I did a search on this but couldnt find a thing, if anyone has any info would love to hear it ?? cheers

As far as I know there isn't a BAC that must be observed but it is illegal to operate a boat under the influence. I'm not certain though so don't take that as gospel. From what I understand the cops simply do a visual assesment, kind of like the yanks sobriety tests but without the standing on one leg & reciting the alphabet backwards crap. I couldn't recite the alphabet backwards when I'm sober, let alone if I've been drinking. Probably more of the are you staggering, smell of alcohol, acting like a jackass sort of thing. Please keep in mind though that it is illegal to drive a motor vehicle while over .05 so they can ping you the moment you get behind the wheel to back the trailer down the ramp.

Thanks Graeme , yeah I totally understand the issue getting back to the boat ramp and driving the car home , was more a issue of staying on the boat over night after a work do

 WA is still under a grey area with regards to legal alcohol limits. This even after some bad accidents in the past and slow reform by out pollies.

Water Police have no rights at present to breath-o you on the water, unless you completely out of control of the vessel.

Welcome to the Dumb State in the Federation again!!! 

Interesting comment from someone who only recently was saying that he couldnt drive his mega horse power GTS the way it should be because of the 110kmh Nanna State limit. Maybe give it some shit to the border and leave the Dumb State behind?

My understanding is the same as what tony mentioned. They have no right to breathalize you whilst out on the water, however it is illegal to drive a vessel under the influence. It's basically stupid since they can't prove you are under the influence unless you admit to it.

I remember on the force a while back, they caught this guy speeding under the narrows at night, and he was drinking a beer whilst they were talking to him. He was clearly off his head and not co-operating with them, however they were only able to get him for speeding and not for driving under the influence.

I have a policy of no alcohol on my boat at all. No I am no a stingy bugger but have seen to many incidents in my time to realise you do not need it whilst out on the water. Remember an incident years ago where one of the crew got blasted and tried to take over from the skipper, was not a pretty sight. Also just need to spend sometime at the marinas and Rotto to see what affect it has on people.

If a boats sinks it is everyone for themselves, skippers do not have time to worry about the others.

Charter boats are some of the worst offenders, saw one guy try to get the boat at hillarys before it was secured. Ended up falling between the jetty and boat, luckily the skipper saw it happen and was able to stop the engines before he got chewed up by the props.

I am sure their are many who will dissagree with me but thats my opinion. No one will die on my boat because they wanted a couple of beers.

breatho on way home from ramp lol, they target u leaving once in your car lol, i dont drink and drive any vehicle,just common sense, your an idiot if u do :P poor buggas wish they were fishn hehe

At times up here they will have the fisheries and police check you at the bottom of the hill on the way back from Dampier to K town, police do a breath test and at the same time fisheries check your catch. Always people parking their car/boat over to the side and stepping into the bus.

Cheers

Mullows

I let the deckies drink then when we get home they clean fish and boat while i watch and drink. Very relaxing.

 imo it should be the same on our waterways and ocean,because your on the water you have the right to drink over the limit,but what if you have an accident,bet you would feel guilty as a skipper,because international skipper laws state the skipper is responsible for all crew and people on his vessel or boat,its internatiol law,so think about that guys,and your insurance wouldnt cover you....................

No piss on my boat till back on the beach. I want everyones heads screwed on in case of dramas. Nothing better than cleaning the catch over a few amber ales.

BUT.... The rules are:

2 x Mid Strength limit for me if I am the skipper... Same if someone else is skippering (If they want a drive)...

2 x Full Strength if a deckie/fisher/passenger...

Any more than the above taken on board or consumed = No more invites...

Once back on land and trailer is unhooked... "It's every man/woman for themself" while I am sitting back with a Jack or 4 watching them wash the boat

Do we really need more rules and regulations or just some bloody common sense. Everything in moderation is fine, just a few wankers that spoil it for everyone as usual.

 Some people really need to get a grip, how about exercising a bit of self control.

You Perth blokes are a bit soft 

Here in Karratha, it is that bloody hot, no one goes out with out an esky full of piss. 

You can easily drink a dozen throughout the day, and it sweats straight out of you

A decent barra session, goes for 12+ hours.  Are you gonna sit in a boat at 40+ degrees for 12 hours without a beer??

