Is booze legal on boats in the US?

[bass buster]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

Its the Game Wardens that I worry about.
They have unlimited search and seizure powers here, even on private property.

Yes, this is so true. There are very few 'lake cops" Its mostly DNR doing their thing. The wardens can be wicked here!

 

[bass buster]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

Speaking of wardens... I saw a warden pulling this boat, saw them at a truck stop in Kenosha county, they were fueling up. Wow! What a rig! It had twin 250 HP Merc outboards. They were undoubtedly wardens heading to lake Michigan.

Now I know where my fishing license and boat registration money goes!

 

[4Winns2]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

That was funny!

Here in WI, the boating, and driving car under the influence BAC, is the same....08.

I just looked at the WI regs, and here the 'implied consent" law goes for boaters too. Which means, that upon accepting your legal boat registration, (like your car license) you agree to consent to a breath-alcohol test if asked to by law enforcement. If you refuse, its considered an automatic failure of the field test.

As far as I can tell, it is legal to have alcohol on board here, and open containers are not an issue, as long as the person driving the boat, or at the helm if anchored, is under the legal limit.

I like my beer as much as anyone, but i won't get drunk while on the water. (unless maybe, I'm a passenger, LOL)
Same common sense and responsibility should apply when driving your car,but just like on the road, there are idiots on the water too.

I did some research on all of this BUI stuff this past Friday. You can refuse a breath-alchohol and any sobriety test requested. However, you cannot refuse a BAC test. If you do, you'll be without your license for about a year. Could be your boat registration depending on the state. That's if your doesn't view DUI and BUI as one in the same.

 

[ricksrster]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

Drunk passengers have been known to fall out of the boat and drown! I allow no alcohol on my boat.

 

[4Winns2]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

Drunk passengers have been known to fall out of the boat and drown! I allow no alcohol on my boat.

Maybe you should tie them down so you don't lose them?

 

[QC]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

Drunk passengers have been known to fall out of the boat and drown!

Methinks that's what life jackets are for . . .

 

[Jerico]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

Here in Missouri it's pretty much the same as driving a car. On the other hand, I do not drink at all when driving the boat, and severely limit what passengers are allowed. Usually I request everyone wear a life vest when the boat is moving. If they are drinking they are required to wear wear it 100% of the time.

The idiot factor here goes up exponentially with alcohol: http://www.mswp.dps.mo.gov/News/NRDetailbasic.asp?ID=N07070073

 

[4Winns2]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

Here in Missouri it's pretty much the same as driving a car. On the other hand, I do not drink at all when driving the boat, and severely limit what passengers are allowed. Usually I request everyone wear a life vest when the boat is moving. If they are drinking they are required to wear wear it 100% of the time.

The idiot factor here goes up exponentially with alcohol: http://www.mswp.dps.mo.gov/News/NRDetailbasic.asp?ID=N07070073

You mean to tell us that you tell your adult guest how much they can drink while on board your boat? If they get that bad, you just don't invite them anymore. Or, as I suggested earlier to another poster, you could alway tie them down so you don't lose them.

 

[Jerico]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

I take people out on my boat all the time. All of them know a few drinks is no problem. If they are going to get tanked they can do it somewhere other than on my boat. One ugly drunk can ruin the outing for everyone.

 

[chaparral442]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

In south Louisiana you can very seldom be in the water without seeing a sheriff's deputy, Coast guard or Wildlife agent-- Most weekends I sell all three.

Where I live the sheriff's dept has multiple speed boats including two air boats- one which is a dual aircraft prop boat-- does it fly and it will go anywhere!

There is also a state law that allows sheriff departments to keep boats or vehicles impounded in drug cases--some of the sheriffs now have go fast boats too!

My suggestion- don't drink and drive your boat- not in Louisiana- your odds may be better on the highway

 

[Cptkid570]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

Isn't Louisinna the place where that football player from the Patriots fell off his jetski without a life jacket and drowned?

Too bad all of those cops weren't around to help him.

 

[4Winns2]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

No question in my mind that too much boos will increase the chance for disaster. Both the boaters killed on our lake two weeks ago were hammered; come on, what condition could you be in at 2:30 AM on a dark lake. See my thread below for a worst case scenario.

Boating in the day and drinking moderately while always looking out, and not trusting anyone, are safe measures to avoid accidents.

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

 

[chaparral442]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

sad to say but Lake Ponchartrain is the largest lake in Louisiana but does not get patrolled as well as other water ways.

In Marquis Hills' case- he had no lifejacket, could not swim, riding a jet ski in 2-4 ft seas, did not check weather forecast,

A case of equating having money to being smart. A sad, unnecessary loss-

PWC will kill too many people. A recent insurance trade magazine stated boating accidents are up 40% largely due to PWC s--

 

[4Winns2]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

sad to say but Lake Ponchartrain is the largest lake in Louisiana but does not get patrolled as well as other water ways.

