# Kayaking in the bay/gulf and Beer



## ghoot (Jan 24, 2013)

Not that I can't go without it or anything, but if a guy took a couple/6 pack out in a cooler while fishing from a yak, is that legal? :whistling:


----------



## JoeZ (Sep 30, 2007)

Why wouldn't it be?


----------



## southern yakker (Jun 25, 2012)

Can you get a DUI on a kayak?


----------



## ghoot (Jan 24, 2013)

Well, I don't know. I think you could here in OK. I know you can get a DUI in a motor boat, but right now we have to tag kayaks and carry a fire extinguisher and the whole 9 yards, just like on a motor boat....so maybe. Starting July 1st, we don't have to tag them anymore. Not sure if the safety regs will still be the same as a motor boat though.


----------



## JoeZ (Sep 30, 2007)

Why on earth would you need a fire extinguisher on a kayak? 


Peddles might catch on fire?


----------



## Flatspro (Oct 3, 2007)

Whistle, off and light (if night fishing) only requirements! I take beer sometimes it's legal.


----------



## Flatspro (Oct 3, 2007)

Pfd damn auto correct!


----------



## Fishermon (Oct 19, 2007)

lol...24 cans?...you better drink that fast if you are gonna put fish in the same cooler. Kayaking and beer (imo) dont mix...it will be really stupid to make that kinda of move while kayaking, honestly.... i dont know if it's legal or not....common sense man...common sense....lol


----------



## ghoot (Jan 24, 2013)

JoeZ said:


> Why on earth would you need a fire extinguisher on a kayak?
> 
> 
> Peddles might catch on fire?


I know, it's dumb. I have a little 1 man bass buggy type boat and had to carry one in there too. Cost more to get a title and tag it than the $50 I gave for it I think.



Fishermon said:


> lol...24 cans?...you better drink that fast if you are gonna put fish in the same cooler. Kayaking and beer (imo) dont mix...it will be really stupid to make that kinda of move while kayaking, honestly.... i dont know if it's legal or not....common sense man...common sense....lol


24 cans! No, I wanna come back from the trip!  I just meant a couple, or maybe a 6 pack at the most if I stayed out all day. Don't know if I can even stay out that long since I haven't tried it yet though. Just got my kayak the other day. Now I'm debating on whether to spend the money on a tag, tax and title, so I can try it out in some larger bodies of water to hopefully try some rough water, or just play in private farm ponds until July 1st so it will then be legal.

Oh, I got the Gone Fishin Kayak Seat from ACK because of advice here and on the Texas kayak forum. Should have it Monday...can't wait to try it out.


----------



## johnf (Jan 20, 2012)

You can get a DUI on a bicycle here in AR. I think you probably could on a yak too.


----------



## Flatspro (Oct 3, 2007)

Why would you tag and title a kayak??? It's not required by law unless it has a electric motor.


----------



## ghoot (Jan 24, 2013)

Flatspro said:


> Why would you tag and title a kayak??? It's not required by law unless it has a electric motor.


Not in Florida, but it is in Oklahoma, until July 1st, then that law goes away. It took the guys at Academy about 30 minutes to fill out all of the paper work when I bought the Kayak. We also both had to sign and have the bill of sale notarized there in the store. Typical buerocracy, but at least someone figured out that this law was dumb and got it undone. Just wish it was undone now, and not half way into the summer! :thumbdown:


----------



## ghoot (Jan 24, 2013)

Looks like the fire extiguisher law changed too. Now it says they are only required on "all boats using flammable liquid as fuel", so that's another step in the right direction here in OK.


----------



## Powerstroke 7.3 (May 3, 2009)

I keep my beer in a ziplock right next to the fish.....


----------



## Yakavelli (Mar 17, 2010)

Kayaks + Fish + Beer = Recipe for some of my best memories!!!


----------



## FLSalomon (Oct 3, 2007)

The FWCC (for you Okies, that's FL Wildlife Conservation Commission) will stop you on the water in a kayak. They check your safety gear, fish cooler and license. I imagine if they think you are intoxicated, they will write you up. 

Aside from that, one or two is probably OK, but it ain't smart to get buzzed on a kayak. Lot of things can happen and most of them are bad. 

Paddlecraft - kayaks, canoes, row boats, etc. under 16 feet do not need to be registered with the state. We have fought off several attempts by the "marine industry" to force kayak owners to register. They want the registration $$$ to build more boat ramps...you can bet none of the revenue would go to kayak launches. If you motorize your yak, then you need to register.


