I will not party/drink and operate a boat. It's more of a responsibility I feel to get the others back home safetly and to be alert on the water. I've left my boat overnight at Kelly's Island before and taken the ferry back to mainland. It's just not worth it.

And I will never take out 4+ people at a time (to party on the water). What a pain! In general, it's always more enjoyable to have one or two other avid boaters on board, it helps a ton!

I was trying to behave here in nj. I never had drinks on my boat untill this past yr. coming home from the slip one night my buddy was driving his own vehicle behind me. He had 8 + beers in about 3 hours. I had about 3 one in the cove, 2 at dinner in the same amount of time. Unfortunately he touched the yellow line with a cop behind him and blew a .08 aka legally drunk in nj. It really opened everyones eyes especially mine. Thank god all it was, was a dui. Now i will have one or 2 all day in the cove and a drink with dinner if we pull up somewhere for dinner. You cant be to careful out there and it would not be worth my job and all my boating fun.

Be safe out there

I never drink, or even have alcohol on the boat. Never! Ever! Period!

This past summer the GF had some friends come for a day on the boat, she told me that they would likely want to bring a cooler. I did buy into it as long as it was a no open container while under way deal. By the end of the day I decided that this deal would never happen again. They are good people, good friends, but never again is anyone going to cause me a bad day on the water worrying about their azzes on my boat all for the sake of a beer or two.

I'll buy the gas, buy lunch, buy dinner, all the booze they can drink on the dock at the end of the day, whatever it takes for them to walk away feeling they had a great day on the water. But it's my ship, I'm the captain, and my rules have always been the booze is going to stay on the dock. Never again! Don't give a fock who it is, not going to spend my day in fear that something might happen to them. Was one of the worse days boating for me that I can remember. I would feel like chit if something happened and someone was hurt in any manner.

Performance Boats Magazine on page 22 of Jan 2011 issue:

June 2005 Colorado River near Topock: Officers stopped 170 boats and made 17 arrests for DUI. That is EVERY TENTH BOAT OPERATED BY A DRUNK.

Last year at Lake of the Ozarks between July and Sept: 58% of 330 stops had blood alcohol above .08. THAT IS OVER HALF THE OPERATORS DRUNK.

I have a family. Are the rest of you guys comfortable with these facts? :eek:

Were you sober when you wrote this? If so, I hope you're better behind the wheel than behind the keyboard! :drink:

I can't say I've never driven a boat or car under the influence.

I can say it's been a very, very long time. Many years.

Nothing bad ever happened, which I attribute to ... pure dumb luck. Nothing more. Not skill. Not my ability to "handle it." Luck.

Is drinking and boating on the rocks? It has been for a very, very long time. It's just unacceptable. The punishments are harsh for a reason.

As for those who drive boats fast after dark, stop kidding yourselves. No matter how well you think you "know" the waterway, you can't "know" what you can't see in the water ahead of you. It's just not that hard to understand.

I dont drink period,,, so i get very annoyed when ppl think they have to have a beer or 6 just to enjoy a day on the water... its very sad,, but it will never stop... usually its the innocent ppl that get hurt or worse bcuz of someones lack of common sense..... oh and, being on the water after dark is never the best idea, even if sober,, bcuz of lack of vision....

I dont' Drink and Drive on my boat.

I Throttle With The Bottle!!!!:lolhit:

:drink:

Boat safely and be responsible..

Your buddy needed to hire me for legal represenation with a
.08 BAC that is a winnable case (likely), .... (DUI defense is a major component of my law practice)
Stephen