Isar raid: Police stop drunk pirates - Now it's getting serious on the water!

Dinghy, beer & fines: The new reality on the Isar

What sounds like fun, sun and summer joy to many, has recently ended with a pink slip for some inflatable boat users - or even with the police on the banks. This is because things have recently become much stricter on the Isar: anyone who drinks and paddles risks hefty fines. During a check at the Isar power station in Baierbrunn, a group of young men had to leave their boat - two of them had a blood alcohol level of 0.7. That meant the end of the road - and a fine was imminent.

The check is not an isolated incident, but part of a safety concept that the Munich District Office introduced back in 2020. The reason: more and more accidents - some of them fatal. Three people drowned in inflatable boats last summer alone. Often involved: alcohol, recklessness and poor equipment.

Rules of the game on the water: what's allowed - and what's expensive

The regulations on the Isar are now crystal clear:

• Alcohol limit: 0.5 per mille - anyone over the limit pays a fine of 150 euros or more
• Inflatable boats must comply with the EN ISO 6185-1 standard
• Glass bottles, loudspeakers and dinghies are prohibited
• Children under eight and non-swimmers need CE life jackets
• Boats tied together? Taboo!

Anyone who disregards these rules must expect fines of between 50 and 5,000 euros - depending on the offense. The alcohol limit in particular is strictly monitored. Like Lars Wiedmann and his wife, who were checked but had done everything right: no alcohol, no glass bottles, no illegal exits. "We think that's fine," they said - exemplary.

Police sound the alarm: The Isar is not a fun pool

The officers speak plainly. "People overestimate themselves - and underestimate the dangers," says Jörg Greiner from the Grünwald police station. Particularly treacherous: water rollers, weirs, trees in the riverbed and changing currents. At high or low water, the Isar becomes an unpredictable force of nature. "We don't want to spoil anyone's fun, but anyone who doesn't follow the rules is putting lives at risk - including ours!" warns Greiner.

Alarmingly, there have already been several serious incidents this year. One group capsized in front of a weir in Pullach - three out of five people were under the influence of alcohol. Another case ended fatally: in July 2024, a 46-year-old man drowned in Straßlach-Dingharting after his boat tipped over in a strong current. Tragedies that could have been avoided.

The Isar is not a party river - those who drink will soon no longer be paddling

Sure, a beer in a boat seems harmless - but on a wild river like the Isar, it's extremely dangerous. The fact that you are now asked to pay for 0.7 per mille is not madness on the part of the authorities, but long overdue. Paddling while drunk is like driving a car on the highway with booze in your blood - only without a seatbelt and airbag.

The right rules, consistently implemented - even when it gets uncomfortable. The Isar is not a fairground on water, but a dynamic natural river. Anyone who forgets this risks not only a fine - but also their own life.