UK forges ahead with alcohol limit for boaters

[Guillermo]

By IBI Magazine/ybw.com

UK Transport Minister Stephen Ladyman has announced that he will be pressing ahead with the introduction of legislation to limit boat owners from navigating while under the influence of alcohol.

A limit of 80 milligrams per 100 millilitres of blood will apply to those involved in the navigation of a vessel greater than 7m (23ft) in length and/or capable of a maximum speed of more than 7kt.

"Everyone has the right to enjoy themselves on the water, but in a way that does not put others at risk," said Ladyman. "We have weighed very carefully the results of the consultation exercise and the views of all concerned - leisure sailors, enforcement authorities and accident investigators."

The regulations will not apply to jetskis because of a Court of Appeal ruling stating that the PWC's are not classed as ships. However plans exist to extend the legislation to them in due course.

The UK's Royal Yachting Association (RYA) said it was puzzled why the step was being taken now, three years after the Department for Transport completed its consultation on drink boating legislation.

Rod Carr, RYA CEO, said: "The RYA's view remains unchanged from that of 2004. We believe that new legislation is unnecessary because there is still no evidence of the existence of an extensive problem relating to alcohol and boating."

"However, given that the Government is intent on pressing ahead with the introduction of an alcohol limit for leisure mariners then we will work hard with the Department of Transport to ensure that sensible measures are put in place."

(13 June 2007)

[hansp77]

Wow,
I would never have thought that Law was not already in place.
We've had it here for a while.
Does '80 milligrams per 100 millilitres of blood' boil down to 0.08%? (forgive my math)
our limits are 0.05% for recreational and 0.02% for commercial.

[marshmat]

Over here in Ontario the booze rules on the water are pretty much the same as they are in the car. No open booze in the same compartment as the driver/helmsman while underway, and a limit of 0.08 for the person in control of the vehicle. (My understanding is that it's OK for passengers on the boat to drink while underway so long as they keep it in the cabin and in a separate compartment/area from the helm station, but don't quote me on that.) Get caught drinking and driving on the water, and your car licence is suspended just as it would be if you were caught drunk driving on the road.
So far the rules seem to be welcomed by most boaters, the majority of whom hate to think of their crew or yacht being the unwitting victims of a rampant drunkard. There aren't many arrests, but enough that drunken-skipper syndrome seems to be noticeably on the decrease.

[longliner45]

in the USA it is ,,,alreaddy in affect,,,,at the great lakes ,,you abide buy the same rules as autos ,,no open containers ,,ect ,,ect,,,,,,now also being looked at for salt water ,,,,,longliner

[lazeyjack]

crock of ****!! why?
once again we are TOLD, In 47 years I nevee sailed drunk!! so the world is full of people who should maybe not be boating> but hell!! maybe its ok fer people in fast boats but for us sailors? get real screw the bloody lawmakers

[PI Design]

nanny state

[hansp77]

As far as I know, in the Bay down here, they tend to focus on the stinkpots and are most likely to leave us sailors alone (especially if if everything on board looks safe and well behaved- lifejackets, etc..).

My absolute pet hate are jetskiers. Maybe I hate them the most because I have never done it, and never had the chance to appreciate it. Sometimes it looks sort of fun. Most of the time I just look at them and think.... and where the hell do you think your going, in a such a hurry, D!(K HEAD
It's mainly the noise that gets me. One guy, out there on the bay on big jetski will be heard for kilometers up and down the beach, by thousands of people. It just seems so obnoxious to me, and I hate that noise. Your lying in the sand, trying to bliss out in the sun, and all you can hear is rrrhough... rhhouggh... rrrghouugh... up and down the beach all bloody day...

