A sheriff's deputy knows first hand how dangerous the water can be when you add drinking into the equation.

This weekend a national crack-down on drunk boaters hopes to prevent senseless deaths.

They're launching their boat this weekend with a specific goal, to cut down on drunken boaters.

For Deputy Sarah Larson with the Chippewa County Sheriff's Department it's a job that hits close to home. Over Memorial Day weekend, she was out on patrol and around midnight she says a drunken boater almost slammed into her patrol boat.

Sarah Larson says, "By the time you realize its not turning its almost too late to anything."

She says she closed her eyes and looked away, she was soaked by the boat's spray, but luckily it was a near miss. The boater was arrested.

Larson says, "We work closely with the DNR and combine our efforts to keep Lake Holcomb and Lake Wissota protected."

Scott Bowe says, "We want to educate people as well as catch people who are operating while intoxicated."

DNR Conservation Warden Scott Bowe says he wants to hit the water before the 4th of July weekend so people know they're out there.

Dan Thiede says, "Well I think it’s a good thing that we have the waters being patrolled and makes me feel safer."

Dan Thiede and his wife Susan say the patrols are a welcome sight out on the water.

Susan Thiede says, "I think there's probably a lot of kids and young adults out here at night that are probibly drinking and probably shouldn't be on a boat so its a good idea."

Bowe says the lakes in our area have a past.

Bowe says, "We have a history of intoxicated boaters on Lake Holcomb,” and something they hope their efforts can prevent.

Bowe says, "If they have had a little too much to drink they need to find someone else to operate their boat or stay on shore." He says alcohol impairs judgment and reaction time and can make you tired. He says boaters whose blood alcohol content is higher than the state limit of point-08 can be fined or jailed and their boats could be impounded