime between 9 and 10 in the morning......you have just about zero chance of stopping it. Your boat has to be in just the right spot right time and then the people onboard, not the most intelliegent, have to make a lightning fast decision weather they are going to destroy a terrorist or just a guy and his family that didn't know they shouldn't be there. A very tough call to make...this gives the bad guy a huge advantage. Like 99 to 1.

The security industry has really opened up the gateway for much waste fraud and abuse and will pass this along to the consumer. In my job I see the invioces of the security companies, It is very expensive even when they hire third world nationals that don't speak the language. Happens every day.

To put this in perspective here is an example. When renewing my CG Licence in Boston there is now a security guard in between the double doors before you go in. Why, because this looks good on paper that someone is there. In truth it was a little girl, Central American decent, that could hardly speak the language to tell me to sign the book, sitting on her butt with a toy gun. Maybe she didn't even have a gun...She was probably making 8-10 bucks an hour. But I can garantee the company that employs her is charging is Government 3 to 4 times that. This equals crap services for the money spent, but it looks good on paper. "we had security in place when this happened, I did my job ect." I see this all too often.

I don't see a solution in your explanation, just griping about the system.

Spending wastes will be a part of any new initial buildout...has been in the defense industry for decades...does that mean we should fire everyone on the payroll and not have a national defense? I think not.

Once the terrorist related security infastructre build out is established, refinements in the system can be done to trim and focus resources in a more well defined manner. But IMO right now port securtity plain sucks or doesn't even exsist and every man and boat that is on the payroll has my support. Right now at this stage I think...more is better.

Do you know how many containers come into the US from other countries and are not checked?.... nearly all of them are never opened. Do you know what could be in these? Just about anything.
Osama wannabe could take his plastic explosive laden rental truck onboard a passanger ferry in the US without much resistance . His brother Abdallah could take cheap zodiac and take out any ship along the east coast at will. Ferrys and commerical ships are not like the USS Cole, they will not stay afloat after a direct hit. What about fuel depots in port areas...it wouldn't take much to get to those if you really wanted to. We need LOTS trained people, intel and LOTS serious equipment.

If some yahoo gets himself and his family killed for doing something stupid aboard his boat...I have no problem with that. Its in the name of saftey for all of us who obey the law.

Hey not to start a war here....but I gotta say this...

I'm all for spending...but comeon...$170,000 for a freekin inflateable boat? :rolleyes:

I could buy 4 23'ers or maybe more with that...

It is just like the $300 hammer. It you saw what the hammer had to go thru before the gov't accepted it you would understand why it cost $300. Its not like they go down to home depot and buy a hammer...its got to be shock tested, xrayed, nuked, and inspeced half a dozen times. I am sure the gov't stipulated all kinds of special features and/or testing that drove the cost up

also...Look at that boat..

A) it is 30'
B)It has a rugged PH with all kinds of gear
C) I probably has a kevlar Bullet proof hull for all I know...

What do you think a 30' boston whaler costs? (you would be shocked)

170K for a govt boat nothing zero zippo

You get cost overruns of hundreds of millions on ships
what about a B2 bomber...cost 2 bill...and it only seats 2 guys! You can buy a submarine for about a billion
170K..even if you buy 1000 of them it doesn't show up in accounting the number is so small.

Sandman,

Your right, I am pretty much griping about the system and have no answers right now.

Commercials ships and containers that are inspected, very few let me tell ya. And to boot most of those containers are coming into our ports on FOREIGN FLAG ships with crews from not so good places that are known to harbor terrorists.

Just another reason it would be good to have more US flagged vessels. We are down to just a few hundred, if that, large commercial ships. It s*cks for us in the business.

Gentleman,

A must read book written recently by Commander Steven Flynn, USCG (ret) who is now with the Council of Foreign Relations is "America The Vulnerable". Steve is not only a great author but one of this country's most knowledgable experts in maritime security along with the movement of containers through our ports and waterways. He is a high school classmate of mine who went to the USCG Academy and has written several papers on the subject and has testified before Congress. Tell mama to get you the book for Christmas. I know fishing out of Boston, the level of security has increased when ships of interests enter or leave the port. It is a tough subject and I don't think ther is any one answer to protect our ships unlike airplanes due to shipping routes etc. When was the last time you were able to get close to a 747? As far as asking professional mariners to keep an eye out for anything suspicious is common practice. This is because most of these mariners are out there with years of experience and know what is common. For example a boat rigged for shrimping coming into boston with outriggers out and nets in the ready position should raise a red flag. Security is each of our responsibilities as cboth citizens and mariners. Each and every one of us need to remember that as it is a much different world we live in now since 9/11. I wish each and every one of you Happy Holidays and a great day.

Capt Dave Waldrip