Non-breakable crockery - where to buy?

[tangaroa]

As the arrival of the new boat (Hanse 342) draws near (handover next week!), I've intended for the past several months to buy a new set of good quality, non-breakable (read plastic, probably) crockery (Dinner Plates, Side Plates, Bowls, Mugs etc).

Does anyone have any recommendations as to where might be the best place to buy. Given the timescale, an online retailer might be preferred.

Many thanks in advance.

 

[AIDY]

Do you have a John Lewis or a department store near you. we bought <sp> melomine <sp> for our boat well caravan from them about 10 years ago, and it's been on two boats since and they still make it with the same pattern. Other than that try you local caravan shop.

Best of luck with the new toy. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[john_morris_uk]

galleyslave.com (or something similar to this - I can't check it as the work computer system bars the search for 'galleyslave' as it might be a disreputable site!!!)

Anyway, if you do a search you should find the site that sells quite nice unbreakable crockery. At least its better than some of the naff stuff you see in some chandlers!

 

[Robin]

Lateral thinking

Unless you really like eating off plastic why not go for a nice set of sturdy chinaware to go with your nice new boat? China is much cheaper than good quality plastic as well as being much nicer to look at and eat off. We do this and have a second basic set of plastic 'cockpit' plates/bowls for use underway if it's rough. Same goes for glasses, proper GLASS ones except for a minimum set of acrylics for rough weather slurps.

 

[chas]

I don't like eating off plastic so have gone for stoneware. I bought 8 big plates and 8 small (which fit my stowage) from the local dump for £1 about four years ago, on the principle that if any broke, a quick trip would replace them at minimal cost. None have broken to date. These are supplemented by some Tescos balti bowls which are excellent for a potmess if it blows up a bit. You can tuck yourself into a corner and eat without the food slopping all over the place. I did buy some toughened Glass mugs on line which also seem to have survived well. These are supplemented by some of those spill proof mugs for roughers.

 

[john_morris_uk]

Re: Lateral thinking

Agree partly - we have some 'proper' glasses to drink out of with a few acrylic for when it is rough.

The galleyslave stuff isn't too plasticky though - and I know other forumites who use it too.

 

[Robin]

Re: Lateral thinking

Yep, we have 2 sets of 6 proper glass wine glasses, plus a set of glass whisky/gin tumblers engraved with the boat's name and boat under sail (more tasteful than it sounds!). We do have plastic plates and bowls, actually kept the best of the (Jeanneau) ones that came with the boat left by the previous owners and now 17 years old so not bad quality for an AWB supplied set!

 

[DeeGee]

Re: Lateral thinking

[ QUOTE ]
Yep, we have 2 sets of 6 proper glass wine glasses, plus a set of glass whisky/gin tumblers engraved with the boat's name and boat under sail (more tasteful than it sounds!). We do have plastic plates and bowls, actually kept the best of the (Jeanneau) ones that came with the boat left by the previous owners and now 17 years old so not bad quality for an AWB supplied set!

[/ QUOTE ]
We have tableware which is standard in most chandlers', the cups saucers plates have blue ships on them, ditto the glassware. I dont have the name but it is almost certainly French. It is almost unbreakable, but not quite. I once thought is was unbreakable, and we made a demonstration with a wineglass. You should have seen my face when it broke into a hundred pieces. But overall, it stands up to knocks very well, and has often bounced off the cabin sole.

 

[Ships_Cat]

Re: Lateral thinking

We find that we are far less inclined to break dinnerware and glassware on board than ashore.

For 5 years we either lived aboard or were moving around on land alot so put one of our good dinnersets on board, so one less thing to store - in all that time we broke nothing. Settled down again and took that dinnerset ashore (and promptly broke some of it /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif) and put a cheap one on board plus another exactly the same to replace any breakages. None of the replacements have been used in 4 years and we are usually on board for around 140 days per year.

I think that unless the boat is quite small or the boat a serious race boat, the risk often stated for glass and dinnerware on board is greatly overstated. China and glass are sure much nicer to eat/drink off.

John

 

[BlueChip]

The £ shop in Gosport High Street sells Melamine crockery for about £1 per item, patterns are not bad and at that price they are renewable each year after they get stained and scratched. They always get loads of fresh stock in at about this time of year

 

[ErikB]

tescos were doing the melamine stuff last time I was in for around 80p an item.

 

[tangaroa]

Thank-you, John

You are right, Melamine is the material I was referring to, not plastic

Shall try local Tesco's today and Galleyslave thereafter

My thanks to all

 

[DeeGee]

Melamine IS a plastic. Technically it is a thermosetting, highly stable non-toxic plastic. However, a surface made of melamine is not as hard as glass, so it will scratch earlier. Also, drinking from a melamine cup/tumbler is not the same as drinking from a china cup or glass wineglass. Suggest melamine plates, cups saucers but use glass for wine.

 

[ecudc]

Hate to say it but out of townie Asdas and Sainsbury's also do a pretty good range. All very chirpy summer stuff but good for a picnic/barbie/boat

 

[gerry99]

I bought all mine from John Lewis, all good melamine picnic crockery, and cheaper than some of the marine equivalents