ALCOHOL AND BOATING

NEBRASKA'S B. U. I. LAW

Nebraska's BUI statute (boating while under the influence of alcohol or drugs) makes it illegal to operate a motorboat with more than 0.08% blood alcohol concentration. The penalty for conviction of BUI may range up to a $1,000 fine and up to 6 months imprisonment, plus the court shall order the convicted person not to operate a motorboat for six months. In addition, the court may order the person to attend an alcoholism treatment program.

Any person who is in physical control of a motorboat while underway shall also be deemed to have given consent to submit to a chemical test. Any person who refuses such a test may be fined up to $1,000.

Alcohol, unfortunately, is a common commodity aboard many boats. It often goes on board with all the other things everyone thinks they must have whether at home or afloat. Fortunately, most boaters use alcohol with care. However, a few (and it appears to be quite a few) increasingly are drinking to excess. As a consequence, boating accidents related to alcohol are climbing rapidly.

Balance, coordination, depth perception and night vision . . . all required for safe boating . . . are impaired by the improper and excessive use of alcohol.

Just what is alcohol that is has such an effect on the human body? Alcohol is a major chemical ingredient of wines, beer and distilled beverages. It is formed naturally by fermenting sugar and yeast. There are many kinds of alcohol, but that in many alcoholic beverages is a colorless, flammable liquid with an intoxicating effect. It is known scientifically as ethyl alcohol. It is classified as a food because it does contain calories. However, they are empty calories, since they have no nutritional value. It is also classified as a drug because of its effect on the central nervous system.

A variety of alcoholic beverages are produced by using sugars from several sources. Wine comes from grapes and berries, whiskey from malted grains, mm from molasses, and beer from malted or germinated barley. Whiskey, scotch, vodka, gin and other "hard" liquors are beverages that result from a concentration process called distillation.

American beers contain approximately 4% alcohol, while dinner wines range from 10-20%. Alcohol is added to sherry to bring the content to 17-20%. Distilled liquors contain 40-50%. Since the average mixed drink and a 12-ounce beer both contain about a half ounce of alcohol, both have the same basic effect on a drinker.

How It Affects the Body

When you ingest alcohol, 20% is absorbed immediately into the bloodstream, directly through the stomach walls. The other 80% is processed into the bloodstream through the gastro-intestinal tract at only a slightly slower rate. The blood carries it directly to the brain, where it affects the central control areas. This slows down or depresses brain activity. Alcohol enters the bloodstream so quickly that only moments after it is swallowed, it can be found in all tissues, organs) urine and blood.

Since alcohol depresses the central nervous system, just one drink acts as a mild tranquilizer. Alcohol first affects the upper part of the brain. - . the area that controls learned behavior, such as self-control. After a drink or two, an individual can lose his inhibitions, talk more freely and seem to be the life of the party. On the other hand, one may become depressed, agitated or aggressive.

Additional alcohol depresses brain activity to the point that memory, muscle coordination and balance are temporarily impaired. Large amounts of alcohol consumed over a short period of time will affect even the deeper parts of the brain, causing alossof control where judgment is severely affected. If heavy drinking continues, the brain becomes anesthetized and may result in coma or even death.

How Fast Does It Happen?

Several conditions regulate the effect alcohol has on the brain and body and just how quickly it enters the bloodstream.

How fast you drink is important. Since your body can oxidize only about a half ounce of alcohol per hour, you probably won't be affected if you sip only one drink per hour. However, several drinks downed rapidly will quickly affect the deeper part of the brain and produce virtually immediate intoxicating effects.

Whether your stomach is empty or full also has a bearing. Drinking on a full stomach has less impact, since the absorption rate is slower.

What you drink also makes a difference. Wine and beer absorb slower than hard liquors. Mixing or diluting a drink with water also slows the absorption rate. However, carbonated mixers speed up that rate.

Body weight makes a difference, too. An ounce of alcohol will have a greater influence on a smaller person than a larger one. Since alcohol is distributed evenly in the circulatory system, a heavy individual would have a smaller concentration overall than a smaller person, given the same amount of alcohol.

The position of your body also impacts the effect of alcohol. It will not have as great an effect if you are sitting and relaxed as opposed to standing. Emotional upset or strain will also speed up the reaction to alcohol.

Health Hazard

Not only does excessive drinking cause accidents, it's a health hazard. Anything that affects the brain is potentially very dangerous. This is true of alcohol as well as other drugs. Irresponsible or indiscriminate use of alcohol creates an extreme risk to yourself and indirectly to others. However, those who drink in moderation can usually do so without harm to themselves or anyone else.

If you are a normally healthy person, you can probably consume a reasonable amount of alcohol without any lasting health effects. However, continuously drinking large amounts of alcohol can cause cirrhosis of the liver and is closely linked with ulcers, heart disease and diabetes. Heavy drinking over many years can lead to serious nervous and mental disorders, as well, and may cause permanent brain damage. It is also addictive.

What Is Intoxication?

Intoxication or drunkenness is the temporary loss of control over one's physical and mental powers due to over-consumption of alcoholic beverages. In the U.S., the idea that drunkenness is acceptable or even funny may contribute to problem drinking.

In many states, including Nebraska, 0.08% blood alcohol level is legally drunk. At that point, it is illegal and definitely unsafe to operate a vehicle, whether it is a car or a boat.

Since it takes a specific time to burn up the alcohol in the body, there's nothing to do but wait. Drinking black coffee or taking cold showers don't help. Most of the work is done by the liver, and it ordinarily takes as many hours to sober up as the number of drinks consumed. Nothing will speed up the process.

It's easy to avoid getting drunk . . . just don't take more than one or two drinks in a two-hour period. Know what happens and know your limit. If you intend to drink more than one or two in an hour, have someone sober drive your car or boat. Better yet, stay home!

Remember what happens when intoxicated people fall overboard or wind up in the water for whatever reason. They don't try to swim, struggle, wave their arms or yell for help. They don't act because they don't have the will. They just slip silently below the surface and drown. Don't be one of them!

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