When do you pop a top on a cold one?

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May 5, 2006
1,140
Knutson K-35 Yawl Bellingham
Before, during or after the sail? Myself? If it's a light air nice day, I'll have one but not in any other conditions. Afterwards? You bet.
 

Grizz

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Jan 13, 2006
179
Hunter 28.5 Park Ridge, IL
Terry's way

After, 'cause the before and during require 100%. If the before and during go well, the 'after' is just that much better.
 
May 23, 2004
3,319
I'm in the market as were . Colonial Beach
After the ancor falls!

Once I am safely on the hook I will pop a top. I couln't emagine sailing with a few in my system (especially if I am single handing). One slip and the boat sails without you! I wish powerboaters were as forward thinking as the other people that have been posting on this. Sorry if this offends but this is a general observation based on activites in my home port. Once saw a drunk on a jet ski......bad idea! Then again you have to be careful whenever alcohol is involved. Two years ago a guy at my dock was getting off of his boat and him and his friends were extremely intoxicated. He fell off of the boat while he was going for the dock, hit his head on the dock, and drowned.
 
G

George

Keeping your stuff together

Always after, never during and then I try to be as far from the water as possible....It takes all my concentration to keep my stuff together when sailing. How is sailing and drinking different than driving and drinking? There was a time...but I matured. It is liking wearing seat belts and PFDs you might get lucky but then....
 
May 5, 2006
1,140
Knutson K-35 Yawl Bellingham
When I was racing as crew, we'd usually have one

between races and a few afterwards. When I said one, I meant just that, one. If it's a long sail, I might have another three or fours hours later, maybe.
 
Feb 12, 2007
259
Ericson 25 Oshkosh, WI
Depends on the day

Wow, some days I get myself a "King Can" and go out for a relaxing sail. Turn the tunes on and set the autopilot and sails and just chill out. I don't agree with people that go out and get smashed. There is nothing wrong with alchol in moderation. I dont believe that there is a state that practices absolute sobriety. I know MADD is trying! Sailing to me is relaxation and I enjoy to choose what I drink and sometimes its a cold one. Hopefully everyone knows their limitations. Rob Hessenius
 

Mike B

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Apr 15, 2007
1,013
Beneteau 43 Baltimore, MD
After I make port

Only after I make port and secured to the dock. Turn on the tunes, hook up the power cords, water, pay the bill all aided by a nice cold beer. Also helps celebrate the voyage!
 
R

Rick9619

When it feels right

We actually arent big beer drinkers, so if during the sail and the conditions are right, a cold beer is a nice fix. Just a little something. But typically we are back in safe harbor and done on the foredeck (sails furled, lines at the ready) before we have an adult beverage. For us its about a 15 minute troll up the fairway to the slip. An ice cold vodka martini just finishes the day off.. loosens up the back and knees.. and puts one in a good mood to chat and of course have another with our slip mates. Cheers
 

Rick D

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Jun 14, 2008
7,204
Hunter Legend 40.5 Shoreline Marina Long Beach CA
1000 Hours Always

It's a tradition that when I'm sailing overnight, I have a beer at ten o'clock in the morning. It settles me and so many of my crew have grown used to it, they don't let me forget. But, I do find that even one good drink is enough to feel the effects and make me less agile on the deck, so mostly I don't. I sure used to when I was younger tho. Maybe three beers in an outing. No more. Rick D.
 
R

Rick9619

Hey Rick D

Did that am beer include just before the start of the Newport to Ensenada? :) And of course I would say your second one some where near the Coranados? We actually were pretty good in our quest for abstination although ghosting along with the current on day two at a knot and a half, we said f^@k it, and had a jack and water. Crew morale soared! Cheers
 

Taylor

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Feb 9, 2006
113
Warwick Cardinal 46 Seattle, WA
Anytime I'm thristy - depending on conditions

