What is the earliest time the sun can be considered over the yard arm?!
The nearer to the Equator you are the better, for the sun will appear to be above the 'yard arm' of your (sailing) ship that much earlier and then you can 'splice the mainbrace' (an impossibility, in fact!) and issue a double tot of rum to every man, aye, and boy! Har har!
otyhee x
Neil M E is right, I think, that the conventional interpretation has generally been 'noon', but then I would have thought it would be over the 'crow's nest', the highest point in the ship, not the 'yard arm' which is only part way up the main mast!
Otherwise it would have been a bit tricky to 'reeve a halliard over the yardarm' and hang men from it, as was common practice only a couple of centuries ago
Hey ho!
If you start too early you will soon be 'nine sheets to the wind' -har har - also, of course, a nautical expression!
Answers: In nautical terms it depends on where you are - latitude wise!
The nearer to the Equator you are the better, for the sun will appear to be above the 'yard arm' of your (sailing) ship that much earlier and then you can 'splice the mainbrace' (an impossibility, in fact!) and issue a double tot of rum to every man, aye, and boy! Har har!
otyhee x
Neil M E is right, I think, that the conventional interpretation has generally been 'noon', but then I would have thought it would be over the 'crow's nest', the highest point in the ship, not the 'yard arm' which is only part way up the main mast!
Otherwise it would have been a bit tricky to 'reeve a halliard over the yardarm' and hang men from it, as was common practice only a couple of centuries ago
Hey ho!
If you start too early you will soon be 'nine sheets to the wind' -har har - also, of course, a nautical expression!
5 pm
Ther be no 'arm done when the sun enters our yard. I have a dram when I pleases
I think most people mean after 12pm, drinking in the morning has always been considered something only alcoholics do.
You had me foxed, but.......
http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board...
My Lord, any time can be regarded as the sun being over the yard arm, because somewhere in the world, it is. Cheers.
I have heard it said when it’s lunch time and okay to have an alcoholic beverage.”
I’ve heard of some who tend to use it for the early evening, after-work period from about 5pm onwards.
6 pm. Cheers!
I usually have my first gin around lunch time old boy, noon to be exact. But as the sun never sets on the British empire one could argue anytime is a good time to have ones first tipple of the day. Tip top.
Normally in naval terms it is noon as the sun is directly overhead. But somewhere in the world it will over the yardarm, so anytime really, but don't get too drunk.
When I wake up Old Boy....
6.00 p.m. for the other ranks, people like us should not have to ask Sir, we know better.
Depends where you are, but, remember, the sun will always be over the yard arm somewhere. Cheers!!
The earliest? 11 a.m. old chap.
Dawn