Opening Day of Seattle’s boating season kicks off on Saturday, which means the U.S. Coast Guard will be busy with “more people on the water,” said Petty Officer Steve Strohmaier.
“The Puget Sound’s a very unique area,” Strohmaier said. “One of the biggest things - there is some boating while intoxicated. We try to prevent that as much as we can.”
In Washington state, operating a boat under the influence (BUI) is considered a gross misdemeanor. It can be punishable with a fine of up to $5,000 and/or up to a year in jail.
No one may operate a vessel on the waters of Washington state while impaired or intoxicated through the consumption of either alcohol or drugs.
“(A BUI is) just as severe, just as dangerous,” U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Charlie Campanella said. “A lot of people don’t realize when it’s hot out, you’re drinking. You’re having a good time on the water. The heat increases the effects of the alcohol.”
Cold water shock “is the biggest thing” for U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Courtney Gray, who often patrols Lake Washington.
“Just because it’s Lake Washington, people assume everything’s fine out there,” Gray said. “They kind of treat it like it’s a small pool, instead of realizing the dangers that are out there.”
Although outdoor temperatures can be warm, water temperatures can stay dangerously cold and lead to shock. (The deeper the water, the colder it will be.)
“Dress for the water temp, not the air temp,” Strohmaier said.
There are also penalties related to life jackets, including state law requiring children 12 years old and younger to wear life jackets on vessels less than 19 feet long.
“We have people arguing with us sometimes. They don’t need to be wearing a life jacket on the lake, especially when it’s calm,” Campanella said. “Children 12-and-under need to be wearing their life jacket, unless they’re inside the cabin of the boat.”