The history of rum and sailing is a story of hardship and tradition, adventure and maritime culture. Ever since the first sugar cane plantations were established in the Caribbean in the 17th century, this high-proof spirit has been a defining feature of seafaring. Initially used as a practical solution to drinking water problems at sea, rum quickly became an integral part of a sailor’s daily life – from the Royal Navy’s legendary ‘tot’ (daily ration) to its medicinal use against scurvy.
Rum Day Twice
Rum is celebrated twice over all over the world.
- World Rum Day – 12 July: The first World Rum Day was celebrated in 1999 in the US Virgin Islands. The date was chosen to mark the anniversary of the abolition of a high excise duty on rum in the islands.
- National/International Rum Day – 16 August: 16 August was originally National Rum Day in the United States, but is now celebrated worldwide as International Rum Day.
Interestingly, the August date (16 August) is not linked to any historical event. The recognition of this date has mainly developed through public holiday calendars. Both days are therefore legitimate public holidays with different origins, each honouring the significance and history of rum in its own way. You could say that rum enthusiasts thus have a reason to celebrate twice a year!
Drinks and the on-board bar
Feature articles on this topic:
The Rum Story
YACHT writer Marc Bielefeld has taken a closer look at this spirit (YACHT-Classic 2/2021):
Rum – A spirit steeped in maritime history
If any drink on earth deserves to be called ‘rich’, it is rum. And that is by no means down to its minimum alcohol content of 37.5 per cent. In probably no other tipple since time immemorial do so many other elements float alongside the actual ingredients. No gin, no whisky in the world is capable of captivating the senses of its connoisseur in such a legendary way.
Famous people and their relationship with rum
The list of famous figures who enjoyed this elixir from the palm-fringed paradises of the West Indies is equally impressive. Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy reportedly drank rum regularly, Ernest Hemingway would reach for a mojito first thing in the morning, and Fidel Castro not only smoked Cuban cigars but also had a particular fondness for the local tipple. Even Wilhelm Busch must have been tempted by the famous sugar-cane product on more than one occasion. In one of his poems, he writes:
"That’s how it is with tobacco and rum: first you’re happy, then you keel over."
Rum on board – a maritime tradition
Given all its maritime references, it’s no wonder that rum is almost a guaranteed fixture in the ship’s bar, particularly on sailing yachts. It all starts with the bottles themselves. Magnificent sailing ships greet the drinker on the fronts of the rum bottles, whilst the labels are adorned with anchors, nautical charts and steering wheels. And so it seems that every crew, from Barbados to Bornholm, from Cape Horn to Kühlungsborn, has internalised an unwritten law for all time: a sailing ship without rum on board is like a fish sandwich without any fish on it.
But where does this craze for rum actually come from? Where does the undisputed image of this seafaring, hard-drinking rough-and-ready character come from?
The Origins of Rum – From Brazil to the Caribbean
The history of this is somewhat unclear. What is certain is that it was the Brazilians who first succeeded in producing alcohol from sugarcane juice. There is evidence that the first sugar refineries existed as early as 1533 in Portuguese-occupied Brazil. In São Jorge de Erasmos, Madre de Deus and São João, plantation owners of the time used copper stills to distil ‘garapa azeda’ – sugarcane wine – into ‘aguardente de cana’: sugarcane spirit, also known as cachaça in Brazil. The Dutch transported this export commodity to the Caribbean. More specifically: to Barbados. Soon, sugarcane plantations were established there and the high-proof spirit was distilled, with the methods becoming increasingly sophisticated. Before long, a supposed waste product was put to use: molasses. The first rum was distilled from its juice in the 17th century. Barbados became the cradle of authentic Caribbean rum.
Rum takes the sailing ships by storm – a nautical success story
Word of the secret of its production soon spread to many of the other islands. And everywhere, people were soon competing to distil it. Martinique, Jamaica, Cuba, Guyana, Trinidad: everywhere, people wanted to produce the best product. The colonists supplied themselves and their home countries in Europe with a constant stream of new stock, which led to the emergence of a full-fledged rum industry and meant that rum took the sailing ships by storm.
From then on, hardly a single boat set sail without first stowing away a few barrels of the beguiling drink. Anyone sailing through the Caribbean was loaded to the brim with the fine stuff, for here one simply had to roll the barrels on board via the planks and gangways from the distilleries, which were usually situated close to the harbour. And the stuff surely went down the throats of every seafarer, be they sailors or pirates.
Rum as a means of survival at sea
Rum became the sailors’ fuel. And there were quite practical reasons for this. In those days, ships had to manage without refrigeration, which meant that water on board quickly went off and became covered in algae. Beer, too, did not keep for long in the heat, and brandy was generally only available to the French, who produced it locally. The Caribbean spirit, on the other hand, was available in abundance and kept for the longest time in tropical latitudes.
