Guest drinking underway - what's your rule?

[Bduffey]

No drinking at all on board with folks that are not involved in the operation? I’m guessing you don’t have a lot of repeat guests. Assuming they act like responsible adults, why not?

In South Carolina the open container rule is not enforced on the water, but if you are operating the boat, you must be under the limit of 0.08. That limit is not that much alcohol, beware. You can actually legally drive the boat and have a drink, assuming you’re under the limit, but it’s very stupid and asking for a sobriety check.

Having dead soldiers in the trash gets you at ticket? You got to be kidding? Where are you supposed to put them after you anchor and its totally safe to have a beer? Hard to believe, I would double check that fact.

The only way you are 100% safe from the opportunistic lawyers is you have no money, assets and/or insurance. You cannot run your life worrying about getting sued. Being right or wrong has very little to do with most lawsuits. I’m clearly not a fan of lawyers being a physician.

You guys need to lighten up and have a drink. Life is way too short. I think it’s a law in SC, but I may be wrong.

 

[O C Diver]

No drinking at all on board with folks that are not involved in the operation? I’m guessing you don’t have a lot of repeat guests. Assuming they act like responsible adults, why not?

You guys need to lighten up and have a drink. Life is way too short. I think it’s a law in SC, but I may be wrong.

The other way to look at it is that your guests may need to be intoxicated to have a good time on your boat.

Ted

 

[Bduffey]

I never said intoxicated. Maybe unbeknownst to some, you can have a drink or two and not be drunk.

But at least on my boat they do have a good time without judgement regardless if they choose to drink or not. I allow adults to make their own choices within reason, not dictate.

Lighten up. ��

 

[O C Diver]

I never said intoxicated. Maybe unbeknownst to some, you can have a drink or two and not be drunk.

But at least on my boat they do have a good time without judgement regardless if they choose to drink or not. I allow adults to make their own choices within reason, not dictate.

Lighten up. ��

Now who needs to have a drink and lighten up.

Ted

 

[Circumnavigator]

It's never been an issue. My wife and I and anyone else who is standing watch don't drink underway. We've had guests open a beer, but never more than one.


Note by the way, in some jurisdictions that the BAC rule is enforced for the person in charge of the boat even if anchored or tied to a pier.


Jim

 

[OldDan1943]

IF they insist on having a drink of the booze they bring aboard, hand them a bucket to carry around with them, instructed to NEVER set it down. Then, they go on the 'never going to be asked to return' list. MY boat, My rules, live with/by them. If they drink underway, I dont need to go with them. Oh yea, I will miss my cognac at night, before retiring for the evening.

 

[OldDan1943]

As the owner/skipper/captain, you are responsible for the actions of yourself and your 'guests'.

IF you have a drink while underway, you are off the watch list for 12 hours. I will let the crew deal with you, when they have to stand a longer watch. LOL

 

[garbler]

Another option that is being used by the USN, some towing companies and First Harvest Navigation of Norwalk CT is the Sea Machine Robotics ‘autonomous controls’. It’s currently being reviewed and pretty much sold to the USCG and proven with the aforementioned Harvest Navigation company to operate a freight vessel from CT to Long Is with complete remote-helm controls. Their vessel runs food and other products across the sound in 70 minutes as opposed to eleven hours by truck. The two man crew is able to leave the helm and off load cargo while the vessel is docking. Also proven with the Tug Nellie Bly that successfully circumnavigated Denmark. The SM 300 does not drink and therefore is not compromised by those onboard who do.

Just an option
Rick

 

[SteveK]

Now who needs to have a drink and lighten up.

Ted

Hey Ted, Can you expand on your reply. I re read previous posts 62,63,64 and cannot make sense of it. Is it because of this

you can have a drink or two and not be drunk.

I will certainly agree with you can have 1-2 drinks per hour all day and not be drunk if you also have breakfast lunch and supper as well.
This whole thread is off the rails.

 

[AlanT]

On a passage, no drinking by anyone all day. In the evening (on a passage) after dinner AND when we are within a day or two of land, with a fair forecast I might unleash a tot of rum to the crew. Beyond that we wait till we make landfall then we DO catch up!

General tootling around in the sound (protected waters) I am at the helm and I don't drink more than an occasional beer while helming the boat. Guests are free to drink, our boat is large and safe, and our friends are not drunks so I can and do rely on them to drink responsibly.

I did have a crew once on a 5 day passage whom I did not realize was an alcoholic, and I neglected to inform him of the rules on passages (so my fault). He survived with no booze from Virgin Gorda to Ft Lauderdale, but hightailed it to a bar while we were cleaning up the boat. You don't want drunks on board on passages, which is different from social drinkers on social cruises.
~A

 

[O C Diver]

Hey Ted, Can you expand on your reply. I re read previous posts and cannot make sense of it. Is it because of this

I will certainly agree with you can have 1-2 drinks per hour all day and not be drunk if you also have breakfast lunch and supper as well.
This whole thread is off the rails.

Reread posts 61, 62, 63, and 64.

Ted

 

[Bduffey]

To paraphrase a famous saying

I spent a lot of my money on my wife, boating and drinking. Not necessarily in that order. The rest I just wasted.

Have fun, I’m out of here.

 

[OldDan1943]

To paraphrase a famous saying

I spent a lot of my money on my wife, boating and drinking. Not necessarily in that order. The rest I just wasted.

