Sailing and alcohol

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by StuM

Two days without a drink before going sailing? Shirley, you jest!

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.

[Scott Berg]

I'll avoid arguing with recreational boaters, to each one's own perhaps. As a Canadian and American citizen and US licensed mariner, it's easy; zero. While you are presumptively considered intoxicated at .04, the USCG actually has a zero tolerance policy for operation under the influence of intoxicants. This means that testing .01 could cost you your ticket/livelihood and expose you to significant civil lawsuit exposure. '

When on deliveries I run a dry boat except when docked or anchored and there will be no effect when we have to be underway. That means no 'splicing the main brace' if we're anchored off what could become a lee shore.

When carrying passengers for hire, no booze for me or the crew for 12 hours and cold sober when boarding the boat. Period.

[gonesail]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

It amazes me that some seek to justify decisions with permisions.

That is not the sailors life where wind, weather and a close bond with the well being of your boat and crew guides you to when and how much .

If you cant trust yourself, who can you trust?

well said. that would be for anyone's life.

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by Scott Berg

I'll avoid arguing with recreational boaters, to each one's own perhaps. As a Canadian and American citizen and US licensed mariner, it's easy; zero. While you are presumptively considered intoxicated at .04, the USCG actually has a zero tolerance policy for operation under the influence of intoxicants. This means that testing .01 could cost you your ticket/livelihood and expose you to significant civil lawsuit exposure. '

When on deliveries I run a dry boat except when docked or anchored and there will be no effect when we have to be underway. That means no 'splicing the main brace' if we're anchored off what could become a lee shore.

When carrying passengers for hire, no booze for me or the crew for 12 hours and cold sober when boarding the boat. Period.

Completely agree. Our delivery contract goes a little further. All alcohol must be removed from the vessel or in a locked container to which we have no access, before we take command of the vessel.

[Mike OReilly]

I'm still curious about anchoring laws. I've been told by some here that a few jurisdictions do not allow any imbibing even while anchored. Is this true? And if so, where?

DuckDuck fails to turn up anything.

[DockDoc]

We keep it simple on our boat. I say this

"When the hook is up, drinks are down. When the hook is down, drink up!"

Remember in most places a law enforcement officer just has to say "he appeared impaired" and that's it. No legal draw, no chain of custody, just "you look drunk" and off to the pokey.

[Atcowboy]

Originally Posted by DockDoc

We keep it simple on our boat. I say this

"When the hook is up, drinks are down. When the hook is down, drink up!"

Remember in most places a law enforcement officer just has to say "he appeared impaired" and that's it. No legal draw, no chain of custody, just "you look drunk" and off to the pokey.

Bingo. His wife could have spurned the martials last night and you're the one you pay today. It's been known to happen at 0.00 BAC, or to people with mental health issues, all that. The laws are written to be interpreted as needed at the time so a LEO can force compliance (whatever he decides that means) at the time. And that doesn't just apply to drinking.

Unfortunately trying to understand the law so you can comply is moot. Drinking is a hot button fad issue that's popular to be holier-than-thou about. Just look at some of the Sunday School rhetoric links that have been posted on this thread. It's also a phenomenally lucrative money maker especially in states that have for-profit prisons.

- AT

[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

[billyehh]

Royal Canadian Navy ended rum tots in 1972. After that they had beer machines. According to a buddy who was a navy diver there was no restriction, but you were in deep dodo if you were found drunk.

On my boat in the Caribbean, my rule is only to have one beer with lunch while sailing, plenty of time to enjoy when the hook is down.

[Pandor]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

I'm still curious about anchoring laws. I've been told by some here that a few jurisdictions do not allow any imbibing even while anchored. Is this true? And if so, where?

DuckDuck fails to turn up anything.

Where is “here?” I think they were just yanking your chain unless someplace like Saudi Arabia. Certainly ok to drink at anchor everywhere else.

[edmundsteele]

Wikipedia notes that in Queensland, Australia it is illegal for the captain of a boat to be over 0.05 Blood alcohol concentration whilst at anchor. A mooring does not fall under this restriction.
Ed

[Pandor]

Originally Posted by edmundsteele

Wikipedia notes that in Queensland, Australia it is illegal for the captain of a boat to be over 0.05 Blood alcohol concentration whilst at anchor. A mooring does not fall under this restriction.
Ed

Well now that Zatara is there we’ll see how that goes over with that gun and Trump loving dude that likes to pick fights with authority

[Pelagic]

The issue of alcohol has been a hot topic in the Superyacht industry with some captains enforcing completly dry boats, others trying to enforce consumption rules to the milimeter.

What I observed was that on those boats, alchohol consumption went undergound, booze hidden and the crew conspired in a negative way

Recognizing that crew live onboard 11 months a year 24/7 on Superyachts ..
.... I took a more adult approach with my crew and we made this pact together

1 There is no limit on personal booze carried on board and that trust will remain as long as we never find a crew member impaired on board.

2 If you find one of our crew unable to control their consumption, speak up or we will ALL loose that trust.

3 When you feel the need to have a blow out on your days off, organize to spend those nights ashore and don't come back till you are sober. Don't embarass the ship!

As a result, our crew policed themselves, warned and eventually got rid of any new crew who could not be trusted to control their drinking.

We had a hard core rule of no smoking anywhere onboard.

At anchor, even with Owners on board, we organized a Sundowner beach run from 5-6pm so smokers could have a beer and a smoke .

Establishing that mutual Trust paid dividends in many ways as problems were worked out at crew meetings, the untrustworthy or lazy removed and we had a happy ship with satisfied owners.

Thats how I handled 15 to 26 professional crew which I always treated as adults

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Pandor

Where is “here?” I think they were just yanking your chain unless someplace like Saudi Arabia. Certainly ok to drink at anchor everywhere else.

Here, as in on CF.

And yes, that's what I thought, until told otherwise by people 'here.' I'm trying to determine if this is true. A further search shows a variety of legal interpretations. For example, in Canada you can drink on board, but only if your boat is equipped with a galley, fixed berths and a real head.


There are interpretations about having someone always in command and sober, so the suggestion is there must always be a designated driver on board.

Originally Posted by edmundsteele

Wikipedia notes that in Queensland, Australia it is illegal for the captain of a boat to be over 0.05 Blood alcohol concentration whilst at anchor. A mooring does not fall under this restriction.
Ed

Thanks Ed. So it is true for some jurisdictions. In Canada, anchoring is treated the same as mooring, or indeed being tied to a dock.



Where else?

[thomm225]

Isn't this subject sort of a non-issue for a cruising sailor?

If you want to drink and sail, you can easily do that where people and law enforcement can not be found.