5 Stupid Things You Shouldn't Do On Michigan Lakes This Memorial Day Weekend

New state laws intended to improve the safety of Michigan’s vast lakes mean some changes for boaters planning a Memorial Day Weekend outing.

The tougher drunken boating laws, which Gov. Rick Snyder signed last December after the Legislature’s lame-duck session, carry the same penalties as drunken driving.

So if you’re drinking, don’t operate a boat. Here’s a list, in no particular order of stupidity, of some of the things you shouldn’t do while boating.

1. It’s plain-down stupid to be operate a boat while drunk. It’s also against the law, which recently changed in Michigan. The new provisions lower the blood alcohol content limit for watercraft operators from 0.1 percent to 0.08 percent, similar to the limit for automobile drivers.
2. Also stupid: Firing up a joint while boating, or using any Schedule I drug, is against the law, the same as it is for motorists. And if anyone under the age of 16 is on the boat while this stupid behavior occurs, prepare to pay the man more.
3. People under 21 to operating a boat with any alcohol or drugs in their systems whatsoever? Stupid. That’s against the law, too. The lakes aren’t under-21 territories.
4. It’s really stupid not to wear a life vest. Drowning is the No. 1 cause of death in boating accidents, and of all drowning deaths reported to the U.S. Coast Guard in 2013, 84 percent were not wearing a floatation device. Under Michigan law, all boats must carry a floatation device for every passenger.
5. And it’s stupid in that slap-your-forehead way not to renew your boat and watercraft registrations before you head out for the Memorial Day Weekend. The Michigan Secretary of State’s Office offers online registration at www.ExpressSOS.com. The Recreation Passport, which is available for $11 when renewing a vehicle plate, provides boaters with access to any of the boat launches found in state parks across Michigan.

There are some precautions boaters can take to lessen the likelihood of accidental stupidity on the water, according to the Coast Guard, including:

• Take extra precaution near boats towing skiers or tubers.
• Never reverse the boat to pick up someone out of the water but instead circle around to the person.
• Examine the boat’s stern to make certain no one is near the propeller before the engine is started.
• Be especially alert when operating in congested areas and never enter swimming zones.
• Don’t allow passengers to ride on the bow, transom, seatbacks or other locations where they might fall overboard.
• Stop immediately if someone falls overboard and slowly turn the boat around while keeping the person in sight as you approach.
• Learn to recognize scuba diver markers.

Photo via Michigan.org