Booze underway

[Benz]

I was shocked to discover recently that some sailors of not insignificant experience have a habit of drinking while on passage, even in snotty weather and shorthanded.
Thus the poll (if it posts), to see whether my expectation of sober passagemaking is off the wall. It's not for me to judge those who drink or the circumstances of their indulgence--so long as it's not while on watch on my boat--just to see how prevalent drinking underway is.
Thanks in advance to all respondents.

[Flagman101]

I will Allow on special occasions weather permitting.
I am the one controlling the amount (1 x person )
Equator crossing, miles stones, etc.

[boatpoker]

Never ever.
Part of our delivery contract includes removal of all alcohol from the boat before we depart.

PS. We did allow one owner to lock his liquor in a safe to which we did not have access.

[wingssail]

While racing no alcohol is consumed. After a race is finished and the headsails are down, the beer cooler comes out. And there are times when spirits are also consumed. So that means we inherently violate the "No Alcohol when underway" rule. Not saying it's right, just saying we do it. Sometimes our dockings are a bit raucous.

On passage things are a little different.

Wine, a singe glass, is often served with dinner. Otherwise alcohol use is not approved. In 38 years we have not had a problem with any crew member trying to imbibe although one evening in the middle of the India Ocean I caught the mate and a crew member who had reopened the wine bottle. No big scene, but I capped the bottle and put it away. No further issues.

Does a glass of wine constitute a danger to safe navigation? I have to say that it does, to a slight degree, but that is enough to make it a bad practice.
However, I really do enjoy my glass (yes, a long stemmed crystal wine glass) of good red with my meal, and I guess I'll keep up the practice anyhow. I hope I remain clearheaded enough to safely command the vessel and I also hope that I don't wind up in a admiralty court sometime trying to defend my actions.

[kayakerChuck]

None for me while underway.

In nice weather, MAYBE one for the crew- usually a glass of wine with dinner.

[Chotu]

You're in New England! Alcohol is as important as oxygen to people in new England. Lol

I can safely say way back when.. when I started to sail in New England in the first place, we didn’t just drink when we were sailing. We were wasted. Completely wasted.

(Rambling post warning)

we would go through entire bottles of tequila making margaritas. We would drink cases of coronas. Stick in the lime, plug it with your thumb and invert to get the lime way down in there. And some shots of Mount Gay or (who always sponsored the Marion to Bermuda and gave out the cool red hats).

everyone on board was completely wasted to the level you would be at a bar binge drinking at night. Of course I was 20-22 or so in these years, so maybe it's to be expected.

but for local sailing, I always thought to myself that it didn’t really matter being completely wasted. Not like driving. Which we also did drunk. In fact, I was always the one who had to drive when everyone was drunk. I was the only person they trusted not to crash. Still have that perfect record. Now an old man and a perfect driving record. even got stopped driving everyone home one night after the bars closed, got hit by a random checkpoint, got out of the car and did my line walk and my alphabet backwards and everything. Back in the car and drove home. They wished me a good evening. Ha ha. Mind over matter.

But I always thought it didn’t matter as much to be really drunk sailing because it didn't require a reaction time. it was always like, "I might have to turn a bit in 10 minutes"

With age came wisdom. I realize this probably wasn’t a great idea and did less and less of it.

Then came traveling in boats. Actually cruising. Going to different parts of the country. Exploring new waters while drinking is really a bad idea. So none of that at all.

now? Teetotaler. Can’t drink because of heart medications, but I already had quit drinking well before that and do absolutely no substances at all.

Getting out of New England definitely helps. Everything in New England is centered around drinking. It’s kind of ridiculous. I don’t understand why it’s like that. But I was a product of that area. Once I got out of there, everything changed because people didn’t focus their lives around being wasted all the time.

i’m sure some of that carries over to boats. very sure. Lol


Note:. Weed is MUCH worse. I have a story about hitting rocks I have told on here before. My friend got really stupid from smoking weed when we went sailing one time. Failed in his duties.

[Shanachie]

Day sailing on a nice afternoon, one or two beers is fine. If it's rough, no.


On most trips, we anchor at night per admiral's orders. Once the anchor is down and the nice forecast is confirmed, drinking a reasonable amount is OK. We often get together with other sailors we're cruising with.


On the occasional overnight, a beer or two to help you relax and sleep after a night watch is fine. If it's rough, no.


Some famous sailor I read once wrote that he drank beer regularly on passage and that he kept a case stashed onboard so that if the boat sank, he could die happy in the life raft.


On the other side, many years ago a sailing magazine carried a story about a German singlehander who got in trouble while dinghying back to his boat from a heavy night of drinking in the southern Caribbean.



If I remember correctly, he ended up in Venezuela several days later, thirsty, sunburned, tired and much wiser.

[Bowdrie]

Originally Posted by wingssail

While racing no alcohol is consumed. After a race is finished and the headsails are down, the beer cooler comes out. And there are times when spirits are also consumed. So that means we inherently violate the "No Alcohol when underway" rule. Not saying it's right, just saying we do it. Sometimes our dockings are a bit raucous.
Does a glass of wine constitute a danger to safe navigation?

IIRC, it might have been Sir Thomas Lipton, (it was one of those old time Americas Cup competitors,) who was purported as saying;
"Drunkenness and immorality are the very backbone of yachting".

A glass of wine?
Ok as long as you don't get "In the grip of the grape".

[Apollo19.5]

Generally no, but have been on boats where a single sundowner is consumed at the end of each day if mild weather exists and is forecasted. I am ok and and have enjoyed that. Have been on a boat where the crew wiped themselves out the night before in the bar and left me to sail a singlehanded delivery (I was there as a last minute favour to the owner who had injured himself and was unable to sail) for two days whilst they all spewed their hearts out downstairs. Got to the berth at the other end, tied up, tided up on deck and walked away leaving them and their mess downstairs. Never wanted or saw them again.

[SailingHarmonie]

Only at anchor. Ever. Nothing else, ever, on my boat, or on any boat I Captain. I’d never sail as crew or passenger on a boat that had a rule at all looser than that. Ever. Period.

If you need to drink on passage, you will never sail with me. If you don’t need to, just do not.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by SailingHarmonie

Only at anchor. Ever. Nothing else, ever, on my boat, or on any boat I Captain. I’d never sail as crew or passenger on a boat that had a rule at all looser than that. Ever. Period...

I guess that goes both ways.

[jordanbigel]

Originally Posted by SailingHarmonie

Only at anchor. Ever. Nothing else, ever, on my boat, or on any boat I Captain. I’d never sail as crew or passenger on a boat that had a rule at all looser than that. Ever. Period.

If you need to drink on passage, you will never sail with me. If you don’t need to, just do not.

By the same token, please don't ever invite yourself on my boat. If you feel the NEED to bash people who like to imbibe, then you will never sail with me. Ever. Period.

[Marathon1150]

Sharing a tot with Neptune, once, while crossing the equator.

Otherwise, never, while on passage. At anchor in good conditions, a glass or two (but not more) of wine is permitted on board for those who imbibe (including me).

[Scubaseas]

Generally no but under decent weather, a fair forecast and a fine meal perhaps one beer or glass of wine with dinner for the off-watch crew. At anchor, sure why not.

[Mike OReilly]

We don't drink while the boat is underway. That includes everything from short hops to multi-day passages. Given that we are a two-person crew, it just seems unwise, and unnecessary.

Once the anchor is down, the beers come out (as long as no nasty weather is predicted). But never underway.

BTW, not saying that those who drink responsibly on passage are wrong. It's just not what we do.