Booze and boating

[Jeep Man]

Re: Booze and boating

when we come up to Canada we keep one can of beer for shore lunch (beer batter) and that is it. I hope we are not breaking any laws by doing this. Not every trip out, sometimes we have the cajun spice, and other types of spices as well. Once a week though the beer batter is good for us. We really like your walleyes for lunch!!!! Thank You For your hospitality!!

Friends of mine, a couple who are in their fifties, had their 2 cans of beer confiscated and disposed of in their presents by a Provincial Police Officer. They explained it was for their picnic which they had everything else on board for, yet, he would not relent.The beer was in a cooler and was unopened.
Was the officer within his rights...no, definitely not, but definately overzealous. They could have made a federal case of it but why make a bad encounter into a completely ruined day.

 

[Thajeffski]

Re: Booze and boating

wow that sucks.

Almost every boater here in CT seems to bring out beers/drinks/wine with them everyday!

i know I leave with nothing less than a 12.

Usually anchor up for the day around noon, drink about six total, while swimming (with a float) and sometimes go exploring whatever island we're pulled up to

 

[Trevornollmeyer]

Re: Booze and boating

In Washington, the rules are a little more relaxed than in a car. It's ok to have open containers on board and you can drive the boat with alcohol in your system, but you can't be impaired. They have the same BAC limit of .08 listed in the law, but the standard is impairment, not your BAC level. You can be arrested and convicted of DUI/BUI with a BAC of less than .08.

All that said, I err on the side of caution and I might have one if we anchor or beach it for a meal break. I've always thought if you "need" a beer, you probably shouldn't have one. If you have a collision or an incident and you are not at fault but have alcohol in your system, you are opening yourself up for criminal and civil liability.

 

[BF]

Re: Booze and boating

Friends of mine, a couple who are in their fifties, had their 2 cans of beer confiscated and disposed of in their presents by a Provincial Police Officer. They explained it was for their picnic which they had everything else on board for, yet, he would not relent.The beer was in a cooler and was unopened.
Was the officer within his rights...no, definitely not, but definately overzealous. They could have made a federal case of it but why make a bad encounter into a completely ruined day.

Not that I agree with the total ban law, but yes I think the officer was with their right... I think they would have lost their case if they pursued it... Having ANY alcohol is not permitted on a boat up here (unless fitted with sleeping quarters). Otherwise, any Joe Schmoe could pack a sandwich with his beers and claim to be having a picnic on shore later. If you seem like a good sort, they'll offer to let you dump the beer and not write you the 3 digit ticket. If you've got a snotty attitude, the ticket will come. The only time that perhaps they may not make you dump it (maybe) is if you have a full unopened case and are hauling it to a boat only access cabin with the groceries. There are a lot of boat only access places up this way.

An annoying side effect of the law is that when people do take a beer or two for their shore lunch or to sneak one while fishing etc, they usually leave the bottle/can either on shore or sink it into the lake so that they don't have the empties on board if they get spot checked by the DNR/RCMP. I get real annoyed with the beer can/bottle littering. Granted, some is from snowmobilers... they'll often take a couple cans on the ride, but never bring the empties out. Same thing, why carry the evidence around?

 

[OldePharte]

Re: Booze and boating

It's .08 in Missouri as well. And they are ticketing heavily at Lake of the Ozarks. If you have no one aboard who will or can take over, they call in a Boat/US towboat and tow the vessel to a marina. If no one on board has the $$ to pay upfront for the tow, the boat will go into impound for more $$.

So boozing and boating do not pay here. Funny thing is that just about all the tows are for the go-fast boats. The local WP doesn't seem to target the large cruisers.

 

[642mx]

Re: Booze and boating

My boat never leaves the shore without booze on board. Heck, I even have a 12V blender on board. I don't get waisted, I know my limits.... but we ain't scared to have a good time.

 

[largej74]

Re: Booze and boating

My policy is my passengers can drink eat smoke whatever but I will not touch a sip of alcohol while operating. How ever I was not too crazy about the girl that brought a bottle of Red wine on the boat a couple of weekends ago with my tan carpet. Made it through without incident.

