I get along with cops. Not so much the boat police at the lake. Got a $100 fine for being a life jacket short, no horn, and "wake". I wanted to yell,"Wake my ass, there are jetskis whippin kitties by the boat ramp and you're picking on me??" I had the boat backed off to where it was barely in gear 100 yards before the buoy. And you really think the 8th person wouldn't be able to use one of the 2 tubes, 4 skis, or wakeboard for flotation?? No alcohol on the boat, completely cooperative too. Not to mention, I stopped an hour before that to loan tools to some folks who had broken down. Karma didn't pay off that day.
Honestly I don't think the life jacket law should apply unless there's booze on the boat. Practically every person who drowns here, it's because they're too drunk to swim. IMO if you're not wasted and driving the boat they need to just leave you alone.