Drink Drive Boating

[Local]

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In any case, no law stops the idiots and by the sound of it, these people were idiots, from doing something stupid

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In this case, the new law would have done just that. The police were unable to prevent them leaving because they were breaking no laws. With the new law in place they could have detained them.

 

[Remmington]

Second incident this week and Fireworks tonight which is notorious for collisions...take care out there.

 

[Dave_Snelson]

Yep - you're right Tony. It very few incidents such as this to bring the authorities crashing down on everyone.

And in this day and age "crashing down on everyone" is precisely what authorities like to do.

 

[Dave_Snelson]

Trouble is Mike, as I said in my earlier reply, this is just the sort of evidence that our gov't authorities love to beat us all up with.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Not exactly true. Many people including the RYA and other marine organisations believe that the existing maritime regulations can be used to detain drunken sailors and then there are numerous local harbour by laws which prohibit navigating under the affluence of incohol and I'd be very surprised if Cowes was'nt one of them. I'd say that somebody should be asking Plod whether they were doing their job in this case
According to the MCA stats, 2 people were killed in the UK last year in boating accidents where alcohol may have played a part and 1 in 2005. Hardly a major problem is it? I bet a lot more people get electrocuted by their toasters at home so why don't we have a law banning toasters

 

[scubaman]

As I said in my earlier post, IMO it's not just the fatalities that count but other types of accidents as well. Eg. in this case three had severe injuries.

Also should be taken into account numerous groundings, collitions, out-of-fuels, etc. that not only cause a lot of extra work to RNLI and coastguard, but also result in higher insurance premiums.

As no data exists it's difficult to say in how many of the 1132 leisure craft accidents in 2006 alchohol played a part.

My guess is that in more than one might first think. Easily seeable scenario for a drunken skipper would be to miss the normal checks that a sober skipper would do before setting to sea or while under way.

 

[Kawasaki]

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The fact that we're making such a fuss about this one incident demonstrates that this kind of incident is thankfully very rare. As regular readers of Tim Bartlett's column in MBY will know, statistically boating fatalities directly attributable to drink are minimal compared to other types of boating accidents and there just is'nt a widespread drink boating problem anywhere near the scale of drink driving road deaths, certainly not enough to warrant the stupid new laws the govt is proposing


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I have been pondering this issue.
Before I become "Drunk in charge of a Keyboard" (which will be in about 2 hours, so any posts after 21.00 hours please take with a pinch of salt, well I know You folks do with my dribble anyway) as said I have been pondering.
I can't remember an incident or an observation for many Years were a Bod or Party has drawn My attention enough to think that said Bod or Partry were boating under the influence.
Power or Sail.
Whilst Underway or Making way.
However some 25/ 30 Years ago, I do remember more peeps afloat imbibing.
Maybe some common sense has crept in?
In My Location there is only one twit I know who regularly goes afloat under the influence with no lifejacket etc.
He is an experienced boat user and never seems to get in a knot or looks like endangering anybody else.
One day His time will come, no doubt, then again that might be the way He wants to Go.
Fine, as long as He doesn't take anybody else with Him.
My point is, this Drink Boat problem seems to be less of an issue than it was some Years ago.
Maybe cos peeps realise the "morning after Bag"
When it does happen, like said incident it can be Fatal.
OK ,this time it wasn't
It could have been.
No we don't want more Legislation/ Rules.
That is one of the reasons We go afloat.
I think, if any Rules/ Control/ licensing or whatever it might be called.
Had to be compulsory, at least if Basic Training eg PB2 or it's saily equivalent.
Was in place the training/ course might bring it home to peeps hat this messing about on the water can be a bit dodgy sober or pissed.
Which I probably will be in just now!
No I,m not now.
So No Smart comments thank You.

 

[Dave99]

There were 2 fatalities last year due to alcohol related boating!!

 

[carlton]

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There were 2 fatalities last year due to alcohol related boating!!

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Do we know for sure that said fatalaties wouldn't have happened whether alcohol was involved or not ?

(Not being argumentative here - just wondered if there was definitive proof, that's all......)

