Should there be an alcohol limit for leisure boaters?

[Chrisch]

Originally Posted by Doug Stormforce

These twats get no sympathy fom me, all they do is strengthen big brothers case to legislate an activity that is largely trouble free.

Every other EU country requires a licence to operate powered watercraft. Much as I dislike the idea you have to wonder if it is not about time for the UK to take this route. At least then it would be possible to take away people's ability to endanger others?

As ever a handful of idiots spoil it for everyone.

Chris

[Biggles]

Originally Posted by Chrisch

As ever a handful of idiots spoil it for everyone.

Chris

And these would be the type that would never bother with a licence anyway.

Maybe education and basic checking of kit before launching by Harbour masters might be another way. But I'm not sure without the Police and Harbour Masters being a lot more proactive enforcing of licences would work.

[jwalker]

Originally Posted by Chrisch

Every other EU country requires a licence to operate powered watercraft. Much as I dislike the idea you have to wonder if it is not about time for the UK to take this route.

Except that most of these incidents occur in relatively small and specific sections of our coast. There are many thousands of boaters all around our coastline who go to sea without incident.

Licensing won't prevent a fool being foolish.

[Tims Osprey]

Originally Posted by Chrisch

Every other EU country requires a licence to operate powered watercraft. Much as I dislike the idea you have to wonder if it is not about time for the UK to take this route. At least then it would be possible to take away people's ability to endanger others?

As ever a handful of idiots spoil it for everyone.

Chris

having a license to helm a boat won't change a thing, there's still plenty of idiots driving cars out there isn't there! does passing a test and making them own a license stop them from being idiots? i don't think so! idiots will always be idiots licensed or not.

[Spike]

Someone i was chatting to at cobs quay yesterday told me in the states if your caught buggering around in charge of a boat while drunk they take your (car) driving licence off ya.....

[Barry Blitter]

There are idiots who crash private aircraft which as a pursuit is much more heavily regulated. I think a plane crashed on the IOW over Cowes and called all four of its crew! Cars are crashing all day long killing people.

People have been drinking happily on the high seas for centuries. I think the last high profile incident was when some commercial bloke took out hythe pier!

What no one thinks of is the cost of all this regulation. Do we want to start paying £150 a ticket to a bunch of Asylum seekers to tell us where we can and cannot leave our boats whilst they line their pockets in the process.

The hamble river where I come from is a classic example. We now have to pay £6.00 a day to lauch our boats. Yet another example of stealth tax. The Harbour Office is swelling into a rather typical labour style bloated public service.

If you guys keep wanting to pay more tax then regulation is the way forward!

[Biggles]

Originally Posted by Rupert Bonham-Smith

What no one thinks of is the cost of all this regulation. Do we want to start paying £150 a ticket to a bunch of Asylum seekers to tell us where we can and cannot leave our boats whilst they line their pockets in the process.

Yeh, Just why does it work out like that !

Originally Posted by Rupert Bonham-Smith

The hamble river where I come from is a classic example. We now have to pay £6.00 a day to lauch our boats. Yet another example of stealth tax. The Harbour Office is swelling into a rather typical labour style bloated public service.

Thats not really a bad price for a launch. I pay the yearly fee which works out at £30 and even though I'm a tight b___er I think thats very reasonable. It includes free parking at the moment. Can't see that lasting long though.

Nick R.

[Rogue Wave]

I dunno.

Obviously I don't drink alchohol when I'm training or driving comercially, We have random and frequent testing out here so not a drop has passed my lips for quite a few weeks and it's a silly rush for the Bar when we hit the beach!

Socially however I seem to wind up having a few and then driving my boat home, In fact most of the At Sea Ribnet meets which I used to attend seemed to rendevous in licensed premisies and stay there for a while.

My old buddie, Whiteshoes, was excellent company at these events and we seemed to get back all right! It is a bit weird though driving your boat home and then calling a cab cos you cant drive your car!

So I guess it's all about knowing your limits!

Ironically I am very much in favour of an anti drinking law for the private boating community and would comply with it wholeheartedly if introduced! Easiest way of encouraging compliance is to link it to your car ticket, drunk on a boat lose your car lticket, that would certanly get people thinking twice!

I certainly don't think the thought of losing your RYA PB2 would be much of a deterent

About this accident very unfortrunate and the skipper should be prosecuted for ABH at least.

