Sailing and alcohol

[sailingabe41ds]

Please make it simple for an old man like me...

If I am at anchor having dinner with the wife and drinking wine will I be in trouble? Will I be in trouble if the alcohol level is above the .08 or whatever the law is while anchored?

If I am not drinking...but we have open bottles of alcohol for guests, will I get in trouble like having an open bottle in the car?

Thanks...

Abe

[sail4evr]

you are the owner of the boat and the buck stops with you. If there are other guilty parties they will hand with you. After an accident The CG will do blood tests for alcohol and any other drugs. If you exceed legal limits you are done. If you are sitting on your boat and somebody crashes nto you and you will be drig tested and if found to be above legal limits you will be guilty.

[Nauticus]

It's how I roll too. Also a fellow Canadian [emoji1]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

My understanding of the law (in Canada) is that the operator must be below the legal limit while the boat is underway. We cruise as a couple, so we just don't drink booze while the boat is moving.

Once the anchor is securely down, or we're tied up to a dock, the beers come out.

[MarkusK]

Originally Posted by Redline452

Canada requires that you have a PCOC - Power Craft Operator Card. The bar isn’t very high, but it’s far better than nothing.

PCOC - PLEASURE Craft Operator Card.

No beers until we are safely docked.

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by AlanT

Fascinating topic and replies. Let's not forget that until 1970 the British Navy issued a daily tot of rum to all sailors below officer level. The British Navy that decimated Napoleon's fleet at the battle of Waterloo in 1815 would likely have had their daily half pint of rum that day. (It was served in two equal portions during the day and mixed 4:1 with water when available.

Of course they did not have to deal with complicated machinery - they did however have to climb the rigging on a regular basis.

The New Zealand Navy was the last to drop the daily tot..... in 1990.


~A

Local LEO's never stopped those guys. We operate in a different world.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by sailingabe41ds

Please make it simple for an old man like me...

If I am at anchor having dinner with the wife and drinking wine will I be in trouble? Will I be in trouble if the alcohol level is above the .08 or whatever the law is while anchored?

If I am not drinking...but we have open bottles of alcohol for guests, will I get in trouble like having an open bottle in the car?

It depends on which jurisdiction you're in Abe. Most seem to treat being anchored as if you're at the dock. A few jurisdictions treat anchoring as if you're still underway. And some (like Canada) have a hybrid approach that lets you consume at anchor, but only if you're set up as a cruising-level boat. I assume this is to try and prevent all the day-tripping open boat yahoos from drinking and boating (it doesn't work ).

I think the simple reality is that LEO's are not going to bother an anchored cruising-level boat whose occupants are behaving reasonably and rationally. If you're making an @ss of yourself, or are otherwise causing a scene, then you are more likely to attract police attention. But if you're having a few beers or a couple glasses of wine, I'm sure most water cops won't even look twice, regardless of the local laws.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Montanan

Stu, let me revise your that remark.

Two drinks before going sailing.

Two drinks per day while sailing.

Think Rum Rations.

And no jest, Shirley Temples don't count.

Now that's a set of rules I can go along with!


(with which I can go along? )

[JPA Cate]

@Mike OReilly:

There are jurisdictions around Sydney, New South Wales, where such laws could be reinforced. I don't know how much enforcement actually goes on. I would think warnings would be more likely, unless there is some big bad accident with multiple deaths/injuries. It is those kinds of events that spur such law enforcement, ime.

We've noticed, over the years, that enforcement is not often consistent, and I think that is because some places like to have rules on the books that allow them to get rid of people who are troublemakers, that are not commonly enforced.

Ann

[Fore and Aft]

Ann I remember a New Years eve in Pittwater anchored of the park with a lot of other boats getting ready to watch the fire works. The police patrolled on the outside, had their lights on and let everyone know they were around. Only an idiot skipper would have drunk with the police so close.
Cheers

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

@Mike OReilly:

There are jurisdictions around Sydney, New South Wales, where such laws could be reinforced. I don't know how much enforcement actually goes on. I would think warnings would be more likely, unless there is some big bad accident with multiple deaths/injuries. It is those kinds of events that spur such law enforcement, ime.

We've noticed, over the years, that enforcement is not often consistent, and I think that is because some places like to have rules on the books that allow them to get rid of people who are troublemakers, that are not commonly enforced.

This is my experience with these kinds of laws a well Ann. They're often on the books to take care of the few who are too dense to manage themselves responsibly.

[wsmurdoch]

It is interesting how different the wallet cards are. One is from post #16 and the other is from a wallet card provided by Budweiser.

Also, in Tennessee a BAC of 0.05% or less does not constitute a presumption of intoxication. (69-9-207-j-1 Boating Under the Influence)

[Gerrit Coetzee]

Originally Posted by nwdiver

You’re not at evening anchor, you don’t drink or consume cannabis period, in much of the world.......that’s the law in Canada, if different where you are I would take the above as a norm......

And then there are US laws.... and others.... outside of Canada. Period

But then nothing in life is really that "period".

I am a recreational person, on a recreational boat, having a recreational beverage, under recreational ordain.

Me, I despise undue overzealous "periods" and self-righteousness.

[Gerrit Coetzee]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

This is my experience with these kinds of laws a well Ann. They're often on the books to take care of the few who are too dense to manage themselves responsibly.

Indeed

[Atcowboy]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

This is my experience with these kinds of laws a well Ann. They're often on the books to take care of the few who are too dense to manage themselves responsibly.

Selective enforcement is subjectively worse. That's where the leo that usually looks the other way is suddenly Billy badass because there wasn't enough sugar in their coffee, or your boat is ugly, whatever. This can lead to a citizen having a bad day doing something they normally do or didn't even know was "grey".

- AT

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Atcowboy

Selective enforcement is subjectively worse. That's where the leo that usually looks the other way is suddenly Billy badass because there wasn't enough sugar in their coffee, or your boat is ugly, whatever. This can lead to a citizen having a bad day doing something they normally do or didn't even know was "grey".

- AT

And it can lead to enforcement based on unconscious bias and systemic discrimination. Yes...

But I see it like jaywalking laws. Sure, it's technically illegal, but unless you're doing it in an obviously stupid or dangerous way, most LEOs rightfully look the other way.