Wis. Stat. § 30.681 — WI Code / Chapter 30 / Section 30.681
Intoxicated boating.
Status: in_force

(1) Operation.

(a) Operating while under the influence of an intoxicant. No person may engage in the operation of a motorboat while under the influence of an intoxicant to a degree which renders him or her incapable of safe motorboat operation.

(b) Operating after using a controlled substance or alcohol.

1. No person may engage in the operation of a motorboat while the person has an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more. This subdivision does not apply to commercial motorboats.

1m. No person may engage in the operation of a motorboat while the person has a detectable amount of a restricted controlled substance in his or her blood.

2. No person may engage in the operation of a commercial motorboat while the person has a blood alcohol concentration of 0.04 percent or more by weight of alcohol in his or her blood. No person may engage in the operation of a commercial motorboat while the person has 0.04 grams or more of alcohol in 210 liters of his or her breath.

(bn) Operating with alcohol concentrations at specified levels; below legal drinking age. A person who has not attained the legal drinking age, as defined in s. 125.02 (8m) , may not engage in the operation of a motorboat while he or she has a blood alcohol concentration of more than 0.0 but less than 0.08.

(c) Related charges. A person may be charged with and a prosecutor may proceed upon a complaint based upon a violation of any combination of par. (a) or (b) 1. , 1m. , or 2. for acts arising out of the same incident or occurrence. If the person is charged with violating any combination of par. (a) or (b) 1. , 1m. , or 2. , the offenses shall be joined. If the person is found guilty of any combination of par. (a) or (b) 1. , 1m. , or 2. for acts arising out of the same incident or occurrence, there shall be a single conviction for purposes of sentencing and for purposes of counting convictions under s. 30.80 (6) (a) 2. and 3. Paragraphs (a) and (b) 1. , 1m. , and 2. each require proof of a fact for conviction which the others do not require.

(d) Defenses. In an action under par. (b) 1m. that is based on the defendant allegedly having a detectable amount of methamphetamine, gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol in his or her blood, the defendant has a defense if he or she proves by a preponderance of the evidence that at the time of the incident or occurrence he or she had a valid prescription for methamphetamine or one of its metabolic precursors, gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol.

(2) Causing injury.

(a) Causing injury while under the influence of an intoxicant. No person while under the influence of an intoxicant to a degree which renders him or her incapable of safe motorboat operation may cause injury to another person by the operation of a motorboat.

(b) Causing injury after using a controlled substance or alcohol.

1. No person who has an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more may cause injury to another person by the operation of a motorboat. This subdivision does not apply to commercial motorboats.

1m. No person who has a detectable amount of a restricted controlled substance in his or her blood may cause injury to another person by the operation of a motorboat.

2. No person who has a blood alcohol concentration of 0.04 percent or more by weight of alcohol in his or her blood may cause injury to another person by the operation of a commercial motorboat. No person who has 0.04 grams or more of alcohol in 210 liters of his or her breath may cause injury to another person by the operation of a commercial motorboat.

(c) Related charges. A person may be charged with and a prosecutor may proceed upon a complaint based upon a violation of any combination of par. (a) or (b) 1. , 1m. , or 2. for acts arising out of the same incident or occurrence. If the person is charged with violating any combination of par. (a) or (b) 1. , 1m. , or 2. in the complaint, the crimes shall be joined under s. 971.12 . If the person is found guilty of any combination of par. (a) or (b) 1. , 1m. , or 2. for acts arising out of the same incident or occurrence, there shall be a single conviction for purposes of sentencing and for purposes of counting convictions under s. 30.80 (6) (a) 2. and 3. Paragraphs (a) and (b) 1. , 1m. , and 2. each require proof of a fact for conviction which the others do not require.

(d) Defenses.

1.

a. In an action under this subsection for a violation of the intoxicated boating law where the defendant was operating a motorboat that is not a commercial motorboat, the defendant has a defense if he or she proves by a preponderance of the evidence that the injury would have occurred even if he or she had been exercising due care and he or she had not been under the influence of an intoxicant or did not have an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more or a detectable amount of a restricted controlled substance in his or her blood.

b. In an action under par. (b) 1m. that is based on the defendant allegedly having a detectable amount of methamphetamine, gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol in his or her blood, the defendant has a defense if he or she proves by a preponderance of the evidence that at the time of the incident or occurrence he or she had a valid prescription for methamphetamine or one of its metabolic precursors, gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol.

2. In an action under this subsection for a violation of the intoxicated boating law where the defendant was operating a commercial motorboat, the defendant has a defense if he or she proves by a preponderance of the evidence that the injury would have occurred even if he or she had been exercising due care and he or she had not been under the influence of an intoxicant or did not have a blood alcohol concentration of 0.04 percent or more by weight of alcohol in his or her blood or 0.04 grams or more of alcohol in 210 liters of his or her breath.

History: 1985 a. 331 ; 1989 a. 275 ; 1995 a. 290 , 436 ; 1997 a. 35 , 198 ; 2003 a. 30 , 97 , 326 .