Should there be an alcohol limit for leisure boaters?

[Doug Stormforce]

Mr Stu

Originally Posted by Rogue Wave

Would that be the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

Yes that will be the one - well spotted

[jwalker]

Originally Posted by Carl

we need is another poll to see how many of the training schools have voted to have legislation
.....all that extra income if you would then need to take a test for a license

[genoa]

Originally Posted by Mugshot

If you wouldn't drink and drive why do you feel the need to drink and boat? Simple, because you CAN!

Thing is, I dont drink and drive, not because it is illegal, but because it is not sensible - training teaches you that. I am also very aware that drinking and boating at speed is not sensible, so I wouldnt do it. However, the interesting thing here is "at speed." What speed? -my sailboat does much more than 7knts (clocked 19 a couple of years back!)

It is legal to ride a bike on the road with over 80mg/l in your blood which can easily do more than 30 mph in a thirty zone (yes with pedals), however you can be arrested for public order offences if you are a danger to others - is this not a more sensible approach by the authorities in harbours (where they can issue bylaws) to restrict the use of boats that are used in an inappropriate manner?
some harbours round the solent have a bylaw controlling the use of vessels capable of more than 7knts by minors so it must be possible with national legislation.

Once a boat is on open water, I suspect the number of incidents is likely to be very low that affect anyone except those on the boat in question ....

[genoa]

Yeezz, you guys were having some fun while I've been on holiday!!

I think we may well find, with a good trawl through the MCA records that in fact more lives have been lost / injuries sustained by not having a kill cord attached than alcohol in our type of boat.

Certainly more yachtsmen have been drowned falling from their tender (capable of under 7knts) with no lifeljacket (basic safety ignored) than in their yacht, admittedly alcohol induced, but as these craft are likely to be exempt we are not getting much nearer.
Oh, and while we are at it tombstoning has now killed more people than p****d boat drivers this year.

[walruz]

Originally Posted by genoa

Oh, and while we are at it tombstoning has now killed more people than p****d boat drivers this year.

And how many more paralised. We had one here in the last weekend.

Ian

[genoa]

In the first chapter of this fine book, Arthur Ransome wirtes, "Better drowned than duffers. If not duffers won't drown"

A modern equivalent would be, "If your actions are irresponsible, you should be removed from planet earth, most likely by your own acts. If you are sensible you and those around you will be ok."

No need for legislation

[Sarah G]

Originally Posted by codprawn

When you look at the statistics it says out of 7,000 drownings booze was a factor in 1,000 of them. of course this means it was NOT a factor in 6,000 - a much higher figure.

The main thing the stats don't show though is what sort of drowning the booze factored in. it doesn't mention boating - I suspect a great many are people jumping into rivers or the sea or swimming whilst drunk which means the number of boating related deaths is tiny.

There was in fact one year in the UK history where more people were drowned in their cars than in boats. Not sure when this was - but I wonder whether they were drivers who were over the limit in Richmond when the tide came in - perhaps alcohol was to blame and they should have driven home instead