I guess this is a rant.
I guess what I am saying is that I would be happy for the cops to hassel the hell out of those things (sorry to anyone who rides on )

[PI Design]

I agree Hans, but they're the one thing that is specifically exempt! Not only are they a nuisance, but they are also a danger, mostly because of the people who ride(?) them. I don't see how (or why) you would police sailing boats. Are you allowed to have a drink in the evening, when you're tied up (the boat, not you personally )

[lazeyjack]

Originally Posted by PI Design

I agree Hans, but they're the one thing that is specifically exempt! Not only are they a nuisance, but they are also a danger, mostly because of the people who ride(?) them. I don't see how (or why) you would police sailing boats. Are you allowed to have a drink in the evening, when you're tied up (the boat, not you personally )

same as trail bikes? , you are having a snooze in the scrub and then these bloody things come along, then you are anchored in some quiet bay and bloody jetskis, go round your pick, , hell
i'm tied of being super polite here . just so I can SAVE PTS, LET us tell it as it is

[hansp77]

Originally Posted by PI Design

Are you allowed to have a drink in the evening, when you're tied up (the boat, not you personally )

I can only assume so. I consider it like the keys in the car thing. It is alright to sit in your car here drunk as a skunk, you can even sleep there. But the moment you put your keys in the ignition (or god forbid you actually start the engine) snap... you are driving, and chargeable.

So, when we treat my boat as our little beach house on the water, swinging off its mooring, we may very well choose to get 'drunk' (well at the very least over 0.05 which aint hard to do). So long as I am still tied to my mooring, It's like I never put the keys in the ignition
at least that is my rationalisation.

After last NYE on the mooring with my girlfriend and a couple of freinds, In the morning, I don't think I was even safe enough to paddle the tender in to the local cafe I felt fine on the water, well sort of, untill the moment I stepped foot on land, and the dizziness and suffering didn't stop untill I got back on board and layed my head down... bliss.
Its strange like that.

[PI Design]

So, if your friends are allowed to drink whilst you sail, what is to stop you claiming that your 8 year old son wasn't, in fact, skippering the boat(assuming he hadn't been drinking too!) whilst you also have a drink? I just think it is unenforcable and unneccasary.
Incidentally, Stephen Ladyman's (the minister responsible) constituency covers Ramsgate, a thriving harbour and marina town. This law will not be popular with his constituents, but then he is likely to lose his seat at the next election anyway (it's a marginal seat, with a majority less than the forecast swing to the Tories). So this is the last thing he'll probably do as a politician. What is the point of consulting with the national governing body (RYA) and your local constituents and then ignoring them both?

[StianM]

If you work on a boat your not allowed to show up on your watch under influence of alcohol.

Is it ok for you to drive a car under influence of alcohol as long as truck drivers don't do it?

This law has ben in place in Norway for a few years, here I don't know and I'm suprised it's not in the UK

[charmc]

Originally Posted by Guillermo

By IBI Magazine/ybw.com

A limit of 80 milligrams per 100 millilitres of blood will apply to those involved in the navigation of a vessel greater than 7m (23ft) in length and/or capable of a maximum speed of more than 7kt.

"Everyone has the right to enjoy themselves on the water, but in a way that does not put others at risk,"

The regulations will not apply to jetskis because of a Court of Appeal ruling stating that the PWC's are not classed as ships. However plans exist to extend the legislation to them in due course. (13 June 2007)

Yes, it's a .08% limit (tried to do it in my head, had to drag out the calculator, even though I'm cold sober ).

It would appear to apply to operators of boats while "navigating", so I think having a drink while anchored or alongside a pier is no problem, and it seems to be aimed at powerboats, based on the speed thing.

Actually, it seems like a good proposal, except for the minimum length. That seems to be the result of a stupid interpretation of the court decision that small recreational boats are "not ships" (Duuuuuhhhh ).

I hate most gov't regulations of behavior, but I don't think of DUI laws as "nanny state" because DUI puts others at risk. Innocent people and children get killed in too many DUI accidents.

Florida has strict DUI laws for driving and boating; small powerboats and PWC's (jetskis) included. If you have any child under 18 with you, penalties are doubled.

[Guillermo]

Well, it's gratifying to find out that Spain, being so over-regulatory in other aspects, has still some advantages over some of your well developed countries: We do not have alcohol limits for recreational boating

[lazeyjack]

look at it this way, if you alllow the police to come on board, thats tresspass? they would need a search warrant, but if the laws are changed to allow cops to board boats, then thats the end? Vive La Espagne!!