I pledge to not drink while operating a boat
 

Let me start by saying I like to party just as much as anybody. I even over served myself last weekend at LOTO, but it was after the boat was tied up and we were done boating for the day. It’s nice to let loose and enjoy yourself and your friends once in a while.

My wife and I love going to boating events. We are not wealthy people and we have two young boys that are hard to leave behind. But we are addicted and have a passion for anything boating related. We have met so many great people at events over the years and have become really good friends with many of them.

I don’t know if alcohol changed some of the recent events that took place. I do know that alcohol alters your brain and changes your behavior. It alters your ability to perform at your best no matter how much experience you have. I don’t care what boat you are in a CC, V bottom (a V bottom at LOTO ran his boat into someone’s back yard) or cat, alcohol has no place in your system while you are operating a boat.

Accidents are going to happen. It just really sucks that parents are going to funerals of their kids, kids are growing up with no parents and we are losing great people that contribute so much to our communities.

Feel free to add your name to the list and PLEASE do not drink while operating your vessel.

Eric Belisle

Sounds like you are assuming certain people were drinking this weekend at the lake, and operating their boat(s).

Still seems a bit early for all these bull**** post....

This weekend, last weekend, every weekend, people need to take the F'n blinders off. Great post Eric, I am with you.

Read the 3rd paragraph before you post your bull**** post.

I'm with you Eric and Ryan. Booze and boat=Bad.

I don't see this thread being around very long.......

It's not really assuming when the guy in the Formula was arrested for BWI after crashing on shore.

None for me on the water...although I'm drinking heavily as I save for the next boat.

Nice post Eric .. Proud to have you at the helm of Fort Myers Offshore. Your post is spot on !!!

I used to be a heavy drinker ( Captain and Coke ) once the anchor was thrown out for the night. I love to sit around a campfire with friends and family and get a little drunk.
A little over 13 years ago I quit my job of 21 years and started my own business and since I am always " ON CALL " I can't have any alcohol in me if the phone was to ring.
Since I stopped drinking I really don't miss it anymore. It was just time to grow up...

Well said, I never drink if running boat.

I have adoped this policy for myself long ago, I was brought up on the water and have a lot of respect for it and the whole responsibility of boating. For me its no alcohol before or during running the boat period and it has been this way since I had my first boat in my teens. Now dont get me wrong . . . . I will catch up when we're in for the night or get where we are going . . . . Its why I have a boat with a cabin . . . . I can lean into it with the best of them. Its enough of a sensory overload running these things at times, cant imagine trying to do it impaired.

We lost someone on the river here just two days ago, barely walking distance from my shop. I did not know them but they were close to some very good friends of mine and i recognize the boat from our island hangout. Group of four closed a bar, ran up river at speed in an entirely no wake zoned river in the dark and went under a dock killing driver leaving two in critical condition and one un hurt. These guys knew the area well and knew the no wake zone, they were not a quarter mile from where they left and probably not a quarter mile from where they were going. I just cant help thinking it wouldnt have happened if judgment and common sense were not impaired. i see it all the time, friends casually drink all day and dont give it a second thought. This is to close for me, i just hate reading about something that is so easily preventable.

Not trying to preach . . . . we just have to be smarter than that. You have to think about everyone around you, loved ones, the ones you leave behind asking these questions. Its just not worth risking . . . . just my two cents friends . . . .

http://www.13abc.com/content/news/391581711.html

I will never drink and boat, never have, never will.

I won't get into my opinion because I don't like to play mother...lol.

Penalties are stiff here (NH)
If you get a DWI on a boat,snowmobile, in a car or etc, it counts against everything that has a motor, everything you can drive. IE; you lose ability to drive anything ! Get caught driving any of these after a DWI and loss of liscense, you are fuked.


Edit in: I would guess some other states are this way. Something for people to look into, as this could be a life changer for many people.

Lord knows that I've hoisted a few in my day --


Call me stupid - I don't care-- But I don't permit ANY booze on our boat.


3pointstar

I don't drink... don't think there is a place or time for it in my life AT all, but I don't believe in trying to regulate or push my BS on others.

I enjoyed my weekend at LOTO.

Agreed, the penalties here in Ontario, Canada are severe.

DWI or BWI is part of the Criminal Code up here which is why, if some of you from the states have had problems with Canada Border Services crossing the border you have to go into your past.

If you ever had a DWI/BWI in the states, it is considered a Criminal Charge up here and you can be refused entry at the boarder.

I'm no prude either but the booze doesn't come out until after the boat and trailer are put to bed in the driveway and I'm on the deck with a BBQ to attend to.

Thanks for the reminder. Yup, since we border Canada this is for real for us too...we can't go to Canada to ride either if one has a DWI.

I buy lower alcohol beer and limit myself to one every couple of hours. If at a raft up party I can get drunk but wait until I'm sober to drive home. Only drove my boat drunk once. Cold beer just tastes so good out on the water in the hot sun ... I won't drive drunk again but my cooler will always have cold beer and water ... Sorry, I can't take the teetotaler pledge.

Over 40 years of owning boats and not once to this day never had 1 ounce of any type of booze on my boats nor even drank a sip on anyone elses boat. Actually pretty proud to say I have about one or 2 drinks per year only, so I guess call me a non drinker anyways. Very easy for me to boat and not drink. I do not need it. I am silly enough nor act my age without drinking

This is easy for me to pledge since i don't drink anyway....i have tasted various alcoholic drinks over the years but never liked any of them...don't understand how people drink the stuff honestly buy hey to each his own. :D

I'll take a less pious position and step on the grenade. I fully believed boat and beers went together like peas and carrots. In fact, I couldn't be on a boat without popping a beer. It was sacrilegious. And, God forgive, I have operated many and many a boat rather shiat-faced. (Funny thing about alcohol, ya never think your TOO shiat-faced) I was the quintessential go-fast party boater, along with just about everyone else I hung out with! Woo-hoo!

