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Whether you’re yachting, sailing, or relaxing on a dock after a day of pontooning, these easy, breezy boating drinks are made for fun in the sun.
From nautical cocktails to tropical rum punch and frozen margaritas, they’re the boat drink recipes to put on your must-try play list this summer.
They’re all easy to prepare (and pack to go) which means more time to relax outdoors with friends and family.
For Canadian boaters like us, launching the boat is the real start of summer. It’s the moment we’ve been waiting for after a long winter.
It means laid-back days on the water, good food and great drinks. To help kick off the season, here’s a roundup of our favourite refreshing cocktails to enjoy all summer long.
Whether you go with vodka, gin, rum or a no-alcohol mocktail, these beachy beverages are perfect for serving with our go-to boating snacks and appetizers and picnic-ready wraps and sandwiches.
Tropical Cocktails and Summery Drinks for Yachting and Boating
Whether you're yachting or relaxing on your dock after a day of pontooning, these easy, breezy boating drink recipes are perfect for summer.
Remember to drink responsibly. Be sure you know the rules and regulations about boating and drinking.
Nothing says summer party like this classic cocktail from the British Virgin Islands. You and your friends will want to sip on this rum and coconut cocktail all summer long.
This three-ingredient Bay Breeze is the perfect summer cocktail for enjoying on the water! This vodka drink with pineapple and cranberry will have you dreaming you're on a tropical island.
What can be better for lounging around on a boat than a classic Blue Lagoon Cocktail? This tasty tropical blend is so easy to make and the colour will remind you of the Caribbean, whether you are sailing or wishing you were at a beach bar in Curaçao!
One of the easiest cocktails you'll ever make! This rum punch is a summer classic and perfect for the beach or backyard gatherings!
This thirst-quenching cocktail is perfect for hot summer days. It’s a very simple to make drink made with gin or vodka, grapefruit juice and a salted rim.
Invented in Bermuda, the Spiced Dark and Stormy Cocktail features rich caramel vanilla flavour notes from Goslings Black Seal Rum, snappy ginger beer, warm-spiced sweet simple syrup, and fresh citrusy lime.
The ocean breeze cocktail is the perfect summer rum drink for seafarers (and those who prefer to watch from the shore), this tropical rum cocktail is always a hit.
Michelada is a great summer cocktail that’s easy to transport. It’s a refreshing and spicy Mexican drink made with beer and served over ice..
This picnic punch comes together in minutes and sits for a few hours before it's ready to enjoy! Don't fret about whipping up cocktails on the go; have it ready to go in the cooler!
Watermelon screams summertime. Whip up the fresh watermelon base in advance so it's ready to combine with vodka in this summery boat drink.
One of the best boating drinks for summer, this classic cocktail features just four main ingredients. The citrusy grapefruit and limes make it especially refreshing on a hot day.
This easy White Sangria is the perfect mix of citrus fruits, berries, apples, white wine, and bubbly, so it’s ideal after a hot summer day on the water!
This classic is a highball cocktail made of cola, rum, and fresh lime juice on ice. There's a reason it's been so popular!
Real brewed tea makes this spiked iced tea rum cocktail extra tasty and refreshing. It's a nice change from the usual mixer.
Fresh apples, a bounty of mint and all-natural cider make this rum drink a celebration of summer in a glass.
Home » Entertaining » Cocktails » Caribbean Sunset Rum Cocktail
Tropical coconut, pineapple and lime meet in this island inspired rum blend. Garnish it with slices of real pineapple and lime for a fun look.
This sparkling Venetian Blush Italian cocktail features Campari, Vodka, Orange Juice and Pomegranate juice with soda. It's refreshing, takes just 5 minutes to make and needs only 5 ingredients! You'll imagine you're in Venice watching gondolas glide by with this classic boating drink. .
16. Frozen Margarita Pitcher (Thermos-Friendly!)
Cool down fast with this slushy crowd-pleasing boating drink!
To prep a batch of Frozen Margaritas in advance, combine 4 cups of crushed ice, 1 (6 oz) can of frozen limeade concentrate, 1 cup of tequila, and 1/4 cup of triple sec in a blender.
Blend until smooth and pour into a 32-ounce thermos or insulated pitcher to keep it icy. Shake before pouring and serve with a wedge of lime
17. Wine Spritzers
Spritz drinks are one of my favourite beverages to serve at outdoor gatherings, yacht and dock parties. Just add a splash of orange juice to Prosecco for an instant mimosa.
French Elderflower liqueur makes a nice summery add-in to sparkling Prosecco. Or try adding xtabentún, the golden Mayan honey liqueur from Merida, Yucatan.
