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Anglers catch fish. Tubers catch waves. And water patrol officers catch law-breaking boaters. 

Law enforcement officers from across the state on Thursday announced the start of "Operation Dry Water," a three-day, nationwide campaign that aims to bring awareness to the dangers of drinking and boating. The extra enforcement runs through Monday.

"Drunk boating is drunk driving," said Adam Block, a DNR conservation officer. "You could lose your boat, you could lose your driving privileges, you could lose your boating privileges, and we would rather arrest you than tell your family and friends, or the family and friends of an innocent victim, that they're no longer coming home."

In Minnesota, it's illegal to operate a boat with a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher — the same as for driving a vehicle. 
Block said law enforcement will especially be looking for reckless driving, slow or no wake violators, and improper use of floatation devices, among other violations. 

Minnesota has had nine boating fatalities so far this year, the most since 2005. In 2016, alcohol played a role in nine of the 17 recorded boating deaths in the state. 

On Lake Minnetonka Thursday, DNR conservation officer Jake Willis performed a mock seated-battery test on a boat driver, which is like a field sobriety test for on-land motorists. The risk for injury while driving a boat intoxicated is much higher than driving a car, he said.

"Operating a boat requires more skill and dexterity than a car is. You're operating in a more three-dimensional environment without roads to guide where you're going," Willis said. "In addition to that, the consequences are so much higher if something were to happen." 

Joel Schyberg, who an avid outdoorsman played the boat driver in Willis's demonstration, said he learned a lot from participating. 

"It was interesting to see what all went into boater's safety and getting pulled over on the water," he said. "I'll keep my eye out for unsafe boaters on the water, and do my part to help keep boating safe for everyone."

Willis wants boaters to know that he and his colleagues are on the water to do their job — which is to keep people safe. If approached by an officer, he said, have proper licenses and floatation devices ready and visible to make things easier.

Most stops are quick — two minutes or fewer, Willis said. Unless, he said, "I want to get hot fishing spots."

Crime, Law and Justice

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George Dornbach

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Law enforcement officers from across the state on Thursday announced the start of "Operation Dry Water," a three-day, nationwide campaign that aims to bring awareness to the dangers of drinking and boating.

DNR officer Jake Willis demonstrates a seated battery test.

George Dornbach | MPR News

Officer Jake Willis surveys Lake Mtka. for anglers and other boaters. 

 DNR conservation officer Jake Willis demonstrates a seated battery test.

Officers stepping up patrols for drunken boaters this weekend

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