Boating under the influence

[Chiara’s slave]

So the general consensus is (and I have suspected for a long time) that raggies are all on the sauce

Our biggest piss artist marine friends have a stink boat. And, incidentally, a Tesla. As they have lovely flat sides, and such a huge mass they don‘t notice the extra strain, we often raft on them at anchor. Not being sailors, they don’t see anything odd in us having a tri. Anything with a stick is odd to them. As odd as not serving Chablis with lunch.

 

[Bouba]

Our biggest piss artist marine friends have a stink boat. And, incidentally, a Tesla. As they have lovely flat sides, and such a huge mass they don‘t notice the extra strain, we often raft on them at anchor. Not being sailors, they don’t see anything odd in us having a tri. Anything with a stick is odd to them. As odd as not serving Chablis with lunch.

Motorboaters drink....but they are civilized boaters....they drink fine wine in good restaurants in the evening...it’s all about the good life ?

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Motorboaters drink....but they are civilized boaters....they drink fine wine in good restaurants in the evening...it’s all about the good life ?

Our friends would agree. Though their dining table is often the good restaurant. They’re away at the moment, and we have a shock in store when they return. We’ve sold the A45, and, whilst their car makes 56 different fart noises, our new one is silent, but deadly?

 

[Momac]

We have friends who sail and they hardly touch booze. To be honest they are the only couple we know that sail .
Our motorboats friends generally do like a drink but that is usually socialising after the boating is done for the day.

 

[lustyd]

Which "legal definition" are you referring to? Are you attempting to apply the road traffic act to boating or making a very long stretch with the merchant shipping act? Given that my (non-commercial) boat securely tied up in a marina is no more "endangering other vessels, structures or individuals" than when I'm not aboard it, I can't think of any nationwide legislation standing between me and the bottle of rum in the fridge.

There are some pretty general laws covering this which apply to all kinds of vehicles. Specifically to boating most harbours have bylaws covering alcohol use which are quite separate to shipping laws.

 

[laika]

There are some pretty general laws covering this which apply to all kinds of vehicles. Specifically to boating most harbours have bylaws covering alcohol use which are quite separate to shipping laws.

I don't doubt there are harbour bylaws covering operating a boat under the influence. However you appear to be taking the road traffic act's concept of "in charge of a vehicle" (ie including simply sitting in the back seat) and applying it to a boat tied up in a marina. While you are on the right track with respect to professional mariners (despite sailing instructors we may have known having more than a couple with their students...) I challenge the assertion that there is any national legislation prohibiting someone being drunk on a leisure craft tied up in a marina. I obviously am not aware of every harbour by-law in the land but I would be surprised if anyone had ever been taken to court for simply being over the limit on a moored boat (as opposed to causing a public nuisance or similar).

 

[GrandadPig]

Never drink on board unless tied alongside. I have enough trouble sailing without being drunk or just a bit tipsy on top of worrying about shrouds snapping, running aground, berthing, calculating tides, dragging anchors etc etc

 

[laika]

this is chiefly a matter of personal safety rather than risk to third parties as in cars.

I'm very aware that we all have different perceptions of risk and that those that have grown up sailing don't have my paranoia but...I've always been painfully aware of the responsibility a skipper has for his/her crew's wellbeing. That includes being responsible for looking out for people's heads in the way of the boom, thumbs inappropriately between a line and a winch etc. Accidents happen but if one happened after I'd had a few I would wonder if I could have prevented it and never forgive myself.

That being said I could reasonably be accused of having double standards with my lack of concern at drinking when securely moored in a marina given that accidents can and do happen on a moored boat, but I suspect people who live in houses don't generally stay sober in case their house guests fall over on the way to the toilet.

 

[steve yates]

I wouldnt sail pissed, bit I have no compunction in having a leisurely beer or two or a glass of wine on passage. I have got into the habit this year of saving a beer for the trip back up benfleet creek, to enjoy as try to sail the whole way back up and dock on the bankside under sail. I invariably spill it But then I’m sailing for pleasure, not working, that would be entirely different. Or racing for that matter, (not that I race) as I imagine judgements need to be very fine tuned. I like a beer, but rarely have more than two, as I prefer not to feel rough the next day
However, I dont think there are any circumstances which compare with the reality of reaction time availability when steering a sail boat at 6 knots that can come close to what little is available when in charge of a ton of metal hurtling along a narrow lane at 70-80mph in very close proximity to streams of others doing the same. Nor would a momentary lapse of concentration have anything like the probability of devastating consequences.