Rum was soon being served everywhere on board as a pick-me-up – usually diluted, provided the water was still drinkable. Pirates and even naval captains paid part of their crew’s wages in the form of rum rations, often whilst the ship was still at sea. Duhn could count his ducats to his heart’s content: most sea dogs were only too happy with that. But it wasn’t just its effects and taste that made rum so precious. The sailors had also discovered that rum could be used to preserve fruit and other foodstuffs, and that it went down a treat mixed with lime and lemon juice. A veritable remedy for scurvy, which is why rum was long regarded as medicine, before missionaries later condemned it as ‘the devil’s water’ across the islands.
The Royal Navy and its rum tradition
The English even introduced a compulsory rum ration on their naval vessels. Not only were the exact times at which rum was to be issued to the crew laid down, but the precise mixing ratio was also meticulously prescribed. And what sounds almost legendary today was simply everyday life at sea for those with a strong constitution: Reaching for the bottle several times a day became an integral part of military routine in the Royal Navy. Well, the British sailors weren’t about to say no either. Getting a bit tipsy on the state’s tab whilst on watch, in the Queen’s name – there were worse things!
The English tradition of serving rum daily at sea lasted for more than 300 years, even though many a logbook noted that this led to a considerable lack of discipline. It was only after many, many decades that the custom was brought to an end. On 21 July 1970, on the Royal Navy destroyer ‘HMS Fife’, a group of pallbearers lowered a large, round piece of wood, decorated with the Union Jack, into the sea. Solemn marching music rang out on board as the last rum cask was symbolically thrown overboard on ‘Black Tot Day’. For centuries, the daily rum ration on board had been known as ‘Tot’ or ‘Grog’. But that was now finally a thing of the past.
Modern rum consumption at sea
Nowadays, legal provisions attempt to rein in that blissful magic. At sea, blood alcohol limits apply in theory, not only in commercial shipping but also on board yachts. Anyone who’s had a few too many has to hand over their licence – unless they’re cruising through the lawless maritime wilderness somewhere between the Arafura Sea and the Roaring Forties.
Nevertheless, rum is and always will be the drink of choice when a good tipple is passed round on board – a small one for Rasmus, the rest for the crew.
Rum today – from budget to luxury
And there are now vast quantities of bottles, varieties and brands: rum is now available to the public under more than 450 different labels, with the most expensive bottle reportedly changing hands for 100,000 euros. An Italian buyer acquired this exquisite spirit from the traditional Clément brand on the island of Martinique, a 1966 vintage – an amber-coloured rum sloshing about in a crystal bottle adorned with gold and diamonds.
The Dark History of Rum – The Legacy of Slavery
Yet whoever takes a sip of that old sugar-cane juice today – be it dark or light, exorbitantly expensive or a blend – should pause for a moment. For however colourful the Caribbean may seem at the moment of enjoyment, the blood of slaves also sloshes in every glass; without them, rum would probably never have become what it is today. After Columbus introduced the first shoots, the Caribbean became the main region for growing sugar cane: according to estimates, up to 15 million Africans were subsequently brought to the Americas as part of the Atlantic slave trade. Many millions of them ended up in the Caribbean, where they had been trafficked and sold, primarily to cultivate on the plantations that stubborn plant from which rum is still made today.
The conditions under which the African Caribs were forced to work were unimaginable. They were separated from their families, exploited, flogged and raped – and it was not uncommon for them simply to be killed. This, too, and particularly, was done in the name of rum.
Flensburg – Germany’s historic rum capital
In the cellar of the Flensburg Maritime Museum, there is still a faint whiff of the historic ‘Sorgenbrecher’; just a few decades ago, large oak barrels of ‘Pure Rum’ from the West Indies were still stored in the former customs warehouse. This rum was usually still white and clear; it only acquired its brown colour through ageing in the wooden casks.
Today, there is a museum here that does not shy away from the drink’s troubled history, even though Flensburg was once a rum stronghold. As early as the 18th century, the Danish West Indies Fleet brought increasing quantities of raw rum to the northern trading town, where Flensburg’s rum producers blended, refined and sold it for a fortune. In the city’s heyday, there were over 200 rum houses in Flensburg, where wealthy merchants and sailors could quench their thirst in peace.
The original rum of the slaves – the origins of ‘Killdevil’
Meanwhile, things were quite different on the plantations in the Caribbean. Under the scorching sun, the Africans cut the rock-hard cane and soon discovered how to make their own rum. They took the chopped sugar cane, left it to ferment, diluted the swill with water – and drank it wherever they could for a few unmolested seconds. This was the original rum, the most authentic and strongest of them all. The slaves called it ‘Taifa’, ‘Guildive’ or even ‘Killdevil’ – the devil-slayer.
For a few priceless moments, it eased our worries and banished our agony in a blessed intoxication. The devils were dead by then; the gods of Africa danced. That was how it was with Caribbean gold, and that is how it is today. Rum comforts the soul, best of all in wind and storm.
