US Coast Guard Cites Tiki Bar Over Drug & Alcohol Testing

 

Summertime is the season for boat charters, and local Coast Guard stations in boating hubs around the country are staying busy tracking down and fining violators - which, in Florida, sometimes means boarding a moving tiki bar. 

Over the weekend, Coast Guard Station Fort Lauderdale's response boat crews busted nine charter vessels and filed citations for 11 different offenses, from missing COIs to absent mariner credentials to inadequate lifejackets. 

Among other targets, the station decided to investigate a 21-foot floating tiki bar, identified only by its Florida registration number. Upon boarding, officers found that the vessel - which consists of a bar and an outboard - allegedly lacked a formal drug and alcohol testing program for its sole crewmember, as required by 46 CFR 16.201. (The operator says that its captains are all properly licensed to operate the "six-pack" vessel, and passengers bring their own drinks.) 

Fort Lauderdale has several floating tiki bar operators, all popular among residents and visitors; the citation does not appear to have had an effect on bar operation or availability. Charter rates for a floating tiki bar run $500 for three hours, and the service is highly recommended by online review sites. 

The tiki bar sector is not without its risks. In 2021, an intoxicated Florida man stole a floating tiki bar in Key West, then proceeded towards open water. After a brief high-seas chase, the Coast Guard recovered the tiki bar and arrested the suspected hijacker, who was turned over to state authorities for prosecution.