Alaskan Floating Strip Club Navigates Regulatory Trouble

Photo Credit: jkbrooks85A new attraction on Alaska’s Kodiak Island features exotic dancers who entertain fishermen on a converted Bering Sea crabbing boat dubbed the “Wild Alaskan” — and it’s already encountered choppy regulatory seas.

Barely open for business, the floating bar and grill was briefly shut down by the Coast Guard after someone reported that a water taxi was overloaded as it transported patrons to the 120-foot vessel.

Wild Alaskan owner Darren Byler said he is “100 percent sure” that whoever notified authorities doesn’t like that he has stripping dancers aboard. He said he apologizes in advance to anyone in the public who doesn’t approve of that line of work.

“But let’s face it, this is business. It’s nothing personal,” he said. “And by the way, this business has been around for a while. I didn’t invent it.”

The water taxi is legally allowed to carry six passengers, Byler said, adding that four others aboard were crew members, so there were no violations.