> How is sailing and drinking different than driving and drinking? Ah... the new morality. The difference is that when you are driving a car, a small tweak of the wheel or a moment of lapsed attention is can result in hitting another vehicle which is just a foot or two away in the other lane with a net speed difference of over 100 MPH and people will be killed instantly. But instant reaction time and fine motor control are not at the top of the list of things you need to operate a boat safely. In a sailboat, even without an autopilot, you can (and do) walk away from the helm to work on something and the boat will keep doing what its supposed to do. With autopilot, you might even go below for a few minutes to get something - how long would depend on the level of hazard. For example, you might consider if you are near traffic lanes, on a popular route, if there are the other boats in view, it there is there a lot of driftwood about, all that enters into a calculation of just how quick your reaction time has to be. My understanding is that people cross the oceans and *sleep* while underway on a wind vane. So my view is that all these laws that try to apply land motor vehicle standards to boats get less an less applicable as we get away from smaller high speed boats, and by the time you are looking at a big sailboat, these standards make very little sense. Now I agree that drinking a lot can really impair your judgment in addition to fine motor skills and reaction time, so this is all a question of degree. And part of the judgment being exercised in safe boating would include course, speed, distance from hazards, time of day, weather, oil pressure, wind direction, sail selection as well as the type and amount of drink (and food) consumed. Heck, I hour glassed a spinnaker this summer through a lapse of attention because I had a sandwich in my lap. There were some other factors too, but it was poor judgment on my part, and I don't think anyone would suggest eating should be illegal while piloting. When I go out to pull crab pots in my whaler in the late afternoon I sometimes take a beer with me. It helps me when I have to crack those live crabs over the gunwale. Does this mean that I condone running a go fast boat after a heavy evening at some urban waterfront watering hole? Nope. But that does not mean that I object, or even think it is dangerous if skipper ((but not the foredeck guy) is drinking a few beers between races and a summer twilight series in a J-24. I suspect that many people will see this in black and white and will object to my viewpoint. But I think this is a question of degree, and people need to say so and not get rolled over by blind application of standards that don't apply.
 

Rick D

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Jun 14, 2008
7,204
Hunter Legend 40.5 Shoreline Marina Long Beach CA
Absolutely, Rick...

...I most certainly had a beer on the way up for the start, and most assuredly the next morning too. However, tacking most of the way down was too much for a drink the first night but was ample reason for one the second! Heck, I *might* even have had one the third morning of the finish before breakfast (and, oh yah, a Bloody Mary...) Rick D.
 
T

Tim

Hear Hear Taylor

I heartily agree with Taylor and agree with everything he said. I toast your viewpoint my friend. The view of absolutely no drink whatsover is just a little too strict for my taste also. It does not match reality. Most of us think nothing of have a glass or two of wine at dinner and then driving home. If having a beer while sailing is a no-no then why is this OK. Know your limits, be an adult and make a sane decision. If the day is calm and there is little traffic, pop a cold one. If the wind is piping up and things are getting dicey, wait til you get to port. For most people and in most coniditions we sail in a beer or glass of wine while sailing will do nothing to impair our abilities. Be mature, be smart, and have fun. They do go together.
 
Jun 7, 2007
875
Pearson- 323- Mobile,Al
Never this time of year

It is November!!!! Time for brandy or burbon and ifI'm feeling rich some good scotch!!!!! Bikinis and beer go together. Seriously it depends upon the conditions. A nice easy day I'll sometimes have a beer while sailing. But usually I leave the booze alone until the anchor is down. If the weather forcast isn't good I won't drink even when the anchor is down. Drunk and dragging anchor is a siuation that I don't want to experience!!!! Long before you are drunk alcohol can affect your judgement. Actually I have never been drunk at anchor. But a nice glass of brandy is a good ending after a day of sailing.
 
May 5, 2006
1,140
Knutson K-35 Yawl Bellingham
Yeah, it's coffee with Bailey's or a hot

Rum Apple Cider. If it's rough out, typically it is this time of year, then it's straight coffee, cider. Oh and Taylor, I heartily agree with ya.
 
Jun 9, 2004
165
Hunter 37-cutter San Francisco Bay
For me? After

If I am the captain, I wait till we are at the dock or anchored. If you are on watch on my boat, I ask that you wait till after you are off watch. It is not a hard rule for everyone else on the boat, as I assume they are adults and know their limits. A beer with lunch seems a reasonable thing for those who want that. If someone has too much to drink on board, I simply do not ask them to do anything or count on them for any help, which is normally not difficult. We have taken out parties of people who drank a lot, so we stayed in control and we gave them a nice ride. No problema. But two beers put me to sleep, and I'd rather be alert when I am underway. S.
 

Jim

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May 21, 2007
775
Catalina 36 MK II NJ
I like to pop

when I get back to the dock. I don't like to open one underway unless I am crew.
 
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