North Olympic Peninsula sheriff’s offices plan increased patrols on area waterways looking for drunk and impaired boaters during Operation Dry Water.
The extra patrols will begin today in Clallam County and Saturday in Jefferson County. They will run through the Fourth of July on Sunday.
The patrols are to remind people to refrain from consuming alcohol or marijuana while out on the water, especially when operating a boat or paddlecraft, according to a Clallam County Sheriff’s Office press release.
Operation Dry Water is a nationally coordinated effort that focuses on boating-under-the-influence (BUI) awareness and enforcement.
Clallam County will patrol waterways including the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Lake Sutherland, said Sheriff Bill Benedict. In Jefferson County, the emphasis will be on the waters outside of Port Townsend down to probably Port Ludlow, said Sheriff Joe Nole.
According to the U.S. Coast Guard, boating under the influence is the leading known contributing factor in fatal recreational boating accidents.
In Washington state, it is illegal to use any substance that impairs a person’s ability to operate a boat. The law applies to all boats, including kayaks, canoes, stand up paddleboards, rowboats and inflatable fishing rafts.
State law allows law enforcement officers to require boaters suspected of operating a boat while intoxicated to submit to a breath or blood test. Refusing to submit to a test is a civil infraction with a maximum fine of $2,050. It is illegal to operate a vessel with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 or higher — the same as it is to operate a vehicle.
The penalty for operating a boat under the influence is a gross misdemeanor punishable by a maximum fine of $5,000 and 364 days in jail.
Additionally, a BUI is considered a prior offense if there are later convictions for driving under the influence (DUI).
“The accidents and tragedies that happen because individuals chose to drive drunk or impaired, on land or on the water, are preventable. The decision lies with the individual on whether they chose to operate a boat or vehicle while under the influence,” said Sheriff Bill Benedict of Clallam County.