 

[Graham376]

I 'm a chucking-up drunk rather than happy one so, limit my intake. Having said that, there are certainly times on anchor or moored when I would be over the limit for driving and wouldn't move the boat unless unforeseen circumstances left me no choice. The tender is a different matter though.

 

[Resolution]

I 'm a chucking-up drunk rather than happy one so, limit my intake. Having said that, there are certainly times on anchor or moored when I would be over the limit for driving and wouldn't move the boat unless unforeseen circumstances left me no choice. The tender is a different matter though.

One of my best evenings afloat was when three British yachts met up in a quiet little bay in Turkey. Quite properly the first boat to anchor issued an invitation to have a glass of wine on board. Well one glass became three, or more, the conversation flowed almost as fast, the evening was warm , everything was right in the world. When we finally broke up to return to our yachts, the wine (as Billy Conolly once observed) seemed to have sunk to our legs. Getting down into the dinghy became a bit of a test and when my wife mistakenly stepped onto the bow section the dinghy and I performed a 180 degree flip and landed upside down in the water. No real danger, as the sea was calm and the water warm, but OH! the loss of face!!

 

[Kelpie]

I'm not a puritan but I find on longer passages I simply don't want to drink. Maybe I'm not going out in bad enough weather.

 

[Irish Rover]

One of my best evenings afloat was when three British yachts met up in a quiet little bay in Turkey. Quite properly the first boat to anchor issued an invitation to have a glass of wine on board. Well one glass became three, or more, the conversation flowed almost as fast, the evening was warm , everything was right in the world. When we finally broke up to return to our yachts, the wine (as Billy Conolly once observed) seemed to have sunk to our legs. Getting down into the dinghy became a bit of a test and when my wife mistakenly stepped onto the bow section the dinghy and I performed a 180 degree flip and landed upside down in the water. No real danger, as the sea was calm and the water warm, but OH! the loss of face!!

It's always the wife's fault, eh ?

 

[Stemar]

Pure hypocrisy, as I don't practise what I preach, but the life jacket is more important in the dinghy than almost all the time on board - as important as when going forward in a blow. I reckon that the most dangerous parts of my sailing are the trip out to the boat on her mooring and back after putting her to bed.

As for drinking aboard, never under way, one glass max if we anchor for lunch. Once anchored, I may not pass the breathalyser, but I'm always sufficiently compos mentis to deal with an emergency. On the mooring or alongside, no rules.

 

[Malish]

I'm very aware that we all have different perceptions of risk and that those that have grown up sailing don't have my paranoia but...I've always been painfully aware of the responsibility a skipper has for his/her crew's wellbeing. That includes being responsible for looking out for people's heads in the way of the boom, thumbs inappropriately between a line and a winch etc. Accidents happen but if one happened after I'd had a few I would wonder if I could have prevented it and never forgive myself.

That being said I could reasonably be accused of having double standards with my lack of concern at drinking when securely moored in a marina given that accidents can and do happen on a moored boat, but I suspect people who live in houses don't generally stay sober in case their house guests fall over on the way to the toilet.

An acid test is to ask oneself the question "what would I say to the coroner should there be an 'accident'"

 

[Bouba]

I'm not a puritan but I find on longer passages I simply don't want to drink. Maybe I'm not going out in bad enough weather.

Probably more like you are not going out in bad enough company ?

 

[Neeves]

An acid test is to ask oneself the question "what would I say to the coroner should there be an 'accident'"

Its not the coroner I'd worry about - it would be the wife, husband, mother or father.

You are the skipper, you are responsible.

I don't drink, at all, at sea - I do drink when at anchor. I do know that the latter is wrong - its a risk I take. In Australia the alcohol limits for 'boats' is exactly the same as cars. I have been stopped for a random breath test on the road, never on the water - but people who transgress normal marine rules and courtesy and thus draw attention to themselves - may enjoy being tested.

Jonathan

 

[Neeves]

We like a drink as much as most sailors, but not unless attached to an immovable object.

So you too have a drink at anchor

Jonathan

 

[dunedin]

Working on a commercial vessel the limit in UK waters is the same as the UK drink drive limit. If you're north of 6ft, carrying a bit of timber and have eaten properly I reckon this is around 2 pints.

Careful. There is no “UK” limit. I believe there is an England & Wales legal limit, and I understand currently the Northern Ireland limit happens to be the same as the E&W one. The Scottish limit is substantially lower.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

So you too have a drink at anchor

Jonathan

Our drinks cabinet is always well stocked.