Alcohol limit

[sandie2uk]

I have just been made aware that from sometime next year there will be limits set on alcohol consumed on boats over 7 mtrs and capable of speeds over 7 knots. Three questions: If over the limit on sea and convicted will you also not be able to drive your car? and the other question, are there any figures or statistics showing death caused by drink steering and how do they compare with deaths on the road? Third silly question, how soon will it be before we get mooring attendants with blue bands on their hats and speed camers on the open sea? sandie

 

[Csail]

I won't worry....just carry on as normal. What can they do?
Say the yacht is doing 7kts your hardly going to crash after 4 pints.....no worse than walking! In fact probably safer.

 

[Evadne]

These limits have been applicable to merchant ships for ages now. The only time they get invoked is after an accident, or if the skipper feels the need to enforce them. I don't see that yachts are going to be any different. If you think you're safe to sail after a a couple of pints of beer, then do so. If you don't have an accident then you'll have proved yourself right.

 

[Csail]

Must be right then! after 20 years of doing it at 6 kts in a wide open sea with all the nav kit (and always 2 lookouts) unlike a drunk walking or driving back from the pub with cars passing at 70 mph 3 ft away!
This proposal is just stupid.

 

[l'escargot]

[ QUOTE ]
...This proposal is just stupid.

[/ QUOTE ]
It isn't a proposal, the legislation is going through.

 

[KenMcCulloch]

[ QUOTE ]
These limits have been applicable to merchant ships for ages now. The only time they get invoked is after an accident, or if the skipper feels the need to enforce them. I don't see that yachts are going to be any different. If you think you're safe to sail after a a couple of pints of beer, then do so. If you don't have an accident then you'll have proved yourself right.

[/ QUOTE ]
I think you will simply have not on that particular occasion proved yourself wrong.

 

[DaveS]

Of course it's purely conventional to regard the longest dimension of the boat as its length; in fact there are multi-hulls with beam greater than length, so it's not even a univeral convention. So is there any reason why you can't choose to regard your currently described, say, 9m long by 3m beam boat as being actually 3m long and 9m beam? It keeps it below 7m long and, with all that keel resistance, it'll certainly not go at anything like 7kn in that direction! So escape from the bevvy czars - and just think of the saving in length-based mooring fees...

 

[steve_cronin]

Still stupid though

Steve cronin

Who doesn't actually worry a lot 'cos he does HIS sailing in Greece where they don't care and where virtually nobody isn't tied up before the sun rops below spreader #1.

I still am against this but it comes from a government that would employ the Milleband brothers so we are stuffed.