How frequently do you drink when cruising...

Wifey B: Ok, I read and see some people who every afternoon when cruising have "sundowners." Others who drink once or twice a week, others never. So just curious as to the frequency. Can just remain anonymous if you want. We've just been a bit surprised at the alcohol consumption sometimes.

Greetings,
Alcohol...The cause and solution to all the world's problems. The first year we acquired a "big" boat, we kept scrupulous expense records. $675.00 on gasoline and $994.36 on booze. Haven't kept records of either since...

Never when underway. Period.

Almost always at the dock. I traditionally crack a cold one once we're tied up and shut down. If we docked with no resulting blood or insurance claims. So far, so good!

The more relevant questions, IMO, are how many drinks if any 1)while underway 2) at anchor and 3) secured to the dock. Personal tolerance comes into play of course. Personally, mine = the number of each of the questions.

RT Firefly said:

Greetings,
Alcohol...The cause and solution to all the world's problems. The first year we acquired a "big" boat, we kept scrupulous expense records. $675.00 on gasoline and $994.36 on booze. Haven't kept records of either since...

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Wifey B: You know how to solve the problem.

Like a girl I knew...she got Quicken and started keeping records like she'd never done. After a couple of months she's like amazed how much she spends on food and really stressing about it even though she's having no financial problems and just wondering how she can reduce that for her family of four. Panic like almost. What do I do? One person, not so helpful, said you can all stop eating. Another said, stop keeping records....so she did.

caltexflanc said:

The more relevant questions, IMO, are how many drinks if any 1)while underway 2) at anchor and 3) secured to the dock. Personal tolerance comes into play of course. Personally, mine = the number of each of the questions.

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Wifey B: Oh, I didn't put "all the above." Yeah, you're right. I was sort of assuming most stop most of the time at night so not underway 24 hours most of the time. Which brings to either anchoring or docking at night. I think people may do differently whether anchored or docked but too hard to pinpoint. For most, they do one or the other and some amount of frequency and it may influence their frequency but I think their answer is still useful.

The one I'm not after here is those who drink while underway, especially those when driving, whether boat or car. That's a freaking epidemic. The statistics are horrifying and inexcusable. And you add to that the percentage under the influence of drugs. Then you have those on drugs and booze. Sorry, we have a zero tolerance and it's just a topic we don't want to get started on right now even though guess I did but I'll stop now....and back to the poll as written.

Alcholol owned me for quite a while, but have since quit. The urge to buy a trawler was always there, but a part of me couldn't follow through on the dream because I knew if some emergency happened (like dragging an anchor during a storm) my being drunk would put my wife and daughter at risk. After three years without a drop, we found Badger

MurrayM said:

Alcholol owned me for quite a while, but have since quit. The urge to buy a trawler was always there, but a part of me couldn't follow through on the dream because I knew if some emergency happened (like dragging an anchor during a storm) my being drunk would put my wife and daughter at risk. After three years without a drop, we found Badger

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Wifey B: YAY for you.

I mean that from the bottom of my heart. We both grew up with alcoholic fathers and it destroyed our childhoods. I applaud you and I'm sure your daughter does.

I wait until docked. Around here, toast the CG with a coke and they wave back, toast them with a beer can and you are going to be stopped for a "courtesy check"

My father also. He showed me how stupid drinking is.

This is one parade I don't mind throwing water on.

I have a beer once and awhile and some wine. Alchol as a habit is an addiction. Need to be easily able to go w/o if for a week or two and not think about it.

BaltimoreLurker said:

Never when underway. Period.

Almost always at the dock. I traditionally crack a cold one once we're tied up and shut down. If we docked with no resulting blood or insurance claims. So far, so good!

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Ditto on both counts.

I'm pretty strict about ME drinking on the boat. If I have to move the boat I don't drink. Period. Guests on my boat are free to indulge as they see fit and I've had some get a snootful but I make sure the're not driving when the get off the boat.

Once we're docked or the anchor is down then I'll have a beer or two or a mixed drink or two. I'm not a big drinker and that doesn't change if I'm at home or on the boat.

GFC said:

I'm pretty strict about ME drinking on the boat. If I have to move the boat I don't drink. Period. Guests on my boat are free to indulge as they see fit and I've had some get a snootful but I make sure the're not driving when the get off the boat.

Once we're docked or the anchor is down then I'll have a beer or two or a mixed drink or two. I'm not a big drinker and that doesn't change if I'm at home or on the boat.

