Some boaters don’t give a darn about your safety or theirs. They operate their vessel under the influence of alcohol or drugs; they claim being buzzed is a big part of what they enjoy about being on the water.

These boaters’ misplaced idea of fun not only jeopardizes their own wellbeing, but also is a threat to their passengers and everyone in the vicinity.

Alcohol use is the leading known contributing factor in fatal boating accidents where the primary cause was determined by investigators. According to U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Recreational Boating Statistics, alcohol use was the leading factor in 18 percent of deaths in 2020.

Strong sun and winds, combined with the vibrations and rolling of a vessel, create “boater’s fatigue,” a condition that mimics the effects of being under the influence in persons who are sober. That’s before alcohol and/or certain legal and illegal drugs blur vision and reduce balance, judgment, and reaction time. A boat pilot under the influence is incapable of making proper decisions and assessing risks, putting everyone in the area in peril.

It is illegal in every state and territory to operate vessels, from canoes to the largest ships, while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. As boating while impaired is a choice, not an accident, law enforcement authorities are always looking to rid the waterways of intoxicated boaters.

During Operation Dry Water (ODW), a campaign coordinated with the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators and the USCG, enforcers will heighten public awareness of the perils of boating while impaired. The campaign takes place Friday, July 2 through Monday, July4, 2022. Don’t be misled by the word “awareness.” It’s not a euphemism for lectures or warnings — all participating law enforcement agencies will stop and arrest boaters suspected of boating under the influence (BUI).

Police and USCG (as well as local harbor patrols) are on the lookout for signs of intoxication day and night. Checkpoints will be set up without warning; vessels will be stopped if an officer observes possible violations of navigation laws or deems a boat to be operating in an unsafe manner. Sobriety tests will be conducted as warranted, so a boat going too fast through a no-wake zone might end up with its operator arrested for alleged BUI.

Once the holiday weekend passes, BUI enforcement will continue.

Depending on the jurisdiction, operators arrested and convicted of BUI face the same or similar consequences as driving while intoxicated on land — jail time, loss of operating privileges, and seizure of the vessel. Every arrest incurs the expense of legal defense and a potential loss of wages.

Though not the object of law enforcement, alcohol also poses a danger to passengers. Being under the influence impairs judgment and balance, resulting in slips, falls overboard, and other accidents.

More information

www.operationdrywater.org/ and http://www.uscgboating.org./recreational-boaters/boating-under-the-influence.php