Just because you've taken the necessary boating course and received your boating license doesn't mean that the waterways are some sort of personal playground. In Canada, more than 40% of all the fatalities that occur from boating involve alcohol to some degree. Many people seem to feel as though the open waters are either less dangerous or should have different rules than the roads. Obviously, the statistics prove otherwise and your boat license will be quickly revoked if you are caught on the wrong side of this law.
Operating a vessel on the water while under the influence of alcohol anywhere in Canada is a criminal offence. If you are approached by enforcement officers while in control of a boat, you must provide your boat licence as well as any other documentation they ask for. The dangers of alcohol and boating are outlined in any boating course you might take and are reiterated when you get your boating license, but they can never be stressed enough.
Drinking will impair your judgment, ability to process information and reflexes when you're out on the water. This will result in slower reaction times to avoid swimmers and other boats, and you'll often pay less attention to your own speed, creating dangerous situations for others. Your depth perception, balance and peripheral vision are also affected, basically making your boat license and any boating course you've taken good for nothing. Your diminished motor skills and balance also increase your risk of falling into the water, and since alcohol reduces your body's ability to handle the cold, your risk of hyperthermia is accelerated. Your risk of drowning is also accelerated, and despite the legal ramifications, losing your boat licence will be the last thing on your mind when you're struggling to stay afloat.
Fatigue and dehydration are other dangers of boating and drinking that many people probably don't consider. You'll be shown how to deal with the effects of the sun and boat motion as part of your boating course and boating license, but alcohol can quadruple these effects. Once dehydration begins to set in as you spend more time out on the water, your body begins to absorb the alcohol even more quickly and your blood levels will rise. This is a danger physically if you fall overboard and a greater danger legally if you are caught.
The laws for consuming alcohol while boating in Canada are pretty strict, and may vary slightly from province to province. In Ontario, you can't even consume alcohol on a boat unless it has permanent sleeping quarters and permanent sanitary and cooking facilities. The boat must also be anchored or secured to land or a dock. Having drinks onboard when these conditions aren't met will certainly result in fines and put your boat license in jeopardy. Boating is a fun, summer pastime in Canada, but following the rules learned as part of your boating course and respecting your boat licence when it comes to alcohol, will keep the waters safer for everyone.
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Need to pass your boat licence? Learn what you need to know to stay safe on the water.
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