Working on SuperYachts with Celiac

[KyleMacMartin]

Hi Everyone,

Hope you are all very well.

I’m curious as to whether anyone on this form can help me find super yacht staff that have been able to continue to work onboard whilst having a condition known as celiac disease (gluten and dairy sensitivity).

I have recently been diagnosed after over a year of trying to determine what my condition was.

I am now looking to return to sea as a 3rd Engineer (EOOW Unlimitied) now that I have restored my health and hold a fully unrestricted ENG 1. That being said I am curious as to whether sailing/working on superyachts is still an option for me in the long term. If anyone is aware or knows of crew that have been able to find yachts willing to be considerate and accommodating of the conditions dietary requirements/precautions it would be great to find out more from them on the route they took to continue working onboard.

Thanks for taking the time to read my thread in advance, any responses would be truly much appreciated.

Kind regards,
Kyle.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

My daughter in law is a celiac, she isn’t superyacht crew, but worked offshore on ferries, tankers and cruise ships. All of which were able to cater for her adequately if not luxuriously. Whilst it’s an auto immune condition, you’re not ill unless you eat gluten. It’ll be down to individual skippers on yachts. Just the hassle of keeping the breadcrumbs off your plate, such as it is. You might have to persuade them that it‘s not a big deal these days, and that it has no effect on your ability to work. Lots of people don’t understand it.

 

[sarabande]

Kyle, welcome, and I hope everything works out for you on board.

About a year ago I and another forumite went on a bread course run by a baker who's a coeliac. He uses sourdough to make bread and cakes which can be eaten by coeliacs, and they were delicious and effective. Seriously good one day course .

Home The Gift of Bread

I guess you may have to chat up the boat chefs a bit to meet your diet, but can't imagine there aren't guests with the same or other dietary requirements.

Best of luck

 

[dunedin]

One of our family also was recently diagnosed with Celiac - at a young age. It certainly be a hassle finding suitable foods in some places.
But I would think that a superyacht would be one of the easiest places to cater for your diet - they have professional chefs, need to be able to cater for wide range of dietary needs (and quirks) of guests, and plenty of food storage space.
Don’t let this put you off

 

[KevinV]

I work for a caterer - coeliacs and dairy sensitivity isn't hard to cater for these days, we all know what it means. It's helpful if/when you can be more specific - especially on the dairy - there are very varying degrees, and hard cheeses for instance contain very little lactose.

 

[KyleMacMartin]

Really appreciate waking up to all your replies this morning. It’s given me a sense of hope that’s for sure. Also I’m definitely noticing a change in how people are more considerate of the condition.

Thanks again!

 

[johnalison]

It is not a condition that I have had much to do with, but there is clearly no physical reason why you shouldn't be able to carry out any task, even climb Everest if you want to. On the other hand, I think that you need to take in hand the need to look after yourself and take responsibility for it, as do those with diabetes. This will involve making sure that those who need to know about your condition are properly informed, and satisfying yourself that adequate supplies to meet your needs are available. For a time you will probably be looked at as some kind of freak by some people but that will pass and something close to normality regained.

 

[Clancy Moped]

If you do Facebook have a look on the 'Palma Yacht Crew' page, it has 17k followers, I'd imagine someone on there might be able to offer insight.

 

[oldmanofthehills]

Good luck in your quest Kyle.

I am glad i have nothing as bad as coeliac. I do however have irritable bowel and irritable bladder and was pleased to be offered by my firm a Sunflower badge to indicate hidden disability. Might help in inadequately toileted festivals as well

People are actually better informed and more understanding these days

 

[chris-s]

Our son recently qualified with OOW Engineering and is currently on his first super yacht as a second. When getting started they asked him if he had any particular dietary requirements, none for him. So there are definitely ‘obliging’ boats out there.
From his previous experiences on cruise ships, I don’t think you would be so fortunate.