Hi Rick,

...wonder if the transom features some $25K airbrush job of a mermaid in the throes of passion..?

Hard to imagine that a serious sportfishing captain like that could be ignorant of the law, places like Isla and Cozumel are very popular destinations for these guys... I've watched a lot of guys prep their boats at the Galleon Marina in Key West for the run to Isla, filling the cockpit with huge auxiliary fuel tanks, and listening to their persistent whining about being forced to head out without their guns aboard... LOL!

A few years ago, a 130' American yacht was found to have guns aboard, apparently hidden away so that even the captain was unaware they were aboard... The crew was locked up, I seem to recall it cost the owner in excess of $100K to get them out of there, and his boat back...

Sounds like this guy simply took a chance, and got caught... Mexican officials aren't dumb, you show up there with a boat returning from a trip to Columbia, with a home port in the heart of America's Redneck Riviera, they're gonna give that rig more than just a casual walk-thru... (grin)

best regards,

Jon