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

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Also, crabbing wires you are only likely to harm yourself. That's why it's illegal to do your wiring at home without qualification, you could put other people at risk by buring down the whole block
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Poppycock. You also endanger anyone coming to rescue you and thus the activity, by your own logic of endangering others, needs to be banned. I'd wager that statistics show more drunks electrocute themselves than take command of a boat. As for own wiring, don't get me started, just think restrictive practices and jobs for the boys, coupled with more escape clauses for your insurance company.

 

[Searush]

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(cut)
As no data exists it's difficult to say in how many of the 1132 leisure craft accidents in 2006 alchohol played a part.
(cut)

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I have in my hand a piece of, err cardboard (with apologies to Mr Nev Chamberlain & Not the Nine o'Clock News) which is actually a beermat published by the RNLI & HMCG quoting stats from ROSPA & RLSS UK which purport that 7,000 died from drowning in last 15 years, of these, 1,000 of the incidents were contributed to by alcohol. That's about 70 people per annum and presumably includes inland waters and swimmers. So my guess is that we are talking about a handfull of seagoing speedboat/ sailboat users at the most!

It would be interesting to know how many drunks go swimming (a common summer occurence in the seaside resort where I used to live) & drown & how many fall off canal boats & drown in 4' of water.

It doesn't feel like a strong case for the proposed legislation to me. I still suspect that someone with an axe to grind is behind this nonsense.

 

[Kawasaki]

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I have in my hand a piece of, err cardboard (

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Fair play, that is a fine example of one Handed typing then /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Searush]

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quote]

I have in my hand a piece of, err cardboard (

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Fair play, that is a fine example of one Handed typing then /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

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/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Is there no start to my skills? Doesn't every one on here type with one finger anyway?

 

[asteven221]

Where do you stand if:-
go out for a nice sail.
stop and attach the boat to a mooring that's a proper managed one.
you have no intention to move off the mooring until the next day.
Have say 2.5 pints of lager which makes you over the limit.
Then for some inexplicable reason the mooring rope snaps and the boats is heading for the rocks rapido.
Question. Do you just hit the rocks or do you dump the mooring and motor off to safety? If you dump the mooring and motor off will you get the jail for DD if caught? You could of course deploy the anchor, however sadly that fell off just before the mooring rope snapped. Been a bit unlucky on this hypothetical trip!!

 

[Its_Only_Money]

[ QUOTE ]
Where do you stand if:-
go out for a nice sail.
stop and attach the boat to a mooring that's a proper managed one.
you have no intention to move off the mooring until the next day.
Have say 2.5 pints of lager which makes you over the limit.
Then for some inexplicable reason the mooring rope snaps and the boats is heading for the rocks rapido.
Question. Do you just hit the rocks or do you dump the mooring and motor off to safety? If you dump the mooring and motor off will you get the jail for DD if caught? You could of course deploy the anchor, however sadly that fell off just before the mooring rope snapped. Been a bit unlucky on this hypothetical trip!!

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Or: You book yourself into a quite little hotel next to a river, have a nice dinner and a bottle or two which swmbo shares putting you both over the vehicle DD limit. During the night it (unexpectedly) rains like heck and you wake to find your car will be flooded in the next 10mins unless it is moved...do you....????

I would suggest most people would move the car as the likelyhood of being stopped and breathalised is so low in the circumstances. Likewise with your boating scenario. What do you think your hypothetical boater should do and what do you think the chances are of anyone taking any action against the helm/skipper whatsoever????

Real problems would probably occur if your insurance got involved, they will no doubt take a dim view of your "nobody was legally able to move the boat" excuse for hitting the rocks but moving while over any limit will also probably invalidate your insurance in any case!

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

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Real problems would probably occur if your insurance got involved, they will no doubt take a dim view of your "nobody was legally able to move the boat" excuse for hitting the rocks but moving while over any limit will also probably invalidate your insurance in any case!
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And the above are very much the grounds on which very hard questions must be asked of politicians, with written answers, possibly including phrases indicating the taking of responsibility by law makers in that sort of scenario.