----------



## knot @ Work (Apr 18, 2012)

It is still a free country , so yes you can.

Not a DUI but you could get a Public intox violation if you do something stupid or make a scene, or appear drunk and intoxicated.

Common sense vs Stupidity, probably a six pack would suffice.....


----------



## boatnbob (May 31, 2009)

*Wait till you got to take a leak*

You better have good balance!

Bob


----------



## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

Legality issues aside, beer and kayak fishing for me is a no-no. I typically carry at least five hundred dollars in replacement cost of rods/reels and other gear, yeah most is leashed down but I dont want to risk it when I can catch a buzz when I get home. Team Primus is known to drink a drink or two but I personally dont drink on the yak and Ive never seen the other guys do it. Besides, we're too bust fishing. hehe


----------



## Yakavelli (Mar 17, 2010)

boatnbob said:


> You better have good balance!
> 
> Bob


...or a Pro Angler. I can hang eleven off the stern and barely get my toes wet. :whistling:


----------



## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

I like to enjoy a couple beers while out. That being said I had a buddy in Georgia get a bui in a canoe, although he was more than just a little buzzed so that probably had a lot to do with it.


----------



## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

Yakavelli said:


> ...or a Pro Angler. I can hang eleven off the stern and barely get my toes wet. :whistling:


That's hilarious....not so easy in a revo lol


----------



## Telum Pisces (Sep 27, 2007)

I have read of someone in a canoe getting a BUI in the destin pass. I read it on the FWC weekly reports that is posted online. So, yes you can get a BUI while on a kayak. But you probably have to be doing something stupid like being in a canoe in the middle of a busy boat traffic day in the Destin Pass.


----------



## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

The water can be a nasty place at times it is in my opinion NO place for alcohol of any amount at any time. I can guarantee you if FWC thinks you are even slightly impaired you will get a BUI. I saw them give a ticket at Sherman cove for a kayak without enough life jackets.


----------



## Yakavelli (Mar 17, 2010)

They are pretty strict about the life jacket thing. I've shown the inside of my cooler to FWC many times and there's always some empty beer cans in there. They've never even mentioned it. Of course, I don't exactly get "tore up" out there either. In my experience, a BUI in a kayak is something you would have to be asking for, to get one.


----------



## hoppinjon (Dec 28, 2012)

Just in case you get a little more tipsy than you expect remember....PFD!

What do you do with a drunken sailor.... :whistling:


----------



## tkh329 (Mar 14, 2012)

FYI, Florida Statute 327.35 provides for a BUI on a vessel. A kayak qualifies. Later sections detail how you may be tested and penalties. Be safe and have fun!


----------



## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

Why is my question, If you can't wait until you get off the water to consume anything that can impair your judgement no matter how slight then you must have a problem with that substance.


----------



## johnf (Jan 20, 2012)

hoppinjon said:


> Just in case you get a little more tipsy than you expect remember....PFD!
> 
> What do you do with a drunken sailor.... :whistling:


Pull out the plug and wet him all over.:thumbsup:

Think about it. :whistling:


----------



## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

sealark said:


> Why is my question, If you can't wait until you get off the water to consume anything that can impair your judgement no matter how slight then you must have a problem with that substance.


I'm sorry, but kayaking is not an inherently dangerous activity where you are required to make split second decisions......Certain hobbies I have where I won't drink, such as skydiving but yea, I'll have a couple beers while perched on top of a kayak enjoying the water. As long as you are not over the limit you are within the law.


----------



## Team Hobie (Oct 9, 2007)

Sniper, while I would like to agree with you but I have been surprised many times on a kayak. Things that happen fast include: Boaters approaching without seeing me, catching fish that are dangerous while boatside, breaking a line that's hooked on the bottom structure and going over the other side of the boat and flipping, Hook through a finger or hand, broken or lost gear.
All of these require a clear head to get through safely and some are split second reactions.

I totally agree that a few beers won't be a problem and are not illegal unless underaged. Just remember to be safe out there. My newest pitch is to tether yourself to your kayak when offshore. Your kayak is just as important as your PFD so you don't want to lose it.

also, I find that the FWC leaves me alone as long as I keep it under 100 MPH. ;0)


----------



## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

For sure, I am definitely not advocating going out and getting smashed on a yak


----------



## Yakavelli (Mar 17, 2010)

sealark said:


> Why is my question, If you can't wait until you get off the water to consume anything that can impair your judgement no matter how slight then you must have a problem with that substance.