I'll have a Magners please

[Limey Linda]

I believe that there is a time and a place for everything including having a few. That is why when we go out for and evening the Missus is the designated driver and I am the designated drunk.

[Jon Brooks]

Originally Posted by Rupert Bonham-Smith

There are idiots who crash private aircraft which as a pursuit is much more heavily regulated. I think a plane crashed on the IOW over Cowes and called all four of its crew! Cars are crashing all day long killing people.

People have been drinking happily on the high seas for centuries. I think the last high profile incident was when some commercial bloke took out hythe pier!

What no one thinks of is the cost of all this regulation. Do we want to start paying £150 a ticket to a bunch of Asylum seekers to tell us where we can and cannot leave our boats whilst they line their pockets in the process.

The hamble river where I come from is a classic example. We now have to pay £6.00 a day to lauch our boats. Yet another example of stealth tax. The Harbour Office is swelling into a rather typical labour style bloated public service.

The people in the rib got what they deserved as in a good fright and a bit of embarrassment but calls to send them to jail as in the case of the poor Kieran French is ludicrous.

If you guys keep wanting to pay more tax then regulation is the way forward!

With all due respect have you ever visited the planet earth?

To drive a car you need a licence and you can't drink and drive.
To fly a plane you need and licence and you can't drink and fly.

To drive a boat you don't need a licence, you can't drink and drive.
How on gods green earth can that be right?

If you knowing get drunk and drive like a loon at night you then crash, you hurt or mame the others in your boat but you expect to get away free?
Again I ask have you ever visited the planet earth.
Anyone who gets done and banged up for this kinda thing gets what they deserve.
Also in some of these cases it is not just a the fact that they drunk, drove and crashed, there is always something else to it!

I feel the ban or limit on drinking on boats is long over due.

All IMHO of course.

[timw]

Originally Posted by Jon Brooks

I feel the ban or limit on drinking on boats is long over due.

All IMHO of course.

Oh snore...bring on the nanny state. People killed or injured due to drinking and boating on private vessels per year is absolutely minimal. Of course there should be no ban, or even limit...far too difficult to police for a start. Just leave it as it is.

[Doug Stormforce]

Originally Posted by timw

Oh snore...bring on the nanny state. People killed or injured due to drinking and boating on private vessels per year is absolutely minimal. Of course there should be no ban, or even limit...far too difficult to police for a start. Just leave it as it is.

I echo what Tim has said - very wise words

[Jonny Fuller]

Originally Posted by timw

Oh snore...bring on the nanny state. People killed or injured due to drinking and boating on private vessels per year is absolutely minimal. Of course there should be no ban, or even limit...far too difficult to police for a start. Just leave it as it is.

That's as maybe, but if you got sloshed, and through your drunkeness, injured me, any of my family, or my boat, I would want your blood, and quite rightly too.

If you can't have a good time on, or off the water without getting pissed, you're a sad little bloke and arguing that it should be your 'legal right', is even sadder.

Grow up.

[timw]

Originally Posted by Jonny Fuller

That's as maybe, but if you got sloshed, and through your drunkeness, injured me, any of my family, or my boat, I would want your blood, and quite rightly too.

If you can't have a good time on, or off the water without getting pissed, you're a sad little bloke and arguing that it should be your 'legal right', is even sadder.

Grow up.

I rarely drink, and never when operating craft. That's my choice.

Your post appears to be directed at me personally. Best to know the facts first otherwise you might look like a fool.

[thorper]

Originally Posted by Jonny Fuller

That's as maybe, but if you got sloshed, and through your drunkeness, injured me, any of my family, or my boat, I would want your blood, and quite rightly too.

I totally agree. While people whinge about the nanny state and keep coming out with 'I can do what I want', they rarely think about the potential impact of their behaviour on others.

[Barry Blitter]

Originally Posted by thorper

I totally agree. While people whinge about the nanny state and keep coming out with 'I can do what I want', they rarely think about the potential impact of their behaviour on others.

Most people do think about their impact thats why the system has worked so well in the past. However well regulated things become you can never regulate an idiot. Take my old business which everyone on Rib.net loves so much. We were prosecuted for not having a licence. The licence was withdrawn because someone soaking up a lot of the tax payers money was trying to do their job and justify their rather bloated government department.

We decided that we had had enough of this red tape bollocks so we set up as a non profit making private members club and despite doing lots of things which as risk assessments would deem as suicidal have never had an injured person.

