Booze on board?

[Cerebus]

30 or 40 years ago I used to read about Gin Palaces that never left the marina. Fair enough. They enjoyed their boat and marina and good weather.


But as people that travel, what do you do? I prefer the journey rather than the destination. I enjoy the sailing.

I never drink or drive and never drink and sail. End of.

But that is my opinion (and a bit of law regarding “driving” obviously, and rightly so in my h. o.)

We are fortunate that sailing is comparatively ‘free’. It is great.

I enjoy the odd beer (good beer or different beers to test) but quite infrequently as a treat and if taking friends for a cruise where anchoring for a few days I will stock up with a very limited supply for a treat.

I will not drink if I know bad weather is upon the horizon (“proper preparation…”) I will not drink when I know I need to sail within the next day.

As a lightweight, even a pint is out of order for me if I am to be in charge.

I used to crew for a racing Sigma 30 or so years ago and after the race the skipper broke out the beer. It was ok because I could walk home once we docked.

What do you think or consider?

This is meant to be a genial conversation btw.

It was prompted by a discussion with a friend that is quite different from me.

 

[MoodySabre]

A day sail with a friend on a nice day - a small beer to help a sandwich down.
A trip to somewhere else then I wait until I get there. Tea and coffee aplenty.

 

[Boathook]

Might have half a beer whilst under way if it is settled, otherwise I normally wait until the sailing has finished.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

No booze with the sails up is the rule for us. We carry gin, wine, pre mixed cocktails, according to whim, but they are for after arrival.

 

[benjenbav]

Not a problem for me bcs I don’t drink…Nor do I have a boat.

Hmm, one of those is not so good.

 

[Daydream believer]

I am not a drinker as such although I enjoy a glass of wine with the evening meal at home. If driving I make sure that I do not touch a single drop
If drinking socially at the club- (rare now due to health) I go on my bike as it is only 1/4 mile.
When sailing I cannot touch achohol as I get seasick anyway. However, when I arrive at my destination I really look forward to a pint in a yacht club or dockside bar overlooking the harbour or marina.

 

[ylop]

No booze with the sails up is the rule for us. We carry gin, wine, pre mixed cocktails, according to whim, but they are for after arrival.

Our policy is similar - although I don’t restrict it to sails if you literally meant that? Decision about drinking on anchorage depends on risk of having to move/reset.

I will have a wee drink and use the dinghy, but probably not enough to be over the English drink drive limit.

Even if staying aboard unlikely to have a lot to drink - sailing the next day with a hangover wouldn’t appeal.

we had a day about a year ago which was a proper scorcher and we were on a daysail - we had some <0.5% beer on board which made a very pleasant accompaniment to the ploughman’s lunch…

 

[Roberto]

Short distances I do not drink (only light beer after arrival), long distances I provision to have one beer a day, works a lot better than any fancy weather routing

 

[Seven Spades]

Doesn't RKJ toast headlands with a tot of whisky?

 

[westhinder]

No alcohol while sailing or when at anchor and even a remote possibility we might have to move. The boat is well provisioned, but we keep that for when moored up.
On longer passages (several days/weeks) the halfway point may be celebrated with a drink if conditions are benign.

 

[Cerebus]

Doesn't RKJ toast headlands with a tot of whisky?

Possibly and he got away with it and became a national hero thanks to the Golden Globe iirc. But he has had some problems with driving I read some years ago.

 

[Cerebus]

I need to read up about the rum tot of centuries ago.

I am imagine it was for crew only (who were not missed if they fell overboard, such was life centuries ago) and the ‘Hornblowers’, or those in charge, would not have participated until anchorage reached. Probably; I only know the fictional from books read.

Post held was very important to their income and they needed to keep their ship afloat.

 

[johnalison]

I drink fairly regularly, for medicinal reasons of course, but not generally when sailing, though on a quiet day I have been known to have one of those 250 ml bottles of French lager at lunch. Once tied up, then all rules are off and we generally drank rather more than at home, mostly wine. With a Vacuvin a bottle would usually be drunk over two days. On cold evenings my preferred tipple was a small tot of rum, something I would never drink at home, where I would prefer a nip of malt.

Although I have always loved sailing, the destination and a chance to visit and explore unfamiliar places was very much part of the attraction. Before retiring my 3-week maximum leave limited me to the Channel Isles and Holland, and we multiplied our destinations many times over after that. I far prefer to be going somewhere to just going for a sail, though even a short excursion is far better than nothing.

 

[S04]

I need to read up about the rum tot of centuries ago.

Blimey you don't need to go back centuries, the daily rum issue was still active when I was in the Andrew. It ceased in1970.

Edit: for clarification the Andrew = the Royal Navy

 

[ylop]

On cold evenings my preferred tipple was a small tot of rum, something I would never drink at home, where I would prefer a nip of malt.

Oh that creates a much more interesting question - are the colloquial terms for a measure different for different spirits?

 

[Cerebus]

Blimey you don't need to go back centuries, the daily rum issue was still active when I was in the Andrew. It ceased in1970.

Edit: for clarification the Andrew = the Royal Navy

Interesting. How much was the issued amount?

When was it issued?

To off duty personnel only? In the mess of allowed on deck?

 

[Daydream believer]

Doesn't RKJ toast headlands with a tot of whisky?

Yes, but a headland to him is Cape Horn or the Cape of Good Hope

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Our policy is similar - although I don’t restrict it to sails if you literally meant that? Decision about drinking on anchorage depends on risk of having to move/reset.

I will have a wee drink and use the dinghy, but probably not enough to be over the English drink drive limit.

Even if staying aboard unlikely to have a lot to drink - sailing the next day with a hangover wouldn’t appeal.

we had a day about a year ago which was a proper scorcher and we were on a daysail - we had some <0.5% beer on board which made a very pleasant accompaniment to the ploughman’s lunch…

On a special trip we might have a glass of something when actually entering a harbour, but generally, we’d be tied to something first. So I can’t quite say never under engine, but it has to be a special celebration, and safe.

 

[S04]

One-eight of a pint was the standard issue, usually given in the middle of the day. Junior ratings had it diluted with water while senior rates were permitted to have it neat. It was available to all ratings on duty or not. The rum was issued to each messdeck based on the number of those entitled to take it. Lovely stuff, around 95 proof!

Picture is a little before my time!

 

[Biggles Wader]

I rarely drink alcohol these days but 50 years ago in the merchant navy we lived on beer. Spirits were very cheap too. It was a problem for some and is totally banned now I believe as is true in most workplaces. Ships still hit each other and run full speed into big landmasses though!