Sadly, when operating a boat, the possibility of injuries and fatalities are very real. It is important to know your boat and where you’re headed on your trip. Before leaving the dock be sure to:

• Follow a pre-departure checklist.
• Be weather-wise.
• Use common sense. 
• Know the nautical rules of the road. 
• Designate an assistant skipper. 
• Develop a float plan. 
• Wear life jackets. 
• Avoid alcohol. 
• Skip swimming in a marina. 
• Stay clear of the engine. 

According to the Boat US Foundation: “Stressors, such as exposure to noise, vibration, sun, glare, wind, and the motion of the water, affect boat operators and passengers, thus drinking while boating is even more dangerous than drinking and driving." 

Research shows that hours of exposure to boating stressors produces a kind of fatigue or ‘boater’s hypnosis,’ which slows reaction time almost as much as if you were legally drunk.  Adding alcohol or drugs to boating stress factors intensifies their affects. That’s why boaters should never drink when operating a boat. Every state has strict drinking and boating laws–you can be arrested on the water. Yes, you can get a BUI punishable using the same criteria as Driving Under the Influence (DUI).