In Marquis Hills' case- he had no lifejacket, could not swim, riding a jet ski in 2-4 ft seas, did not check weather forecast,

A case of equating having money to being smart. A sad, unnecessary loss-

PWC will kill too many people. A recent insurance trade magazine stated boating accidents are up 40% largely due to PWC s--

Okay, I've ridden a PWC and they are fun. However, they get on my nerves and when asked by a non-boater on board my boat what they are, I reply that is molded fiberglass with an over-sized chain saw engine. Not a stable craft for kids (and most adults). It's no wonder so many get hurt or killed.

 

[Cptkid570]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

I wouldn't mind PWCs if more of their operators understood the courteousness of boating and didn't zip next to parked boats. They do leave enough wake to be annoying. I have no problem with the PWCs that boat politely. I think they are fun and would love to have one.

Which do you think causes more boating accidents per year... drunk drivers on boats or sober drivers on PWCs??

 

[4Winns2]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

I wouldn't mind PWCs if more of their operators understood the courteousness of boating and didn't zip next to parked boats. They do leave enough wake to be annoying. I have no problem with the PWCs that boat politely. I think they are fun and would love to have one.

Which do you think causes more boating accidents per year... drunk drivers on boats or sober drivers on PWCs??

I don't honestly know which one causes more "boating accidents per year." I'm sure there are stats on that somewhere though.

The thing that annoys me the most is the constant buzzing of those chain engines on a peaceful summer day. If they keep buzzing my wakes back and forth, I'm considering the installation of stern torpedos. How many points do you get for a direct hit?

 

[Cptkid570]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

Stern torpedoes could be fun!

I thought it was illegal for them to jump the wakes of boats...something about them jumping into the path of an oncoming boat by jumping a wake.

 

[4Winns2]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

Stern torpedoes could be fun!

I thought it was illegal for them to jump the wakes of boats...something about them jumping into the path of an oncoming boat by jumping a wake.

I'm also thinking of installing them on the bow.

I had my NYS rules and regs booklet on my desk and just looked it up. You're right, it is illegal (in New York at least) "jumping the wake of another vessel too close to that vessel."

It also illegal to let anyone ride on the bow; and I'm not referring to an open bow with seats. I see this happening every now and then and usually see an adult behind the wheel letting it happen: why would you want to turn your own kid, or somebody elses, into propeller meat. In the words of Ron White: "...you can't fix stupid."

 

[PhatboyC]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

Since summer of 2006 Ontario is now the strictest province for boating under the influence. Probably in North America too. They can suspense your driving permit for a year.

"As a result, a first conviction for impaired boating will result in a one-year suspension of your driver's licence. To get your licence reinstated you will have to pay $150 and enroll in the Ministry of Transportation's Back on Track driver rehabilitation program (cost: $503.50). And when you're licence is reinstated, you'll have to use an ignition interlock device in your car for at least a year (cost: over $1,000)."

Personally they can be as severe they want for the driver. But for passengers Ontario's law is to strict. It's a good thing I boat on a river which is haft on the Quebec side where passengers can drink.

As posted before by scoutabout. For anyone in the Ontario waterways below is a recap on the rest of the law.

(ALCOHOL & BOATING) CANADIAN CRIMINAL CODE

It is an offence, under the criminal code of Canada to operate any vehicle or vessel when the ability to do so is impaired by alcohol or while the alcohol concentration in the bloodstream is more than 80 milligrams per l00 millilitres of blood.

Ontario Liquor Licence Act:

Sec. 32 (3) No person shall operate or have care or control of a boat that is underway while there is contained in the boat any liquor, except under the authority of a licence or permit.

Sec.32 (4) Exception-Subsection (3) does not apply if the liquor in the boat, (a) is in a container that is unopened and the seal unbroken, (b) is stored in a closed compartment.

Sec. 32 (5) A police officer who has reasonable grounds to believe that liquor is being unlawfully kept in a vehicle or boat may at any time, without warrant, enter and search the vehicle or boat and search any person found in it.

Sec.32 (6) Definition-In this section, "boat" includes any ship or boat or any other description of vessel used or designed to be used in the navigation of water.

CONSUMING LIQUOR IN A BOAT,
ONTARIO LIQUOR LICENCE ACT REGULATION 718

Sec. 3 (7) A boat with permanent sleeping accommodation and permanent cooking and sanitary facilities, other than a boat used to carry passengers for hire is considered to be a private place while the boat is at anchor or is secured to the dock or land.

 

[thefairlaneman]

Re: Is booze legal on boats in the US?

Here in NC they treat a boat just like a car. Get caught boating over the alcohol limit you get a DUI.........just like you were in a car.even YOUR CAR insurance goes up just like you were in a car..........I say UNFAIR.....When I used to drink while out on my boat I always brought bottles and not cans........You can guess why...........Bottles dont float and you can drop them overboard (on the side the cop cant see) before he gets to you.......