Wow...seriously? I hate that I feel the desire to defend myself here, but the water is pretty much the only place I drink "that substance". Not sure if you've ever been in a kayak, but I'm not exactly putting anybody (myself included) in danger by having 5 or 6 beers while floating over a grassbed in 2-5' of water, over the course of 7-10 hours. Now, I understand that some people can go way too far with it and be a danger to everybody, but regardless of how engrossed you are in this whole "vaginafication" of America, you should not come on here hinting that EVERYBODY is an alcoholic for enjoying a couple beers during a fishing trip. That's just plain ignorant as hell and I, for one, don't appreciate it. I am a responsible drinker. I am quite aware of my surroundings out there. And most importantly, I still know how to ENJOY life, without living in fear of it. I applaud you sir, for your strength of will and power of mind, which allows you to be so uncompromising in your beliefs of how others should live...but I walk a different path.


----------



## Yakavelli (Mar 17, 2010)

For everyone who has said it isn't a good idea to drink out there, I'm not arguing against you...for the record. It probably isn't the smartest thing in the world. I get it. I just think tearing into some fish is a little more fun with a good ol' beer buzz. To each, his own...and yes, I do stop drinking early and sober up for a couple hours before the drive home. Just like anything else, you have to be smart with it.


----------



## leo103 (Nov 29, 2012)

Kayak fishing is a time to have fun and have a corona. Relax people, it ain't rocket science!


----------



## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

Well I wasent trying to offend anyone but I guess I did. I am 69 years old and have owned boats since I was 10 years old. And have seen too many people have a couple drinks that turned into too many and get into trouble that usualy resulted in someone getting hurt. To be honest, myself included when I was much younger and bullet proof and knew it all. Just my 2 cents so have fun...


----------



## ghoot (Jan 24, 2013)

You guys crack me up.  I'm taking the girls down to Destin over spring break in mid March and while mama and the girls are on the beach, just want to catch some fish...hopefully a lot bigger than what we catch around here...or at least get out on the water, and chill and drink a few beers too probably. Sure don't want to come back with an alcohol related ticked, like open container or something like that. Sure have no intention of getting plastered and won't bring more that a 6 pack. hoping to find a group of you guys to go with, and if whoever that is objects to the beer, OK, I don't gotsta have it. :no: The chance to get to go out in the gulf with some experienced guys is much more important to me. At the same time, I agree with Yakavelli. I don't wanna get "vaginaficated"! :shifty:


----------



## ghoot (Jan 24, 2013)

I hear you too sealark. I haven't been really drunk for many years. It ain't all that much fun to me.


----------



## Yakavelli (Mar 17, 2010)

I meant no offence to you sealark. I was just taken back by the "must have a problem" thing. You're certainly entitled to your opinion. I've seen all the stupid drunk behavior plenty myself, even been a part of it...way back when. Yeah, some people go too far...doesn't mean drinking is always bad. It really does turn a good day great, now and then. Shouldn't concentrate so much on the good days it turns bad...there are far fewer of those. I know, I know, it only takes one bad day...


----------



## Yakavelli (Mar 17, 2010)

ghoot said:


> You guys crack me up.  I'm taking the girls down to Destin over spring break in mid March and while mama and the girls are on the beach, just want to catch some fish...hopefully a lot bigger than what we catch around here...or at least get out on the water, and chill and drink a few beers too probably. Sure don't want to come back with an alcohol related ticked, like open container or something like that. Sure have no intention of getting plastered and won't bring more that a 6 pack. hoping to find a group of you guys to go with, and if whoever that is objects to the beer, OK, I don't gotsta have it. :no: The chance to get to go out in the gulf with some experienced guys is much more important to me. At the same time, I agree with Yakavelli. I don't wanna get "vaginaficated"! :shifty:


Also...for the record ...the gulf is a different story. I'd keep the beer to a minimum out there, especially if you're not too experienced in the surf, or with big toofy critters lol.


----------



## beeritself (Nov 25, 2010)

I drink a few while kayak fishing, and i keep it at a few. Although, I flipped my yak in the pass a few months back just after I opened beer #1. The boater that stopped to assist me probably thought I was a drunk because he saw a beer can floating next to me... Truth is I caught a wake when I was reaching behind me to put my rod in the holder. It just goes to show you that you never know what's gonna happen. Use common sense, know your threshold and you'll be fine. I personally find it very relaxing sitting in the gulf in my yak and having a beer.