Have fun, I’m out of here.

yup me too, gone
Capt. Bly

 

[JRO]

Get Real…

99% of “us” are living out the crumbs left of “our” lives… As far as safety is concerned your age is a much larger liability in your abilities to react to emergencies than someone physically and mentally capable but drunk as a skunk. The older and more feeble you get the more self righteous you are. It’s easy to claim you don’t drink when you can’t uncork a bottle of wine without a first aid kit nearby and booze makes you gassy for two days. I would not trust an old fool to operate a fire extinguisher in an emergency situation. I wouldn’t let them carry something breakable or expensive.
It’s so easy to be self righteous when you are void of testosterone and brittle at best.

 

[Nancy n Larry]

Our guests follow our lead. No drinking while underway. If I had to state the obvious to my guest, I’m not sure they would be suitable guests and would probably not be invited back. That’s just our take on this subject. Now once anchored, docked and all chores done, certainly have a drink or two and reminisce about a wonderful day on the water.
What other captains do is certainly their business.

 

[guy with a boat]

IF you have a drink while underway, you are off the watch list for 12 hours. I will let the crew deal with you, when they have to stand a longer watch. LOL

Sounds like you are traveling with a substantial crew. Do they form a committee to study how to deal with the perpetrator?

 

[psneeld]

Sounds like you are traveling with a substantial crew. Do they form a committee to study how to deal with the perpetrator?

From a famous movie.....

"Code Red" is given to Dan's (AKA Captain Bly....wonder if he meant Captain Bligh) crewmember.

The other great line for much of this thread's extremists... "You can't handle the truth"

 

[slowgoesit]

No drinking at all on board with folks that are not involved in the operation? I’m guessing you don’t have a lot of repeat guests. Assuming they act like responsible adults, why not?

The other way to look at it is that your guests may need to be intoxicated to have a good time on your boat.

Ted

I never said intoxicated. Maybe unbeknownst to some, you can have a drink or two and not be drunk. Lighten up. ��

The OP didn't ask for people's reasoning behind their decisions, just what their policies were.

We, as do most of our friends, don't feel that alcohol is necessary in order to have a good time. It's not that we don't drink, or that we avoid drinking, just don't feel the NEED to drink in order to have phun! And it's not about lightening up, or not, it's just a personal choice! Why just the other day I had a glass of wine! . . . . wait, I think it may have been last month, or the month before that . . . . maybe I should drink more so I can remember, and by drinking more, I can learn to have fun as well! . . . . or maybe not.

See? I'm having fun here, tongue in cheek, and not even drinking! See how much lightening up I'm doing?!?

 

[High Wire]

You might be in for a tough talk if your guest arrives with a 30 pack on a hand truck!

 

[psneeld]

You might be in for a tough talk if your guest arrives with a 30 pack on a hand truck!

Just tell him to go get another for him.

 

[markpierce]

I don't believe responders are typical of many boaters.

 

[Northern Spy]

I've never really felt the need to have "rules"or "policies" on a recreational boat.

It would be situational.

 

[Simi 60]

I'm an adult.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

I'm an adult.

Me too. We have enough silly rules and laws.

 

[O C Diver]

I'm an adult.

I am also, and generally exercise good judgment. However, I've had people on my boat that basically have never been boating before. As a former charter boat captain, I always find it beneficial to explain things before leaving the dock. Things like:

This isn’t your toilet at home.
This is a PFD and it may safe your life if you fall overboard.
All marriages performed by the captain are good for the duration of the trip.
The captain prefers people not to consume alcohol while the vessel is underway.

Ted

 

[Simi 60]

I am also, and generally exercise good judgment. However, I've had people on my boat that basically have never been boating before. As a former charter boat captain, I always find it beneficial to explain things before leaving the dock. Things like:

This isn’t your toilet at home.
This is a PFD and it may safe your life if you fall overboard.
All marriages performed by the captain are good for the duration of the trip.
The captain prefers people not to consume alcohol while the vessel is underway.

Ted

The joys of not having a dock
You rarely if ever, have people come on board unless they are boat owners themselves.

 

[Delta Riverat]

Well, it was good for the British Navy for 120 years. The daily "tot of rum"

The rum ration, or "tot", from 1850 to 1970 consisted of one-eighth of an imperial pint (71 ml) of rum at 95.5 proof (54.6% ABV), given out at midday.

Almost 2.5 ounces of pretty stiff stuff!

I'm not much for drinking underway, too much fun already enjoying the ride. But when she's docked up and the engines are off...

Yeah, I'll have a tot or two -

 

[High Wire]

Just tell him to go get another for him.

A guy that used to be two slips down from me was coming down the dock with 2-30 packs and a 24 pack for his double overnight tuna trip. I said damn Al that’s a lot of beer for your crew. He said the 24 pack was for the crew and the bottom two cases were for him!!! We’ll good luck anyway.

 

[psneeld]

A guy that used to be two slips down from me was coming down the dock with 2-30 packs and a 24 pack for his double overnight tuna trip. I said damn Al that’s a lot of beer for your crew. He said the 24 pack was for the crew and the bottom two cases were for him!!! We’ll good luck anyway.

Reminds me of being a kid and going fishing and working the marina with the "old salts".

Not saying it was good, but I sometimes wince at today's perceptions.

 

[Prairie Salt]

Why is there a historical relationship between boating and drinking?

Most boat (may I include sailboat on this topic?) manufacturers have 'bars' , 'wet bars', 'beer/cocktail fridges', etc....its a selling point.

In general, motorhomes don't have that. Camping trailers, 5th wheel's don't have a 'bar'. I point those out as they are recreational vehicles like boat. (maybe some do, but not like boat manufacturers)

Here in Manitoba boat drinking rules are the same as cars. Caught drinking and driving there are significant fines and restrictions on your drivers licence. It's very strict.

This is not directed to the individual, but the selling points of the manufacturer.

What's the big picture?