Fines: Watch out with alcohol - the drink-drive limit on the water

With the start of the water sports season, the party mood also rises - after all, free time is precious and needs to be enjoyed. The fact that there are often other aspects of the festivities is evident on the Ascension Day holiday with increased controls of the water police.

Be careful when drinking alcohol on board: If you drink too much on German waters and endanger yourself and others, you can expect to be fined or even penalised if you are checked by the authorities - and this also applies at anchor.

The legal basis

The legal basis for the blood alcohol limit can be found in several regulations, including the Sport Boat Driving Licence Ordinance (SportBootFSV), but above all in Para. (§) 1.02 of the Inland Waterways Regulations (BinSchStrO) and in § Section 3 of the Maritime Waterways Ordinance (SeeSchStrO). The reasoning is clear: summarised in one sentence, it states that a person can only participate in shipping traffic if they are able to do so and are not impaired in any way.

The blood alcohol limit

In principle, the same blood alcohol limit applies on water as on land: it is 0.5 - regardless of the type of vehicle being driven or the type of waterway, i.e. on sea and inland waterways as well as on federal and state waterways alike.

However, there are two exceptions: on Lake Constance, the blood alcohol limit is slightly higher at 0.8 per mille, but it drops to 0.3 per mille on all waterways if there are signs of impairment. Just for the sake of completeness, it should be mentioned that 0.0 per mille applies when transporting passengers or dangerous goods. At a glance:

• on the water in principle (sea and inland): 0.5 per mille
• on Lake Constance: 0.8 per mille
• with signs of impairment everywhere: 0.3 per mille
• for passenger and dangerous goods transport: 0.0 per mille

What threatens in the event of an offence

If a check reveals an alcohol level of 0.5 to 1.09 per mille, a fine of 350 to 2,500 euros (inland waterways) and 750 to 2,500 (sea) must be expected. From 1.1 per mille, on the other hand, a criminal offence is assumed - and this can be punished in accordance with Para. (§) 315a of the Criminal Code (StGB) can be punished with a fine or a prison sentence of up to five years. Withdrawal of the boating licence is also possible.

On the subject:

• Police checks: Several drunken boat drivers caught.