----------



## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

Team Hobie said:


> Sniper, while I would like to agree with you but I have been surprised many times on a kayak. Things that happen fast include: Boaters approaching without seeing me, catching fish that are dangerous while boatside, breaking a line that's hooked on the bottom structure and going over the other side of the boat and flipping, Hook through a finger or hand, broken or lost gear.
> All of these require a clear head to get through safely and some are split second reactions.
> 
> I totally agree that a few beers won't be a problem and are not illegal unless underaged. Just remember to be safe out there. *My newest pitch is to tether yourself to your kayak when offshore*. Your kayak is just as important as your PFD so you don't want to lose it.
> ...


I was fishing the Gulf today and thinking the same thing. The wind was blowing real good and it was pretty sloppy out there. Breaking waves including some three footers. It would be easy to miss a breaking wave coming at you and roll you out. With a stiff wind your yak is going to be out of reach before you realize it. Two miles out and even with a life jacket on you are SOL unless you have a VHF tethered to your PFD. Still, you wont be having a good day.


----------



## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

Anyone know if Hobie sells a beer funnel rigging option?


----------



## flukedaddy (Apr 11, 2009)

sniperpeeps said:


> Anyone know if Hobie sells a beer funnel rigging option?


:thumbsup: as I spew beer all over the puter.


----------



## Team Hobie (Oct 9, 2007)

Yakavelli, you hit on a good point. Fishing in the flats, 30 feet from shore is a different game from being 6 miles out in the gulf. The message here is be responsible in a way that is proper for the situation you are in.

Be Safe, Have Fun, Catch Fish.

Ted


----------



## Fishermon (Oct 19, 2007)

sniperpeeps said:


> Anyone know if Hobie sells a beer funnel rigging option?



actually they designed one and when presented to the Hobie board...9 outta 10 thought it was idiotic...so they never went forward with it... :thumbsup:

but hey, what do you have to worry about...drink all you want guys...it is all good...no problemo, make sure to bring your trash back tho...including cigarret butts. lol.....


----------



## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

Fishermon said:


> it was the idiotic...\



That was my point, it's not like any one is on a kayak binge drinking and there is a seperation between having 1-3 beers over a few hours vs getting hammered.


----------



## Yakavelli (Mar 17, 2010)

I guess some people see it the same as crack cocaine. No grey area. Drinking beers is bad, m'kay. If you drink beers, you're bad. M'kay. Lmao...I love you guys. Anyways...about the yak funnel...it'll work just fine with rum and vodka right (combined of course)? I mean, if you're gonna do it...do it. It's all the same anyways.


----------



## flukedaddy (Apr 11, 2009)

How dare you Yakavelli. you should not be doing crack on the water or at home just plan bad.:whistling: However drinking and staying under the legal limit is fine in my book. I am on the water to relax and see what bites and a few beers or a shot off the flask is in order for me. The key is to know your limit which every man should know and some of us can handle a lil more. Hell I even have a beer or glass of wine at dinner occasionally and then drive home under the legal limit of course.


----------



## wyld3man (Oct 4, 2011)

I agree, there is nothing wrong with having a few beers while out fishing. I never leave the dock/beach without a 6 pack. I actually think it is bad luck to forget the beer. I practice the same common sense that yakavelli mentioned. I will drink that whole sixer while fishing the flats in the course of a day but if I am on the Gulf I will bring a few back to the beach. I also consider the ride home because one thing I do not believe in is driving while impaired. I feel as long as you are being responsible about it the FWC/CG generally leave you alone. I do take a different approach while I am running the boat though . I usually do not drink at all and if I do it is just one at lunch to wash down my samich. I just like the way beer taste and a cold beer with lunch is refreshing to me.


----------



## ghoot (Jan 24, 2013)

Fishermon said:


> actually they designed one and when presented to the Hobie board...9 outta 10 thought it was the idiotic...so they never went forward with it... :thumbsup:
> 
> but hey, what do you have to worry about...drink all you want guys...it is all good...no problemo, make sure to bring your trash back tho...including cigarret butts. lol.....


Thinkin' they may need an enema version? ....:no: Just kidding guys, don't pound me.:whistling: :notworthy:


----------

