Operation Dry Water Keeps Our Boaters Safe
The weekend of June 26th marked the first ever nationally coordinated attempt to detect and decrease drinking while boating. Operation Dry Water, as the program is called, was intended to raise awareness on the dangers of drinking and boating, and to facilitate a crackdown on impaired boat operators nationwide.
Boating Under the Influence (BUI) is an all too common occurrence on the waterways of Maine. Each summer, approximately 20% of boating fatalities are caused by intoxicated boaters, as alcohol impairs one’s judgment, balance, vision, and reaction time. Intensifying the effects of alcohol are sun, wind and motion, all commonly associated with time on the water.
The National Association of State Boating Law (NASBLA), in association with the U.S. Coast Guard, coordinated the event to eliminate boating while under the influence of drugs and alcohol. An increase in policing and more check points were set up to patrol the waterways of Maine. Boaters found with a blood alcohol content level over the legal limit of .08 are subject to severe penalties, including impoundment of vessel, arrest, fines, and loss of both boating and driver’s license.
Impairment among boaters is considered more dangerous than that of drivers, as most people have more experience behind the wheel of an automobile than that of a motor craft. In addition to impairing a boater’s ability to navigate safely, alcohol is also dangerous to passengers, who may slip or fall overboard when intoxicated.
Though Operation Dry Water lasted merely a weekend, it raised national awareness on a national problem, and will continue to carryover throughout the summer and into the upcoming years. So while you’re on the waterways of Maine this summer, remember to boat safely and to boat sober. Doing so will allow you, your passengers, and all other boaters nearby, to have an enjoyable time.
For more information on Operation Dry Water please visit: www.operationdrywater.org.