Then a strange thing happened. I had kids. I had kids to worry about when I boated. I had kids I had to worry about around other boaters. I had kids I had to worry about looking up to me as an example. I had kids.... and that probably saved my life. I'll still drink A beer if we're anchored for awhile, and definitively when we're trailered and back at the hacienda, but those days are gone for me. Looking back, I think what an idiot I was, but, good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.

Glad I'm still here to post this.

I will not be PC. I enjoy beer and boating. Shooters on the weekends wouldn't be the same.

I have reflexes like Dr. Johnny Fever.

I agree 100 percent. Never took it serious though until my wife and I added our kids to the mix. Now I dont even take alcohol on the boat, not that is not welcome, I stick to water and tea.....Great post!

Well like others have said here its easy for me , because I'm not really much of a drinker. I don't really enjoy it much . And ya the kids really changed things for me too. I have a great time without needing to be under the influence .I have done plenty of stupid stuff that will certainly get you in trouble or dead, but kids sorted me right out. I'm not going stand on a soap box and preach to others tho .

Well, no posts like 'it's too hard to drink in 3'ers and not spill it all over yourself?" This forum is slackin'

Buy a 37 Outerlimits. The boat has no cupholders.

Agree with Eric 100%. Many, many years ago I myself was involved in an mishap, so to speak. Had a two week old Sea Ray Sundancer, my pride and joy at that time in my life, that I ran smack into an island late at night. This island was 1/2 a mile wide and 2-3 miles long, still I managed to hit it. Long story short, too long at a waterfront bar, never should have left. Ten foot tall and bullet proof mentality, simply focking stupid. A bunch of friends on the boat and all came out fine. Boat had damage that came close to what I had paid for it. In some thirty plus years I have not allowed myself so much as one single drink while boating, I have had my share on the dock at the end of the day, never on the boat. I agree with Eric here, if you love the boating then save the drinking for the dock. So often many rationalize a beer or two is not a problem, with this chit we run you need to be on the top of your game all the time, anything can happen any time, why would anyone want to be somewhat off their best when that time comes that demands you be 100% your best.

Unless you've flown an airplane you don't know how close to flying it is operating some of these boats. Pilots don't drink prior to and during flight.(unless they're fools.)

The only problem in setting a boat up for maximum speed is it becomes a boat that ONLY an experienced operator can drive. If I had a drink or two and got behind the controls of this boat I would die without a doubt.
Went for a 90+ MPH boat ride years ago at 3 AM by moonlight on Hardy pond WAY up river and I had been drinking since about 9 PM. Needless to say it was real fun until a cloud went in front of the moon at 90 + MPH. Couldn't see my hand in front of my face. The dumb thing is I would do it again today but SOBER. Woke up every camper for 3 miles up and down the river. Really pissed off Mr. Parker RIP.

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Pledging on the thread to not drink and boat when you don't drink anyhow is like me pledging not to have a baby. I have some occassional delicious beer when I boat and it is all about being responsible and legal. I think a lot depends on the boating you do as well, if I idle up the intercostal with girlfriend to diner it's differnt than performance boating. It's situational dependant and all about risk evaluatin. For example, I also enjoy motorcycling as a hobby . And I always go by the rule no alcohol when riding just immediately after. Mostly because in my opinion my reactions need to be at 100% to defend against other drivers.

Since this thread's become a confessional, here goes.....

Been guilty many times for over-indulging but lucky enough to have beaten the odds and survived. Don't like playing that game anymore and I've woken up. Perhaps I'm finally acting my age!

A typical boating day for me now is lots of water, Coke and two beers. That's my limit, sometimes I have more back at the dock but I won't drive home.

Keep the confessions coming, it may help one of the anonymous people who still do all the things I used to do! :)

RR

Ah....nose beers!

I guess that doesn't read too well......

Should have been more careful and said Coca-cola!

RR

Speaking of which, did anyone see this:

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/...z&ocid=U146DHP

Good post, I do not drink when I am the captain of the boat.

I don't think this has become a confession thread, don't think it is a pledge not to drink thread either. I do think it is not a bad thing for us to have an open conversation about this on here. Some? Many? of us have had our day. Not to in any way lay this on the recent accidents. I would never do that, nor should anyone here, could be us tomorrow.

I had my deal, I made my decision many years ago. I love to get after this Biotch and get all it has to offer me, just don't feel that works with a few bourbons in the tank. Every boater has to make this call for themselves. Sharing life experiences with others is a good thing. Not a case of telling others what they should do. Just sharing, simple as that.

Well said Eric.

I think we have too put more emphasis on the point that Eric is trying to make and less on any specific occurrence. The principal of operating a boat under the influence of anything is indisputable.

My takeaway is he's challenging us all to be responsible and being responsible also means not allowing a fellow boater who may not realize they're not in any condition to operate a boat. I don't think that's too much to ask.

I don't drink on my or anyone's boat, EVER, so you can count on me to lead by example!

Stand up response! We are all adults here and as such we should all be able to make responsible decisions.

It would be interesting to see the ages of those who do, and those who dont.
There was a time when drinking and boating was not only acceptable, but hell, it was the way to enjoy boating. And the cops never hassled anyone, unless you were being an idiot.