No.

 only asking cause I was at woodies on Sunday and 10 boat rocked up and all skippers had open cans

 having a beer (not being intoxicated) is one of the last freedoms away from the nanny state. No doubt to be ruined by idiots abusing it.

 As long as they are under when they get in the car there is nothing that can be done.

Pretty sure the law says you must be capable of being in control of the vessel but that is pretty vague. 

My understanding is that at this stage in WA police cannot perform random breath tests on skippers in the same way they can to car drivers, and they have to rely on visual impairment tests to get any sort of conviction at court. I believe there have been discussions about introducing a bill to change this but I haven't heard anything more about it for a while.

 If u cause a accident or are involved in one you can be tested an prosecuted! I'd be more worried about getting from the ramp to home!

That although there is nothing like RBT's at the moment, it will be coming.

Remember that if something goes pearshaped while on the water, no matter what it is and regardless of whether you were at fault, if you have an excessive blood alcohol content, you will be done and most probably be seen to have contributed to the situation.

It is seen that as the skipper, you are responsible for everyone on board and their actions as well as you own. 

Dont get me wrong, i enjoy a beer ot two on the boat, but as said above, you have to keep it real and remember that you still have to get home from the ramp.

Also, all the NUMPTIES that rock up to the jetty on the boat with cans in their hand or in view are inviting attention that will eventually ruin it for the rest of us. Doesnt matter how few you have had, people will always have the view that you have been on the water all day drinking.

What about in an accident or boat sinks etc and you need to claim on insurance?

What's funny is watching people more concerned about not spilling their beer whilst trying to get their boat on their trailer.

Wont be long until it comes to fruition you would think.

Young Lass had a fight on her hands.

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/eight-hurt-in-ski-boat-crash/story-e6frg13u-1111114899485

Just be aware that the skipper is responsible at all times.

The police can and will test a skipper if they have due cause and reason to do so, look at what they do at the fire works on New Years Eve.

But unless new laws have been passed looks like no limit set as of yet.

http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/how-much-can-a-skipper-drink-20120323-1vphc.html

Personally i think that the same limit should be set as on the road, so as mentioned before no problem driving home.

The last thing anyone needs is a skipper under the weather and requiring rescuing. See and hear enough of this on the roads around the country.

It is illegal to operate a vessel while intoxicated. And as previous posts have pointed out, while there is no on water RBT at the moment, it wont be far off.

 I was having this same debate with some mates as well and I ended up ringing Fremantle Water Police for confirmation.

Initially the officer defiinately didnt want to answer my question and give me what could be taken as the all clear, but evetually told me that there is no blood alcohol limit for operating a vessel in Western Australia and you cannot be pulled over and breathtested while driving. As others have said though, if you are involved in accident,  they can then breathalyse you and if you are found to be at fault use that to prosecute you in court.

I am pretty sure WA is the only state without this legislation yet and he assured me they were in the process of passing it as law. This was approx 2 years ago. We have some of the most amazing coastline and at Rotto in summer there is many boaties enjoying a few drinks and I almost never see any issues. Most people are pretty good IMO.

The law should have been in years ago IMHO. Seen too many cases where blokes were pissed and things have gone pearshaped because of their actions and luckily no one got drowned or seriously injured.

It has been my experience and observations that most skippers drink in moderation and in a responsible manner whilst in charge of a boat, be it power or sail. I have witnessed very few incidents at boat ramps that have been fuelled by alcohol, the fumes and slurred speech being the characteristics that deem the incident to be alcohol driven. A lot of boaties like to get out on the water away from the pressures of suburbia and enjoy quality time with the family/friends mates and have a few drinks in a moderate and responsible manner.
We are Australians and this is what a lot of us do.
Unfortunately there are always a few people who show no respect for their fellow water users, be it boaties, water skiers, divers or what ever by drinking to excess and behaving in a very dangerous manner. The same as road users and drunken yobbos at night clubs.
They spoil it for other people and it is these people that laws are made to control, the small minority.
It is my view that if skippers are caught with a blood alcohol reading the same level as that which prohibits you from driving a car then they should suffer the same consequences, you loose your right to be in command of a boat no ifs not buts.
These people are just selfish bastards.

If I recall correctly there was an incident on Sydney Harbor around a year or so ago - boat collision at night where all onboard were drunk, one or more died/seriously injured and the person supposed to be in control was in serious trouble.

Here in SA police can breathtest the driver of any boat and occasionally test the odd one or two at ramps.  They police it more frequently amoungst the ski boats on the Murray River.  Same rules as a car apply .05 limit.  Not positive but beleive anyone caught can lose their boat license and also lose your car license (for the offence on the boat) for exceeding the limit.

Can also lose your car license for riding a bicycle intoxicated though most of the drunks on bikes have already lost it.. 

Big problem here is the wipper snipper powered bikes.  Get persons buying these after losing thier license for drink driving - problem is they are over the allowed power allowed and as such are required to be registered (can't get them registered though due to not meeting standards). have heard of more than one person getting done for riding one of these bikes unregistered and unlicenced as a result.

Cheers

That you should have covered in your theory when you did your skippers ticket unless they have changed some of the paperwork

 I can't believe the amount of knobs I've seen at Gnaraloo go out on their boats on the piss. For one it's remote and when things go pear shaped it's a long way from anywhere. We leave an esky in the ute with block ice and enjoy freezing cold piss when the boat is trailered. But the laws regarding this need tidying up for sure, common sense must prevail.

There's only One way to fix this: reduce the bag limits for intoxicated people. "I'm too drunk to keep this fish" bloke cuts his line.

If they bring in a BAC for skippers it'll be the beginning of the end, all for the skipper having a few but keeping in mind he is the skipper and probably the driver of the tow car as well so that's up to him to keep it in check but you can't have alcohol consumed in a car now so if that comes in on boats then well i'll have a cruisecraft for sale if anyone is interested.