🌟 Pro Tip: Avoid juices with intense colouring. Although I love pomegranate juice if it’s going to stain boat upholstery, it’s staying home.
To mix things up, pick a lesser known grape varietal. A memorable Aidani from Santorini, Greece, a Viognier from Australia or a Godello from Spain are all good options for summery white wines.
General Rules for Serving Boating Drinks
- Glassware should be non-breakable and stemless.
- While the clear plastic wine glasses from the dollar store might be tempting to use, they’re also small and have a tendency to tip once they’re half-full, staining upholstery. They can also blow overboard.
- Don’t go Solo at your boat party. The classic red cup is made from polystyrene (plastic #6) which isn’t recyclable (unless you mail it to a special facility). You’ll be adding to the landfill problem.
- Instead, look for disposable Incycle cups. Not only are they recyclable, these cups made of recycled water bottles can be used for both hot and cold beverages. They also don’t crumble or crack.
- Or, better yet, invest in a set of insulated tumblers for your boat. All YETI drinkware is insulated so it will keep your beverages cold. Yeti wine tumblers or Rambler mugs have extra wide bases — perfect for boating.
- Glasses should only be filled three-quarters full.
- Opt for disposable or reusable wood or bamboo straws rather than plastic.
- Linen napkins look fancy and have the added advantage of not blowing overboard.
Food Safety and Serving Tips
Boating is one of my favourite ways to enjoy the outdoors with family and friends. But all that sunshine and warm weather makes it easy for food borne bacteria to thrive.
After getting sick while travelling more times than I’d like to admit, I’ve become a bit of a stickler for food safety. So I always take extra care when serving food and drinks outdoors.
- FDA Food Safety Guidelines recommend that cold food be stored at 40 °F or below to prevent bacterial growth.
- Pack food and drinks in separate coolers. Beverage coolers get opened more often, so this helps keep food colder and safer.
- Collapsible cooler mats are lightweight and can be wrapped around food.
- I use zippered, collapsible cooler bags to store boating snacks and meals. They tuck easily under seats, with separate bags for appetizers, mains, and desserts.
- Wash and pre-cut fruit and vegetable garnishes in advance. Herbs should be washed, wrapped separately in paper towels. Store in resealable freezer bags or containers.
- Use ice tongs or a scoop to serve ice from the bucket. Avoid using your hands.
- We spend a lot of time on Rice Lake in Peterborough & the Kawarthas, Ontario where it gets really windy in the afternoons. Trash bins with lids are a must.
Don’t drink and drive! Remember to drink responsibly!
Originally published in 2022, this list has been expanded with new recipes and tips.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Laws about drinking alcohol on a boat vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. In Ontario, Canada you can only legally consume alcohol on boats equipped with a permanent toilet, cooking and sleeping facilities. The boat must also be docked or moored. Before heading out on the water, make sure you know the rules and regulations where you’re boating.
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Gemma
Great list! Thanks for including our Blue Lagoon and Ocean Breeze cocktails. Can’t wait to try some of the others!
Andrea
what a line up! so many refreshing drinks to try out and keep cool in this summer heat. the ocean breeze is calling my name, especially!
Amy
I’ll be making a few of these this summer! I live in a boating community and this is a great list!
Jerika
What an awesome list of boating drinks and cocktails to try this summer.:) Thank you for this! All in one tips and delicious drinks and cocktails.:)
Nora
So many yummy drinks! Love this collection! Thank you!
Melissa
This will be my go-to summer cocktail list – thanks for the recipes!
Mary
My home sits 3 feet from the edge of a beautiful lake so it’s like we are boating all day long. I have bookmarked this list of gorgeous boating drinks. I don’t even need to heed your heads up about drinking while boating! Thanks.
Michele Peterson
That’s perfect Mary! I wish we could boat over to your dock to enjoy a cocktail with you!
Kayla DiMaggio
Love all these ideas! Can’t wait to try some!
Pete
What a great list of summer drink recipes! Living in Australia, our summers are longer, so we can practically enjoy this year round!!
Michele Peterson
How wonderful! Summer never seems long enough here in Canada!
Erika English
What a great list of drinks. Can’t wait to try it.
Melanie
Everything looks so refreshing and pretty! Pinning for later
Bri
These all sound amazing! Can’t wait for my next boating adventure.
Megan
What a great round up of drinks to try. I can’t wait to work my way through them.
Swathi
This is wonderful collection of drinks. I need to try few of them. white sangria sounds refreshing.
Jeannie
We are sangria ladies so this will be perfect on our next island hopping, thanks for the recipes. We will be trying others too.
Peggy
Thanks for this awesome list! It might just become my inspiration for beach trips this summer.