A boater who drowned near his Apsley Lock home had been drinking on the night that he died.
Andrew Hopton's body was pulled from the marina at Dickinson Quay in Hemel Hempstead, on Saturday, August 23, this year.
At his inquest on Tuesday (December 2), the 54 year old was described as 'popular and friendly' and was said to be a regular
weekend drinker in The Paper Mill and The George pubs near the waterside estate.
On the night of his death, Mr Hopton had been drinking at both venues and was captured on CCTV appearing drunk as he walked home.
It is understood he fell into the water close to his canal boat, situated opposite the Nisa convenience store, and died almost instantly.
His body was discovered by a neighbouring canal boat owner shortly after noon the next day.
He was pronounced dead at the scene and his post mortem revealed 319mg of alcohol in his blood.
The legal driving limit is 80mg.
Mr Hopton, also known by his middle name Mark, lived most of the week at his home in Bedfont, Middlesex, but stayed at his canal boat at weekends.
He had experienced problems with alcohol in the past and had been a heavy smoker, leading him to suffer with emphysema.
At the inquest in Hatfield, Hertfordshire's coroner Edward Thomas heard that Mr Hopton's death had been a 'tremendous shock' for his mother and siblings.
Mr Thomas recorded a verdict of accidental death caused by fresh water immersion.
