Alcohol and pleasure boat operators

PDFTech ReportCG-D-134-75AD A014 095DOT-CG-40,672-AAlcohol useBoatingAlcohol effectsIntoxicationAlcohol testsDrowningData analysisUnited StatesUnited States. Coast GuardStiehl, C.Wyle Laboratories, Inc.United States. Coast Guard. Office of Research and DevelopmentNTL-MARINE/WATERWAYS TRANSPORTATION-MARINE/WATERWAYS TRANSPORTATIONNTL-MARINE/WATERWAYS TRANSPORTATION-Marine SafetyNTL-MARINE/WATERWAYS TRANSPORTATION-U.S. Coast GuardVolpe National Transportation Systems Center, Technical Reference CenterThis report presents an initial look at the involvement of alcohol in recreational boating. It attempts to identify a problem area. The report has three objectives: 1) to define drunkenness in small boating; 2) to describe a method of determining the degree of drunkenness of boat operators; and 3) to describe the degree of drunkenness of drowning an accident victims. In addition, there is some discussion of the effects of alcohol, especially in relation to defining levels of drunkenness. The cost and benefits tradeoffs for various methods of testing for the blood-alcohol level of a boater are discussed. Finally, available data on drowning and accident victims are analyzed and criticized, and conclusions are drawn