While enjoying water recreation in Colorado this summer, it’s crucial to remember that the state’s laws related to operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated apply to boats, too. This law was showcased in a recent incident that unfolded on Summit County’s Dillon Reservoir.

According to the Summit County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called to the scene after a boater allegedly approached the Frisco Marina too quickly, striking a parked boat and causing minor damage. Following the collision, the man walked away to retrieve his truck and trailer, and upon his return, deputies made contact.

Upon making contact with the boater, deputies noted signs of intoxication. After the man admitted to drinking “a few alcoholic beverages,” he consented to field sobriety tests, according to a press release on the matter.

Following the tests, the man was arrested on numerous charges, including those related to operating a boat while under the influence and reckless boating. Later testing for alcohol consumption revealed that the man had a blood alcohol content that was close to being three times the legal limit for operating a vehicle of 0.08 BAC. As noted, the same rule for operating a car while intoxicated applies to boating, too.

According to a report from CU Boulder, a 120-pound female can reach the 0.08 BAC level of intoxication after only two standard drinks, while a 180-pound male can reach it in four. It’s crucial to note that not all drinks sit at the threshold for a standard alcoholic beverage serving, too, especially with the many high-alcohol content IPA-style beers that are popular around the state. Generally, a standard serving of beer in terms of calculating intoxication is considered to be 12 ounces of beer with a 5% ABV – if that IPA is closer to a 9% ABV or higher, drinking one of those essentially counts as two servings.

Long story short, the best strategy when it comes to operating a boat in the presence of alcohol in Colorado is to utilize a designed driver. Otherwise, the driver of the boat should be ready to consume alcohol with extreme responsibility, planning to consume even less than what might toe the line of the legal limit.

All suspects mentioned in this report are to be considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, with details of this case coming from the Summit County Sheriff’s Office.

STAY INFORMED: Get free Colorado news with our daily newsletter (Click here)