Can one drink alcohol while boating in Arkansas?

Answer 1

Yes and No. First, it depends if you are boating in a dry county or not (around half of Arkansas's 75 counties are dry). In a dry county you can only drink in a private club or residence, period. Next, the key word is operate, because you cannot be impaired with alcohol in any way while operating the vessel or skiing equipment and it doesn't take much to be impaired, so if you are anything else but a passenger on the boat forget drinking! Arkansas drinking age is 21 of course, and it also depends on the local law enforcement too! Arkansas code 5-71-212 makes drinking in public illegal (practically anywhere), and that is enforced differently in each location depending on each local sheriff's whim. Understanding your area is very important - lakes range from very strict to very relaxed as far as enforcement goes! Don't forget that glass bottles are prohibited near most Arkansas public waters (they will check for glass and littering), and there are extra rules for securing containers in canoes and kayaks too! If you drink while boating in Arkansas, have fun but be cool about it and don't draw unnecessary attention to yourself or your group!