life vests, he told Magistrates' Court yesterday.

"That's what they said about the Titanic ,'' Senior Magistrate Will Francis chuckled. "And look what happened to it.'' Micheal James Medeiros, 26, of Sunnyview Drive, Hamilton was charged with having only two life vests on board when patrolling marine police carried out a spot safety check at 11 p.m. on July 30. Crown Counsel Venous Telford said that the 17-foot Boston Whaler boat was in the area of Granaway Deep when the check was carried out and there were eight people on board.

Medeiros, a Shell plant worker, said he was only giving some friends a lift a short distance to the next boat.

"I had the ship-to-shore radio on. We were inside the reefline. And, to be honest, those boats just won't sink,'' he said.

Mr. Francis fined him $100 and told him to buy some life vests "just in case''.