Provisioning for Delivery Skipper?

vandy

vandy

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Maybe this is a common sense, but it's the first time we will potentially be using professional skipper/instructor to help with owner delivery of our new to us sailing yacht. It is roughly 180nm coastal cruise with 2 stops (doing on average 60nm per day so 10-12hrs on average).

Has anyone got any tips on how to properly provision for a delivery skipper? I will be with him/her and need to know whether I can get away by offering cold foods (sandwich, salad, platter etc.) or there's an unwritten rule about giving hot food during the passage? I will be providing tea/coffee/fruit/snacks and certainly be using marina restaurants (depending on when we arrive).
 
I'd imagine porridge for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch and warm dinner would be sufficient. Although if your doing it at this time of year / winter then soup for lunch would be well received.

Plenty of easy, one pot meals - 4 min pasta & sauce, cornbeef hash with beetroot, tinned haggis with tinned potatoes.

I can't imagine they'd be expecting 5 star dining experience.
 
Just ask them.
Plus it will be weather dependent.
On a sunny day, it's pleasant to do a nice lunch halfway across Lyme Bay.
Or a serious breakfast.
When it's lumpy, you want hot soup, solid stodge and tea on demand.
When it's necessary, you can live on water, biscuits, mars bars and the promise of a proper meal ashore.

PS, check they're not vegan or dairy intolerant or WHY.
 
vandy said:
Maybe this is a common sense, but it's the first time we will potentially be using professional skipper/instructor to help with owner delivery of our new to us sailing yacht. It is roughly 180nm coastal cruise with 2 stops (doing on average 60nm per day so 10-12hrs on average).

Has anyone got any tips on how to properly provision for a delivery skipper? I will be with him/her and need to know whether I can get away by offering cold foods (sandwich, salad, platter etc.) or there's an unwritten rule about giving hot food during the passage? I will be providing tea/coffee/fruit/snacks and certainly be using marina restaurants (depending on when we arrive).
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How do you like to eat on passage?
Delivery Skippers are no different, they are human too.
 
alant said:
How do you like to eat on passage?
Delivery Skippers are no different, they are human too.
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Exactly. When I had a skipper and crew accompany me we just discussed what we like to eat, when and how, then went shopping. No different from any crew situation.
 
ASK! In this day of increase allergies and 'fad' diets at best you might offend and at work make them seriously ill.

For me a hot breakfast even just a bacon or sausage sandwich. , light (cold) lunch and a hot dinner. Caveat all my deliveries have been big boats with crew and weather factors into what is practical. Plus plenty of tea :) toasted sandwiches are always good too.

W.
 
PilotWolf said:
ASK! In this day of increase allergies and 'fad' diets at best you might offend and at work make them seriously ill.

For me a hot breakfast even just a bacon or sausage sandwich. , light (cold) lunch and a hot dinner. Caveat all my deliveries have been big boats with crew and weather factors into what is practical. Plus plenty of tea :) toasted sandwiches are always good too.

W.
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I once did a delivery in the med for an Italian couple.
She had 'provisioned' with many boxes of those 'TUC' biscuity things.
I lost a lot of weight.
 
Personally, I victual the same at sea as people do at home. No need for all that 'special' stuff that people seem to think goes with sailing.

I would keep it simple!
 
vandy said:
...we will potentially be using professional skipper/instructor to help with owner delivery of our new to us sailing yacht. It is roughly 180nm coastal cruise with 2 stops (doing on average 60nm per day so 10-12hrs on average). Has anyone got any tips on how to properly provision for a delivery skipper? I will be with him/her and need to know whether I can get away by offering cold foods (sandwich, salad, platter etc.) or.....
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I'd personally drop the "can I get away with" bit. He/she will be looking forward to this trip just as much as you are - that's why saily people do it after all. So be generous, practical and open to whatever they fancy; just the asking sets a happy key. That way you will learn more, eat better, have a pleasant trip ...and maybe even make a friend :)
 
scruff said:
I'd imagine porridge for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch and warm dinner would be sufficient. Although if your doing it at this time of year / winter then soup for lunch would be well received.

Plenty of easy, one pot meals - 4 min pasta & sauce, cornbeef hash with beetroot, tinned haggis with tinned potatoes.

I can't imagine they'd be expecting 5 star dining experience.
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Things really have gone downhill - its embarrassing

But maybe I'm actually getting old

How do you have 'haggis' and 'tinned' not only in the same sentence but in close proximity! :(

Jonathan
 
Neeves said:
Things really have gone downhill - its embarrassing

But maybe I'm actually getting old

How do you have 'haggis' and 'tinned' not only in the same sentence but in close proximity! :(

Jonathan
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On my last few delivery trips, the owner/skipper, produced a full english for breakfast, a decent lunch & a proper cooked dinner, with fresh vegetables (nothing tinned), including cabbage (in case of scurvy ;)), regardless of weather conditions & we sat comfortably around a gleamingly polished dining table.
This was on an Ocean 72 of course, not sure it would be quite as sumptuous foodstuff on a smaller yacht.;)

PS I forgot the rum punches/beer/wine the butler served.
 
I make the point of ensuring food is good and there is a plentiful supply of biscuits and extra snacks.

A well fed skipper is a happy skipper.
 
But 60nm days might be planning around nice evening meals ashore.
In which case, I'd have tinned stuff and basic ingredients to make a reasonable meal on the boat in case of delays.
Even if you eat on the mooring before going ashore for a pint, it can be less stress than trying to find the right food after 8pm in a strange town.
Equally, you might shop for nice fresh stuff in harbour each morning.

I've sailed with a lot of different people and seen a lot of different ideas as to whats normal/good/acceptable, so these days I always ask.
Some people have odd ideas about tea and coffee. So I often take my own drinkable instant coffee and tea bags.
 
scruff said:
I'd imagine porridge for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch and warm dinner would be sufficient. Although if your doing it at this time of year / winter then soup for lunch would be well received.

Plenty of easy, one pot meals - 4 min pasta & sauce, cornbeef hash with beetroot, tinned haggis with tinned potatoes.

I can't imagine they'd be expecting 5 star dining experience.
Click to expand...

If I was given that food I'd scuttle the boat rather than carry on.

I had no idea anybody had actually eaten porridge or corn beef in the last 50 years and I thought haggis was mythical, let alone tinned haggis - is there rationing still going on where you live?

The advice, "Ask them" is probably best here
 
RupertW said:
I had no idea anybody had actually eaten porridge or corn beef in the last 50 years and I thought haggis was mythical, let alone tinned haggis - is there rationing still going on where you live?
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Hey, I make porridge most days in the winter, esp for the kids! Healthy and lots of nice slow release carbs! Try it with jam, blueberries, strawberries, etc. on top :)
 
Surely that depends on what galley facilities you have on the boat. Is there a fridge? An oven? My boat does not have those desirables but I can still prepare good meals beforehand for a three-day trip.
Only then can you discuss sensible food arrangements with the delivery skipper and work around what facilities you have on board.
IMHO.
 
RupertW said:
If I was given that food I'd scuttle the boat rather than carry on.

I had no idea anybody had actually eaten porridge or corn beef in the last 50 years and I thought haggis was mythical, let alone tinned haggis - is there rationing still going on where you live?

The advice, "Ask them" is probably best here
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Sounds like you have yet to discover the joys of ocean passage making where indeed, there is rationing and a dwindling supply of fresh food. Unless you catch it!

Short coastal hops are a joy though and make life easier for the obvious reasons.....but I would do it non stop.
 
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