Not me

Wouldn't think about going fishing without some beer nothing better than sitting back with a cold one

ice man

im totally with you .

before this experience below i had always thought a couple of light beers out in the boat , no probs

then had an experience back in the mid 90s out night fishing off nanga ,all small things that happened that put us at risk , small boat , night fishing 6mile out , heavy fog that crept in ,couldnt see shit in any direction .... no gps , had the radio , small compass no back light etc , as the skipper i didnt  take any beers .......

but my mate did ......when we had the fog roll in around us , it became eveident he was half cut and was not at all any real help ,more a liability in a tricky situation i was responsible for !!

we got back in to the ramp with a small flotilla of other boats who also had similar issues in the fog  and i learned a valuable lesson on many counts , all good experience with no harm done , but on reflection over the next week or so i knew if he had fallen in the water  half cut in that fog , i would never have found him and he would have drowned & even if i had found him , i dunno if i could have dragged him back into the boat half cut , not able to help himself .......probly not

so from that point on i decided no alcohol on the boat ......dont want the issues it can cause , sometimes shite  just can happen out on the water and you never know when you might have it happen , or what it will be , flat battery , broken steering cable ? drag your anchor when diving  or get swamped too close to a reef break , pot rope wrapped around your prop .......sober you have a chance , under the influence ?? i have often wondered if something really bad had of happened how i would have explained it to his wife and family , and lived with it myself ??

just cause i didnt want to say no grog on my boat and look like a prick to my mates

i enjoy a beer ,i just dont have it on the boat anymore and would not want my sons /family going out with an esky full either on someone elses boat

hezzy

I'm with pale ale, gotta have a esky full of beer for any summer fishing trip, mind you it's mid strength beer so you can drink it all day. don't panic fellas there is water and energy drinks in there too but nothing is as quenching as a cold beer. i never get drunk on a fishing trip either it's too hard you'd never get any fishing done as you'd be constanly in the eski drinking!

come and sit on the bank with us fellas and see how you go :)

For some reason the light stuff doesnt seem to affect you when its that bloody hot. But I do carry a breatho machine with me and limit what I drink. So use common sense. I do treat it very much the same as getting into a car, dont risk it.

Never a beer before 12noon, then limit the intake. We have a rule on the boat that when we leave as a cheer to Poseiden we have to crack open a beer, which if before 12 is never drunk, but so far has kept the God of the Sea on our side fishing and problem wise. Might have to crack a can to the God of the Land, because all our problems have been whilst towing the thing.

Studies have shown benefits with low levels of ethanol in the system, but I am not saying drink on the boat at all. I just dont agree that prohibition is the correct call. It comes down to personal responsibility after all.

"

PERFORMANCE WHILE BLOOD ALCOHOL IS PRESENT (ACUTE EFFECT)

Motor Performance

- Low amounts of alcohol (0.02-0.05g/dL) can result in decreased hand tremors, improved balance and throwing accuracy, and a clearer release in archery, but in slower reaction time and decreased eye-hand coordination. A moderate (0.06-0.10 g/dL) amount of alcohol negatively affects such skills. "

Neels

As above not opposed to one or two light beers when fishing but you definately need to be in a state where you can cope with any problems.  Usually don't take any beer out unless its an overnighter and then only have a few and space them out.  I usually wait till I'm cleaniung the catch and then a coldie goes down very well.  On our overnighters our to Greenly Island in SA or other locations on the western side of eyre pen if you end up in the drink you don't want to be drunk but then again I'd be more concerned about what else was in the water rather than drowning - would be back in the boat very quick....

Cheers

Beer also prevents seasickness!!!  TRUE!!!

Yes that's my excuse never fails but you need to start at the ramp or it doesent work

 It should have been introduced years back, not that I don't enjoy a beer or three but when you have seen a skipper of a crayboat fall over the side when leaving the marina at 4 in the morning and the boat travelling half a mile before one of the deckies reaiising he was gone.

Even when working as a pro we wouldn't have one until everything was finished and we were anchored up for the night.

Its hard enough finding someone who is lost at sea when they are sober let alone when they're half pissed and cannot follow instructions over the radio