The sailing regattas and the rum
Mount Gay Regattas
The link between rum and sailing dates back centuries and is evident today in various prestigious regattas around the world. The best-known association is probably that with Mount Gay Rum from Barbados – whose coveted red regatta caps are regarded as a status symbol amongst sailors and are awarded only to participants in official Mount Gay regattas. In the “Mount Gay Round Barbados Series”, sailors can even win their body weight in rum if they break a course record.
Other significant rum-sailing traditions can be found among the "Wednesday Night Gosling Rum Races" in Florida or at regattas organised by major rum brands such as Pusser's (named after the Royal Navy ‘purser’ who served rum) and Goslings be sponsored.
Rum Regatta
In Flensburg, Germany’s former rum capital, the “Rum Regatta” has been held since 1980, with traditional gaff-rigged sailing boats competing for unusual prizes – the runners-up receive a 3-litre bottle of rum, whilst the winners are humorously honoured with “bulky waste”.
Route du Rhum
The Route du Rhum is one of the world’s most prestigious single-handed sailing races and owes its name to a remarkable marketing idea: In 1975, Bernard Hass, then Secretary-General of the West Indies Rum and Sugar Producers’ Union, was looking for a way to promote the rum industry, which was in crisis at the time. During a lunch with his friend Florent de Kersauson (brother of the famous sailor Olivier de Kersauson), the latter suggested organising a transatlantic sailing race to the West Indies.
The Route du Rhum was launched in 1978 with the aim of creating a transatlantic race in which solo sailors could demonstrate their skills. The route, which starts in Saint-Malo and finishes in Guadeloupe, was named after one of the Caribbean island’s most iconic products: rum. It is now the fourth most popular sporting event among the French, and each edition creates its own legends – such as the legendary 1978 finale, with just 98 seconds separating first and second place, or the astonishing record set in 2006 (7 days, 17 hours, 19 minutes). The Route du Rhum brings together one of the largest offshore sailing fleets on a single starting line, and the regatta village in Saint-Malo attracts around two million visitors every four years.
Alcohol on board – what the law says
Blood alcohol limit
The legal basis for the blood alcohol limit on German maritime waterways is set out in the Maritime Waterways Regulations (SeeSchStrO). Section 3(4) stipulates that no person with 0.25 mg/l or more of alcohol in their breath or 0.5 per mille or more in their blood may operate a vessel or, as a crew member, perform duties on the bridge, on deck or in the engine room. This regulation applies to all vessels, including non-motorised ones. Similar provisions apply to inland waterways and are laid down in the Inland Waterways Regulations (BinSchStrO). An exception is Lake Constance, where a higher blood alcohol limit of 0.8 per mille applies.
Special provisions
Stricter regulations apply to certain areas of shipping. A zero-per-mil limit applies to the carriage of passengers or the transport of dangerous goods. Both the skipper and all crew members on bridge duty must be completely sober whilst on duty. Furthermore, even a blood alcohol level of 0.3 per mille may constitute relative unfitness to navigate if symptoms of impairment occur.
Consequences of non-compliance
Breaches of the blood alcohol limit in shipping may be punished as an administrative offence or a criminal offence. Levels between 0.5 and 1.09 per mille generally constitute an administrative offence, provided that there are no signs of impairment and no danger to others. In inland waterway shipping, this carries fines of between 350 and 2,500 euros; in maritime shipping, between 750 and 2,500 euros. For skippers of passenger vessels or those transporting dangerous goods, an administrative offence is deemed to have occurred from as low as 0.01 per mille.
A breach of the blood alcohol limit whilst boating may also have implications for a person’s driving licence. In the case of serious offences or a criminal offence, the licence may also be revoked.
Criminal offences
A blood alcohol level of 1.1 per mille or above constitutes absolute unfitness to drive, which is a criminal offence under Section 316 of the Criminal Code (StGB). This applies regardless of whether any signs of impairment are present. In such cases, offenders face fines or custodial sentences. In addition, a medical-psychological assessment (MPU) may be ordered. Endangering maritime traffic under Section 315a of the StGB is considered a particularly serious offence. Anyone who, due to the influence of alcohol, is unable to drive their vehicle safely and thereby endangers health, life or significant property is liable to a prison sentence of up to five years or a fine.
Loss of insurance cover
In addition to criminal consequences, there may also be civil law implications: if alcohol has been consumed and an accident subsequently occurs, the insurance company may reduce or refuse to pay out, particularly if the alcohol consumption was the cause of the accident. A blood alcohol concentration of between 0.3 and 1.09 per mille may indicate relative unfitness to drive, which can lead to a proportionate reduction in insurance cover. From 1.1 per mille onwards, the driver is deemed to be absolutely unfit to drive, which generally exempts the insurer from its obligation to pay out. Skippers are then personally liable for any damage. In the worst-case scenario, drink-driving can therefore jeopardise one’s financial livelihood. (You can read more about this in this special article...)
The Rum Song
Just have a listen ;)
Lars Bolle
Chief Editor Digital
