Is booze legal on boats in the US?

[BF]

up here in Canada it's against the law to have alcohol in a boat. If the rangers /police/mounties whoever do a check on ya, and you've got beer in the cooler you can get a hefty fine (in the hundreds I think). It's like the equivalent of open liquor in a car. It becomes legal if you have a boat over a certain size (like a cruiser or something the equivalent of an RV), but I forget the details.

It sounds like in the US, it's just a common thing to have some cool brews on board? Is that the case? Is it legal in every state, or just never (or rarely) enforced?

It's not even allowed to have brews with you if you're shore fishing here in our provincial parks. A couple years back I had to dump 2 brews because the ranger asked to look in the cooler I brought to sit on beside a little trout lake. Sure he was polite and apologetic, but he still wanted the beer dumped (instead of writing me a ticket). You're only allowed to drink within your own campsite, and usually on long weekends our provincial parks are "dry" entirely. Probably sounds a bit harsh, but I think it cuts down dramatically on rowdiness in campgrounds, and stupidity on the lakes....

Anyway, just wondering if drinkin' on a boat is legal down there, or if the enforcement is lax?

 

[tic]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

Basically you can't drink and drive a boat here in the US but you ARE allowed to drink if the boat is at anchor.... That won't give you a get out of jail free card though if you get breathalized and are over the legal limit while the boat is under way.

 

[kwikrnu]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

If the boat is at anchor and there is only one person on the boat and that person is drunk is that illegal?

 

[tic]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

AFAIK.. that is completely legal yes...

 

[QC]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

It is legal to have an open container in CA, AZ, NV and the National Recreation Areas there too. I haven't run a boat anywhere else, but I check with the boat coppers every year. They always say the same thing. "Yes, it's legal, but if we see it we'll more than likely be spending some time talking."

 

[deejaycee_2000]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

Here in SA the same rules apply as if you where driving a car .... but there is never anyone to check, I mean what would a booze cruise bee without the booze .....

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

It varies by state. OWI is illegal in all if not most. Open intoxicants while operating, probably fewer. I'm aware of none that downright ban alcohol. Boating laws regarding intoxicants are usually a few to several years behind whatever legislation is regarding the road. Marine law enforcement is not nearly as abundant as land-based. Most are there on holiday weekends and for accident responses.

 

[Boatist]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

Here in California you can drink while driving but if your over the legal limit .08 You will be sited and loose your driver licence.

Some lakes have special rules like Folsom Lake state park. You can have drink while driving or out on the lake but if you beach the boat or tie to shore no alcohol allowed. Came from all the problems they had with mostly teen and young adults in some of the party areas. Too many drunks and too many fights. One river in about a 15 mile streach your can not drink on 3 holidays July 4 2007 was the first day.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

Florida it is legal, to have alcohol on board, but driver must be able to pass breathalizer. driver can have an open container. But, if the find a roach, your boat is theirs. it's immediate confiscation.

 

[imported_74baja]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=207510

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

In Arizona it's legal to drink while boating (except Maricopa County) as long as you're not over the state DWI limit of .08 It's illegal in Maricopa County which has about 80% of the states population. Some of the individual reservations are dry altogether. its' illegal on the Colorado River in Grand Canyon as well.

 

[licketdsplit756]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

ive been told drinking in a boat is just the same as in a car.NOT ALLOWED. this is different here.

 

[QC]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

its' illegal on the Colorado River in Grand Canyon as well.

Odd that it's illegal in the National Park but not the National Recreation Area . . . History of that DR?

 

[ziggy]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

But, if the find a roach, your boat is theirs. it's immediate confiscation.

gee, that seems a little harsh. i had one on my boat the other day. i think it got transported aboard with a new beach bag the girlfriend got at the local goodwill store. good thing i saw it tryin to get away and smashed it with my sandle. i'd hate to give my boat to the man for just for havein an inadvertant roach get aboard.......

as for the booze, i think here on ne. lakes ya can have some beverages onboard, open even. the captain needs to be under .08. on the shoreline at the local lakes, beverages are not permitted at all........

 

[roscoe]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

Come to Wisconsin, no need to have alcohol on board, the lakes are filled with beer.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

Odd that it's illegal in the National Park but not the National Recreation Area . . . History of that DR?

National Parks can have strange regulations. On the Cape Hatteras National Seashore you can have /drink beer but no liquor is allowed. Liquor is not even allowed to be in your possession.

 

[BF]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

how 'bout malt liquor??

 

[j442w30]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

how 'bout malt liquor??

As long as it's in a paper bag

 

[QC]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

National Parks can have strange regulations.

Yeah, the reason this one surprises me is that Lake Mead National Recreation Area borders Grand Canyon National Park. The Colorado flows out of the Canyon and dumps into Lake Mead, the border is marked by a buoy that is for all intents and purposes in the middle of nowhere. So I guess it is beer on one side, soda on the other . . .

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

Open containers are allowed on the boat, but the captain and crew cannot partake. This is an NPS regulation. I'm sure the reason is because Lake Mead NRA is a flat lake and Grand Canyon has class 10 rapids to navigate. Trip leaders and crew have to be identified ahead of time before launching at Lee's Ferry so they know who can drink and who can't if you're stopped.