Dry boats?

Possible (probable) mong question, but no wah.
While reading the book "Sub" by Danny Danzinger (great book by the way), I came across the statement that all boats, and in fact all RN vessels are now dry (no alcohol). Is this true?

 

Negative, bum dit.

 

Thanks for that, I'll try to find the quote

 

Alcohol is available, beer for JR's, beer and spirits for the SR's and wardroom, it's just most don't drink at sea.

 

I thought that was how it was. The book says

When I read it I thought bollocks as well. Is drinking age still 25 or has it come down?

 

No I think it has gone up to 32.

 

Thanks for that mate, it'll be all the sweeter after waiting so long

 

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The books been translated from Septic.

 

That explains it. Tot was given on reaching 20 years old and "When I was in the navy" we could purchase 2 cans of beer per day, though if the canteen wallah was amenable a whole case could be purchased. And your friendly neighbourhood spud bosun was a dab hand at making hooch from spuds..8)

 

No drinking at sea on S/M's is a norm, by choice not a rule, but that all goes to rat shit at fallout from Harbour Station

 

It's cause the only person I know who was ever in the RN was my grandad in the 50s, when it WAS 25

 

That doesn't really sit with getting the tot at 20 years old. And the tot was replaced with each man getting an extra can of beer, though I don't know if this was a freebie as was the rum. :cool

 

That's like me asking if the army still wear battledress tunics and use Lee Enfield rifles because my granddad did when he was in the army in the 50s.

Anyway, I think, maybe you could just wait and see how things are when you actually get onto a boat. I hardly imagine booze rules are going to be a deal-breaker

 

Unless one has some undeclared issues with Booze?

 

And wine for JR's!

 

All JR's whine Chaz.

 

I was in the RN from '52. "Drinking age" was the same as civvy street, 18. The tot was available from age 20 but you could opt to be "T" (temperence) and draw 3d per day in lieu.
The first issue of beer in ships to junior rates (in my time) was in 1955. It was issued (for cash) to individuals from the canteen, in the presence of the duty RPO and sundry other officials, both cans had to be opened at the counter by the can-man before they were taken to the mess. This was before ring-pulls and a triangular can spanner was used twice, at opposite sides of the top of the can (to prevent the hoarding of beer). I was in Bulwark at the time and well remember the issue taking more than an hour, the queue often stretching half the length of the ship along the Burma road on four deck. IIRC beer had to be consumed and empties disposed of before evening rounds, but this may have been peculiar to the ship and not throughout the fleet.

2BM

 

Oh, thanks for the info. My grandad was in at the same time as you, what ships were you on if you don't mind me asking?

 

Cutting how to make a guy feel old