Both Ramon Saul Sanchez and the U. S. government share an important goal: promoting a peaceful, democratic transition in Cuba. Yet they petulantly squabble over a boat.

For 20 days, Mr. Sanchez, head of Democracy Movement, has been on a hunger strike protesting the U. S. government's seizure of the Human Rights, a vessel that the movement takes out on symbolic occasions and points toward Cuba. To our best knowledge, however, Mr. Sanchez has managed to reach Cuba's territorial waters only once. More often his boats have turned back because of foul weather or malfunction. Twice his boats have been seized. The gamesmanship grows old, and its failures detract from the serious issue of how to change the repressive Castro government.

The U. S. Coast Guard seized the movement's Democracia vessel on July 13, 1997, after Mr. Sanchez insisted that he would enter Cuban waters to pay homage to the 41 who died when a tugboat was rammed by Cuban fireboats. The Coast Guard justified the seizure by citing a presidential order requiring boat captains bound for Cuba from South Florida ports to obtain a permit. It returned the Democracia nine months later, not because of a hunger strike, but because a lawsuit was threatened.

The Coast Guard seized the boat Human Rights on Dec. 19, after Mr. Sanchez set sail for Cuba declaring his intent to distribute in Cuba copies of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on the 50th anniversary of its signing. Now Mr. Sanchez vows to drink only water until the boat is returned. Over the weekend, he threatened to escalate that health-threatening but peaceful protest. His supporters, he said, would tie up rush-hour traffic, jam federal phone lines and stall post-office lines.

Peaceful civil disobedience is merited for a just cause and even to be tolerated. But blocking streets turns off people who would otherwise support Mr. Sanchez's cause. Indeed, other than successfully irritating the Coast Guard, Mr. Sanchez and his groups' protests seem to have little success. He's openly fighting the U. S. government when the enemy is the government of Cuba.

The U. S. government, too, is overreacting. It invokes an executive order that raises serious constitutional questions. The order came after Cuban war planes shot down two Brothers to the Rescue planes and killed four South Floridians. Its well-meaning intent is to prevent ugly international incidents and loss of lives. Yet intent doesn't justify government trampling of civil liberties. By pushing the limits of constitutionality with the Democracy Movement, the feds again risk a lawsuit that could well end its extraordinary maritime powers.

Surely Mr. Sanchez and the feds can amicably work out yet another settlement that satisfies all parties, respects civil liberties, protects national interests and achieves common goals.