Please Don't Shoot The Messenger!

[Meantime]

Looks like the government is set to bring in breath tests and alcohol restrictions to boating on canals and inland waterways. Currently there are some exemptions, the craft must be longer than 7 metres and capable of a speed in excess of 7 knots, about 8mph. The limit will be the same as the UK road drink driving limits.

I guess the obvious question is, my boat is longer than 7 metres, and I suppose technically with a good wind and the tide behind it, capable of more than 7 knots, but The Broads upper speed limit is 6ph. Will The Broads be exempt? Could I fit a speed governor or restrictor to comply?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-461764/Breath-tests-ahoy-pleasure-boat-sailors-face-drink-drive-laws.html

Please discuss nicely. 

Edited to add: looks like a very old story, so did they bring in the law?

[Londonlad1985]

Very light on details, like when and under what legislation this will be brought in under? Or is it just it just talking about enforcing something that already exists? It's not very clear on who will be doing the enforcement, it doesn't actually mention the police does it? Is this just click bait for people who like boating holidays and read the Daily Mail? I'll believe it when I'm being handcuffed for drunk cruising until then cheers everyone! 

Just seen the date also... where on earth did you find it? Doesn't look like much happened in the last decade! 

[ChrisB]

Alcohol has played a part in some appalling incidents in recent years. Not being an offence as such it gets little reporting space, not like if a car was involved then headline would be along the lines of "Twice the Legal Limit"

[eddybear]

God this makes me MAD, hire companies and I won't mention them by name are hiring boats to stag and hen parties knowing full well that they will Be absolutely pisst by By 10:30 AM in the morning, So maybe these are the ones they should be looking at not us we don't start drinking until the sun has risen over the yardarm, and are quite responsible and tend not to ram other boats shouting words that would burn the wax from your ears cannot be repeated, Don't you know what a lovely day

[dnks34]

Just now, eddybear said:

God this makes me MAD, hire companies and I won't mention them by name are hiring boats to stag and hen parties knowing full well that they will Be absolutely pisst by By 10:30 AM in the morning, So maybe these are the ones they should be looking at not us we don't start drinking until the sun has rises over the yardarm, and are quite responsible and tend not to ram other boats shouting words that would burn the wax from your ears cannot be repeated, Don't you know what a lovely day

Anything to sell holidays! I wonder if the yards working in this particular niche may have to refocus their advertising incase they are accused of encouraging it 

Sound like a good idea to me and not before time.

[Paul]

Quote

Transport Minister Stephen Ladyman said the alcohol limit for "non-professional mariners" will be 80 milligrams per 100 millilitres of blood, 35 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath or 107 milligrammes in 100ml of urine

A friend of mine has a way of getting around this. He carries a series of NHS cards. If asked for a sample of breath he draws one which says "Asthmatic, please don't take breath samples". If asked for a blood sample he draws another which says "Haemophiliac - please don't take blood" and if asked for a urine sample draws a third one which says "Doncaster Rovers Fan, Please don't take the pi**"

Quote

The Government is to recruit a new army of "marine officials" to police the new rules.

I guess this is where the project ended.

Quote

The Department for Transport said the crackdown is to discourage "gin palaces".

I can imagine the Brundall Navy loading torpedo tubes as we speak.

 

[Broads01]

There are two reasons why I would take this article with a pinch of salt. Firstly, the page dates from 2007 and if the law actually changed since I think we would know about it. Secondly, it's the Daily Mail - enough said. 

[CambridgeCabby]

When someone hires a boat the information pack on board states that the helm should not drink till safely moored up , yes this is often not the case , however the last really p****d helm I encountered was a privateer with two couples on board .

there are irresponsible individuals of all ages , sex and hirers as well as private boaters .

most stag and hen groups we have met we found to be boisterous but not overly so and often very courteous and helpful to others , I would much prefer to be moored close to them than a large family who spend all the time arguing and shouting obscenities at each other and their children 

[oldgregg]

That has mostly been my experience of such groups too. There were a few out over the weekend and it all seemed like good-natured fun.

I saw more issues with small private boats which were being used by far more people than the boat would get a hire license for...

[HEM]

1 hour ago, CambridgeCabby said:

...than a large family who spend all the time arguing and shouting obscenities at each other and their children 

Sad isn't it? 

I remember a few years back sat at Ibiza airport waiting for our luggage conveyor to start moving (we'd just arrived from Hamburg).  There were masses of folk stood (well, staggering) around the neighbouring carousel fighting over their luggage & cursing their kids for just being there.  That flight had come in from North of Hadrian's Wall and the adult passengers had been engaged in "mid-air refuelling".

I felt really sorry for those poor kids at the start of their holiday.

 

[marshman]

I don't think anyone of us should have an issue with this - I wonder who amongst you really feels it is appropriate to be drunk in charge of a boat?  Equally it refers to only a small minority of hirers - most same sex parties seem generally well behaved.

However IF it is true then it will not be effectively policed as indeed the general drink driving laws are not - perhaps occasionally an example to be made of the few.

My suspicion however is that it may just refer to professional pleasure boat skippers as I seem to remember in the dim and distant past, that they did bring that level down to road user level

[vanessan]

This article appeared on another forum I do believe. It’s from 2007 and has been made out to look like it is current news. (I think some forums are struggling for topics!) Chris Grayling is the current Transport Minister, Stephen Ladyman was in 2007. I feel sure we would know if it had been made law. 

[LondonRascal]

Often the Broads Beat will attend a boatyard - like Richardson's at their time of hand over to single sex parties and have a chat. It is more informal but a gentle warning that if anything should 'kick off' the Police will be informed and you will be taken off the boat and that will be the end of your trip.

I see nothing wrong with hire companies promoting their boats for people who are arranging a Stag or Hen do and find they could have a boat on the Broads. The boatyards are not Nannies, neither are the Broads Authority and the Police will only step in when things have gone too far. The idea is that as a group of adults, they will know what the lines are and when to ease off. In all my travels I have never seen such a group causing nuisance.

What I do see and especially on summer weekends, are where a group of friends will get on a boat (which belongs to a couple in the group) and set off with a few bottles of wine and the latest requirement a plethora of flavored Gin. Weaving about, going too fast and all the time being very  jovial loudly talking and laughing amongst each other they go oblivious to others about them.

Of course that is their right and how they wish to go boating,  but as I said to Shiela once, I'd rather not moor near these types mainly because there always seems to be one woman in the group who will have the most shrill laugh that goes right through you.

[BroadAmbition]

I wonder who amongst you really feels it is appropriate to be drunk in charge of a boat?

I thought it was compulsory!   

Griff

[Broads01]

10 hours ago, vanessan said:

This article appeared on another forum I do believe. It’s from 2007 and has been made out to look like it is current news. (I think some forums are struggling for topics!) Chris Grayling is the current Transport Minister, Stephen Ladyman was in 2007. I feel sure we would know if it had been made law. 

Exactly what I said in my earlier post. It's a nonsense article that should be disregarded. 

[Paul]

31 minutes ago, Broads01 said:

It's a nonsense article that should be disregarded

You could look at it that way, or you could look back at it and wonder how much of our cabinet ministers very expensive time, which we pay for, was wasted on this garbage .........