I don't think that they are actually doing anything illegal [0]. It seems to be perfectly fine to pilot your boat anywhere you want to. Even if that means it looks like you're gonna run into the pier. It's not like they ever actually did run into the pier anyways.

Also, per other conversations with my brother, maritime law is not like 'normal' law. When we say that the US constitution is the supreme law of the land, that isn't just a turn of phrase. That literally mean 'the land'. Not the ocean. Maritime law is, from what I remember, the oldest law we have. And as such, things in maritime law aren't what you'd think.

Like, if you want to impound a boat, they have these really really comically large boat-cuffs that you have to use. And you have to do these strange legal gymnastics to actually impound a boat. Because, well, it's a boat. You can just take it over the horizon and effectively the captain will just never be seen again. It's not like the land where it's hard to get to another jurisdiction. In a boat, it's really easy. That's kinda the point of a boat.

Things like credit and ownership also work really funky too. Like, if you own the boat, but aren't actually on the boat when it goes out to sea, you're really just kinda hoping that the captain comes back. Not just due to freak storms, but also you really have to trust the captain. So things like credit and how money works on the sea are just different. Because it's so damn easy to just not come back.

If any real lawyers want to join in, please do. Again, I'm not a maritime lawyer, my brother is.

[0] To note here, the Rocket Boat company went bust in 2019, apparently. They're trying to bring it back, but seem to be struggling with the aftereffects of covid and whatnot.