 

[Jeep Man]

Re: Booze and boating

How can the rules and level of enforcement vary so greatly from one area to the next? How is a boater suppose to know the rules when he put his boat into new water?

 

[david_r]

Re: Booze and boating

jeep man, around here they tell me its our job to know the law. i would do some research before i go to new water................ i even go as far as looking up the specific piece of water on the net to see if there are any "special" laws

in oklahoma they dont even tell you if/when your drivers license suspended/revoked...................... when i went through a road block and had some funky crap happen with paper work and a no seat belt ticket left unpaid they suspended my frivers license........... i told the cop "how was i supposed to know it was suspended?" he says "its your responsibility to know".............. like im gonna call everyday to see if my license is still valid.

it was a $25 ticket.... and yes i paid it. it was a clerical error but i still had to bail out of jail and pay impound/towing fees.......... and show up for court................. talk about a joke........ and no i got none of my moneys back from any of it..... not even an apology

 

[arboldt]

Re: Booze and boating

I think a lot depends on the boat, the water, the time, etc. I would never have alcohol in my boat while under way. It's capable of too much.

However, I'll have a beer or mixed drink with my neighbors when we idle around our small lake on their pontoon in the evening, and I'm not concerned that he has a drink, too.

During the day, there are some larger pontoons on our lake with huge motors that can pull skiers or tubes. During the day, there's a lot more traffic and swimmers on the lake. In my view, there should NOT be any alcohol on the water then.

Small lake, small 'toon, low speed, few other boats, 'off' time of day... All of that makes a big difference.

 

[Old & In the way]

Re: Booze and boating

Things are so strick in Oregon now, that we are no longer allowed to have beer at home in the frig.

And the young boy cops on the water aren't even old enough to drink, but they have nice new boats with big engines ( my tax $).

 

[david_r]

Re: Booze and boating

arboldt, you have a valid point............. i also agree the conditions should be a factor to those who drink on the boat.

despite my signature i hardly ever drink in the boat......... as far as that goes i hardly ever drink anymore................ i cant take the hangovers, cause when i drink to get drunk............. i get hammered.

i did go through a road block last sunday. all 3 highway patrols asked me if i had been drinking, and seemed pretty insistant that i had................ it took me a lil bit to catch on, i had an ice chest in the boat.

after i realized what the big deal was i told them they were more than welcome to look in it and give me any sobriety tests they wanted........... like i have a choice anyways, im on probation.

at first they didnt seem to believe me and never once did they look in the icechest.................... the boat i just bought has 2 livewells.... a little 10gal in the front----- usually full of ozark water bottles and ice............ a big 25gal in the back---------which some previous owner cut the back out and stuffed a 18gal gas tank in (big jerk).......... so i carry an icechest for when i travel across the water or trailer home....... its kind of a pain in the butt but to move the tank i will have to have one specially made

now sittin in the yard i have drank all kinds of beer and wiskey in the boats........... course i also try out my new throw nets and fishing poles in the boat.... in the yard.......... i am not the only one neither if you do a search on this site on something like "new neighbors think im crazy" or something like that you will see there are a lot of enthusiasts like me

 

[Jeep Man]

Re: Booze and boating

wow that sucks.

Almost every boater here in CT seems to bring out beers/drinks/wine with them everyday!

i know I leave with nothing less than a 12.

Usually anchor up for the day around noon, drink about six total, while swimming (with a float) and sometimes go exploring whatever island we're pulled up to

Think I'll move to CT.

 

[capt_neo]

Re: Booze and boating

I keep and make sure I have booze on my boat all the time. I never know who is going to show up. However, my boat never leaves the dock if drinking is going on. Others at the dock will go out that I know have been drinking. When they do, I stay at the dock where its safer

I am in line with SS MAYFLOAT. . . there may be alcohol on the vessel, just as there is at home. I am sure we've all even "transported" it in out of our vehicles. And I guess that's my point. If I am going to be operating something and thus responsible for any kind of safe passage, no alcohol will pass by my lips (of course I have a responsible cut-off period before hand )

I have lost one-too-many people close to me due to drunk drivers on highways. I just assume avoid them on the water also (and wish everyone else would recognize that alcohol & driving anything don't mix)