An online phenomenon that has upended the taxi and limousine industry in big cities is hitting the water. However, the U.S. Coast Guard in Florida is not impressed with the new trend, clamping down over Labor Day weekend on unlicensed and illegal for-hire boat operators who get their customers from the Internet. They are calling it "Uber for boats," smartphone ride-sharing applications that connect tourists who want a cheap and convenient boat trip with private vessel owners. The services have proliferated in recent months, but officials at Coast Guard Seventh District headquarters in Miami suspect most of the operators don't even have the bare requirements to legally carry passengers.
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