Long distance Sailing. With or without alcohol?

[df1995]

Originally Posted by boatman61

I'm ex-Royal Navy...
A popular song of the day was..
"There's a buzz goin round the harbour..
That the Yanks are goin to sea..
with a crate of Coca Cola..
and a bludi great tub of ice cream..
Well they're buldi good kids in harbour.. but..
Oh my god at sea.."
Sung to the tune of 'Halls of Montezuma'.. think I've forgotten a line in the middle but.. you get the idea..
We got a tot of rum and 2 beers a day..

When I was in the US Marine Corps with NATO, it was believed that the Royal Navy provided alcohol on ships to make the sodomy less painful.

[wesevans]

At sea my boat is dry. I recommend to those I crew for that they sail dry. Emergencies are unpredictable as to time and severity. Do you want to deal with one after a drink? I do not.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by brownoarsman

Really?! That's very interesting that some people would react so differently, and that it seems relatively common either way. The guests of mine who it has happened to say the alcohol enhanced the general feeling of vertigo, contributing to the nausea. On other trips with the same conditions, they've abstained and haven't suffered. For my part, I rarely get seasick, but I often had a bout of landsickness after bareboat chartering. A couple of beers and I was falling over - and no it's not my tolerance!
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I have never had a feeling of vertigo when seasick.. gut wrenching misery yes.. vertigo no.
Maybe don't let em stand on the spreaders...
But seriously.. I don't know how others feel or act when queasy but I find I swallow/gulp automatically as a natural suppression.. so the mucus thats gathering in the mouth is whacked back down.. along with a load of air.. creating an increased sense of acidity and bloating which increases the nausea.. which makes the nervous reaction stronger and the cycle continues till you puke..
A fizzy drink breaks the cycle... the sugars are jumped on by the acids and the air you've ingested erupts in loud burps.. much more preferable to respraying various parts of the boat.
Once you feel better munch something dry like biscuits.. preferably salty.. to soak up the beer/coke..
Yup.. I can get seasick like anyone else.. just I learnt how to cope and work my way through it..

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by df1995

When I was in the US Marine Corps with NATO, it was believed that the Royal Navy provided alcohol on ships to make the sodomy less painful.

Mate... the birds are where the booze is..
Is sodomy painfull..??

[D&D]

Originally Posted by df1995

alcohol wasn't banned on US Navy ships until 1914. It was part of the Prohibition movement

Fascinating...learn something new every day...thanks df1995!

[Sailor g]

Originally Posted by jpsgirl96

We are quite serious about our sundowners when anchored or moored or docked. Underway, no alcohol. No judgement about how others approach it - maybe we figure we need all remaining brain cells to make passages.


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+1 No drinking while sailing. TSHTF always when you least expect it & I want all my faculties working.

We always toasted to Neptune once anchored in a calm anchorage though-'cheated death one more time!' Sundowners are a fun way to relax & share stories and get to know other sailors too. They don't have to have alcohol... but rum & pineapple is medicinal, isn't it??? Arrgh! No scurvy on this boat!!

[Johnno]

Lovely to see that the Yanks are such responsible people! My God, a dry Navy! The Aussie Navy would mutiny! After 30 years in the Australian Air Force, a drink at the end of the day is considered normal.
We have our own still so rum and gin are always at hand (along with many other forms of poison). For long passages around 2 - 3 drinks a day is a happy medium but around the cans or day sailing a few more passes our lips, keep in mind that Australia has a .05 rule on the water! I have to say that I've never experienced any booze troubles in 70,000 miles of long distance sailing! Not to say I haven't sdeen some bad behaviour while at anchor on other boats!!

[mstrebe]

Depends on the responsibilities and risk for me. Offshore, light winds, all day sailing, with a competent crew, I'll have a few beers. In the bay, near others, family aboard, or if I'm the only sailor, nope.

[DDabs]

While I'm not one for drinking while under way, I don't think I would go on a long distance sail without a bottle of liquor on board

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by DDabs

While I'm not one for drinking while under way, I don't think I would go on a long distance sail without a bottle of liquor on board

Why not???????????

What good will alcohol do you on a passage?

Ann

[Canibul]

Originally Posted by df1995

When I was in the US Marine Corps with NATO, it was believed that the Royal Navy provided alcohol on ships to make the sodomy less painful.

I always thought the brits drank so much because their cooking is so horrible.

I mean, a "good English restaurant" is somewhat of an oxymoron, isn't it?

As for original question, when I'm on my boat I take my responsibilities as Captain seriously. There's no way I'd swallow solvents while Capt. Not at sea, not at anchor.

Besides, if I could drink responsibly I'd be shitfaced right now.

[stevensuf]

mmm First Atlantic crossing , we set of with 5 crates of beer, bottle of whisky, bottle rum, bottle vodka, several bottles of wine, We arrived 16 days later- a dry boat!

We were always sober for night watches or in rough weather

[StuM]

"To the question, "When were your spirits at the lowest ebb?" the obvious answer seemed to be, "When the gin gave out".
-Sir Francis Chichester

or

"Any damn fool can navigate the world sober. It takes a really good sailor to do it drunk".
-Sir Francis Chichester while loading his boat with gin.

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by StuM

"To the question, "When were your spirits at the lowest ebb?" the obvious answer seemed to be, "When the gin gave out".
-Sir Francis Chichester

or

"Any damn fool can navigate the world sober. It takes a really good sailor to do it drunk".
-Sir Francis Chichester while loading his boat with gin.

+1

[FamilyVan]

Originally Posted by StuM

"To the question, "When were your spirits at the lowest ebb?" the obvious answer seemed to be, "When the gin gave out".
-Sir Francis Chichester

or

"Any damn fool can navigate the world sober. It takes a really good sailor to do it drunk".
-Sir Francis Chichester while loading his boat with gin.

Good one!

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