BRADENTON, Fla. (WFLA)— An illegal charter boat that was acting as a bareboat charter was busted near Bradenton Beach Marina, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
A Coast Guard Station Cortez law enforcement crew terminated the illegal charter that had 11 passengers onboard on Thursday.
“For a bareboat charter to be legally valid, the renter must have complete control over who is at the helm—whether they pilot the vessel themselves or hire a captain of their own choosing,” said Brian Knapp, chief of investigations at Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg. “Once an owner dictates which captain the renter must use, it is no longer a bareboat charter.”
According to the USCG, an investigation deemed the 42-foot vessel, “She’s Always Right,” operated as an illegal small passenger boat, so they terminated the charter’s voyage and escorted the boat and passengers back to Bradenton Beach Marina…