Yeah, after I posted, I was thinking, the CG guys here may have had info that we don't know about that justified that after dark boarding.
All my contacts with USCG have been positive, and go back quite a few years. I used to go to sea professionally, so have had to come in contact with them if only for the purpose of acquiring proper licensing, which is also in their bailiwick.
My first inclination, based on experience, is to give the Coasties, not the other guys, the benefit of the doubt. There is a definite "brotherhood" among sailors, I have always considered the Coasties to be senior members of it.
As to the whether they should have the powers they do RE boarding, that's another issue. Guess I'm going to read through the thread and see what opinions might be offered. The first 100 posts did reveal lots of ignorance.
I think we set a record with this thread! !