Diabetes will be one of the biggest problems for the emerging youth of today. So what would we rather have kids pursueing 'the dangerous book for boys' style activities or a bunch of Fat Lard Asses getting kicks from the colouring in a chicken tandori and injecting insulin for their rest of their lives whilst on the playstation!

[Jonny Fuller]

Originally Posted by timw

Your post appears to be directed at me personally. Best to know the facts first otherwise you might look like a fool.

I don't know you from adam, but it looks like you should take some of your own advice.

The post was directed at the person who wrote the post, posted in your name, because it's pathetic.
However, my comments are aimed at anyone who has that approach to drink-driving, of any vehicle, regardless of what you/they choose to label it as.

I appear to be living in a country full of drunken chavs with no common sense, so regulation is probably the only way.
Ask David Manning how well behaved the average drinker is when he's scraping them up off the pavement in Wolve.

[thorper]

Originally Posted by Rupert Bonham-Smith

Most people do think about their impact thats why the system has worked so well in the past. However well regulated things become you can never regulate an idiot. Take my old business which everyone on Rib.net loves so much. We were prosecuted for not having a licence. The licence was withdrawn because someone soaking up a lot of the tax payers money was trying to do their job and justify their rather bloated government department.

We decided that we had had enough of this red tape bollocks so we set up as a non profit making private members club and despite doing lots of things which as risk assessments would deem as suicidal have never had an injured person.

Diabetes will be one of the biggest problems for the emerging youth of today. So what would we rather have kids pursueing 'the dangerous book for boys' style activities or a bunch of Fat Lard Asses getting kicks from the colouring in a chicken tandori and injecting insulin for their rest of their lives whilst on the playstation!

Rupert - I am with you on the red tape front, mostly it is unnecessary, & I am not in favour of licencing pleasure boat drivers. However, I am in favour of preventing drink/boating, even if regulations only allowed the police to confiscate the keys from the cowes breakwater morons until morning.

I quite like the French approach to some problems, whereby your boat is confiscated if you are caught breaking the law.

You could split the issues & actions down - would appreciate some constructive opinions :

Drink boating, no harm done : open to suggestions here, even keeping it as present?
Drink boating, damage caused to your own boat : as above
Drink boating, damage to others property : pay for damage (a must IMHO), fine/compensation depending on damage/inconvenience caused?
Drink boating, injury to 3rd party : compensation? fine? loss of boat? prison?
Drink boating, 3rd party fatality : compensation? fine? loss of boat? prison?

I appreciate these could apply to negligence and incompetence too - not sure what is currently legislated for right now.

[Tims Osprey]

No ones trying to justify getting sloshed and taking up the helm! but what we realize is government and council intervention is just bullshit that causes malfunction where ever it goes! why change a law that all ready works fine, if it aint broke then don't try and fix it is my motto, the only reason why the government would get involved and undoubtedly furk things up like they always do is for financial gain! do you really believe they give a shit about joe bloggs killing himself on his boat, get a grip and stop sticking up for the enemy. Don't you know that having fun is at the bottom of their list and creating more reasons for tax and controlling everything is very much their priority, people that try and come up with excuse's and reasons for more and more laws are just pro state control muppets that don't like seeing other people have a good time. As i said in an earlier post having a license does not make you any less of a fool or danger to anybody else, just look at our roads does having a license stop idiots from drink driving, speeding or any other foolish antic that gets people killed or injured, duur no!!! then get a life, get a grip or get f----d with yur pro control philosophy.

[timw]

Originally Posted by Tims Osprey

No ones trying to justify getting sloshed and taking up the helm! but what we realize is government and council intervention is just bullshit that causes malfunction where ever it goes! why change a law that all ready works fine, if it aint broke then don't try and fix it is my motto, the only reason why the government would get involved and undoubtedly furk things up like they always do is for financial gain! do you really believe they give a shit about joe bloggs killing himself on his boat, get a grip and stop sticking up for the enemy. Don't you know that having fun is at the bottom of their list and creating more reasons for tax and controlling everything is very much their priority, people that try and come up with excuse's and reasons for more and more laws are just pro state control muppets that don't like seeing other people have a good time. As i said in an earlier post having a license does not make you any less of a fool or danger to anybody else, just look at our roads does having a license stop idiots from drink driving, speeding or any other foolish antic that gets people killed or injured, duur no!!! then get a life, get a grip or get f----d with yur pro control philosophy.

Couldn't agree more.