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Wifey B: At home, we leave our bar open for guests but we do charge for drinks. The price is your car keys. You're welcome to drink, but if you drink at our house (yes 1 or 10 drinks, we're not getting into judging the extent of impairment....the deal is the deal) you don't drive. We'll arrange to get you home, get your car home, or bring you back to it, or most often you're welcome to just spend the night. Our friends all know that's implied and the vast majority of them spend the night if they drink. On occasion we have quite large numbers of people staying with us, but at least we know they're safe.

Hubby B: We moved to FL from NC. In NC it is quite common for store owners and/or bar owners to get sued after accidents. They are held legally responsible and more than one has lost their business. I remember one small store that sold beer to teens who later wrecked that night. Another bar where the bar owner got into drinking shots with a patron who then left and wrecked killing three on the way home.

Hubby B: Just a reminder of the responsibility we all have for those we serve. I saw a man not long ago staggering off a boat where he'd been drinking with friends and he was about to walk straight off the dock where it turned. I walked him back to his boat. He didn't thank me because he never realized what he almost did.

We just had a thread on this subject not too long ago. Check the archives.

We don't drink nor do we allow guests to drink alchohol prior to or while operating any of our boats. The only time drinking alchohol is permitted is at the end of the day's run.

It is probably no coincidence that the only people we take out on our boats are very moderate drinkers if at all and the only alchohol any of us drink is wine. This is not a rule, it's just the nature of the people we choose to share our boats with.

Marin said:

We just had a thread on this subject not too long ago. Check the archives.

We don't drink nor do we allow guests to drink alchohol prior to or while operating any of our boats. The only time drinking alchohol is permitted is at the end of the day's run.

It is probably no coincidence that the only people we take out on our boats are very moderate drinkers if at all and the only alchohol any of us drink is wine. This is not a rule, it's just the nature of the people we choose to share our boats with.

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Wifey B: I saw the other thread but it sort of was who yelled loudest and I was just interested in a poll to see what most do. Like my hubby's shoe poll. Just gathering information....darn, he corrupted me, can barely believe myself, wanting data.....oh darn darn darn.

This does sort of confirm the other thread and I guess I'm not surprised that almost half drink nearly every day. Don't understand it though.

Partially a different generation.

Watch the TV series Mad Men to understand that generation and some who followed those customs into the 1980s.

Many of the WWII crowd were 2 Martini lunch regulars and happy hour socialites.

Children often follow their parents...but certainly not all.

psneeld said:

Partially a different generation.

Watch the TV series Mad Men to understand that generation and some who followed those customs into the 1980s.

Many of the WWII crowd were 2 Martini lunch regulars and happy hour socialites.

Children often follow their parents...but certainly not all.

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Wifey B: I was alive for the 80's.... Barely.

So you think the daily drinking was more that generation than today's younger people? Of course I know people in their 20's who smoke weed daily. So maybe just switched drugs.

I think youth of all generations binge on all kinds of things.

That generation didn't have the stigma of hard drinking and DUI laws of today to make them think twice.

So I think some here may be more along those lines of thinking tempered with today's standards.

Binge drinking has become a bigger and bigger problem during the last 30 years with the advent of the higher drinking age.

It's rampant in suburban high schools.

One more example of what happens when politicians ignore science.

Never while piloting ASD, but once on anchor or at the dock...Scotch and a good cigar.....

If I'm on the boat alone I don't drink. If I'm with friends I'll have a few drinks after the boat is tied up or anchored.

Guests are free to drink when underway, but they know not to drink to excess.

For those interested, this forum was a lifeline; The Alcoholism and Addictions Help Forums- by SoberRecovery.com

Moving - Never. At anchor - 2, 3 max (protected), Dock - Well, there are times when I took way many turns on the winch.

Yes, but in moderation. With discretion. If conditions might create a need to move the boat, then no. Go for quality, not quantity, enjoy good wines, or spirits, in moderation. Good low alcohol beer, readily available, means I can enjoy a cold beer at anchor on a hot day, without getting affected. If I begin feeling affected, it stops.

My strongest drink is coffee.
Ted

It's like smoking one cigarette a day. Very few will not become addicted.

Yes Ted I enjoy my coffee at Starbucks. But we never make coffee at home. That limits our intake to less than one cup a day.

We do not drink until the sun goes over the yard...I mean the radar arch.:lol:

For us the same alcohol laws that apply to driving a car also apply to boats. And specifically, if at anchor there has to someone on board with a boat license who is under 0.05%. Tied to a dock you are free to drink as much as you want, but of remain responsible for your behavior.

So on the hook it is usually just one drink for me, although a glass of wine at lunch might also be followed by one with dinner as well.

i

manyboats said:

It's like smoking one cigarette a day. Very few will not become addicted.

Yes Ted I enjoy my coffee at Starbucks. But we never make coffee at home. That limits our intake to less than one cup a day.

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any real stats for that one?