Refreshments aboard

[Simon B]

How do you all manage the catering aboard your RIBs? Seemingly there are now people in our club who have clearly been spoilt rotten aboard charter vessels and now expect cups of tea and coffee aboard RIBs waiting for them when the surface ...begad!

Any useful tips or tricks we've not got much space left since the burr walnut cocktail cabinet and humidore went in.

[ScottyDog]

We are lucky enough to have a hot water supply coming out of our outboard, while it's not hot enough for tea making it does make a nice cup of hot Vimto. Not sure what capacity the water tank is but we haven't needed to top it up yet. Oh, it seems to taste nicer when we are at Windermere than it does when we are on the Mersey ! Must be the mountain air. Check your engine and see if it has such an optional extra fitted.

[Louise]

Hi Simon B. Our catering usually involves a pub or some supermarket sandwiches and a can of Coke! However, we do have a 'socket' (with a waterproof cover) on our console which (I believe) works like/is a 'cigarette lighter' socket like you get in cars. Travel kettles can be plugged in to it. It takes up the same space as a ciggie lighter socket (unbelievably! ). HTH

[ScottyDog]

Seriously, we have used one of those 12v electric cool boxes for both chilled snacks and, if you flick the switch, hot snacks too. They only cost about £20 and can be kept warming up all the way in the car then plugged into a cigar socket on the console. Also there have been a few different types of soup and coffees in cans that self heat, army style. One or two seemed quite drinkable at the motorway services but would all seem good after a dive, I am sure. On our sailer we have a transom mount BBQ, a little too dodgy on a RIB but it makes location catering very civilised.

Check out one of the many army surplus stores as they have a good selection of self heating meals. I am also sure one of my 'gear freak' friends bought a butane powered, platinum glow (like the hair curlers) type kettle but it was only very small capacity. You could try a 240v travel kettle element thing with an inverter off your battery, there are 12v elements alsobut for both of these capacity would be the issue, both battery and hot water.

Cheers.

[Alan]

Unless you are fortunate enough to have a cabin rib with a cooker, the best thing is some decent stainless steel flasks. (The plastic/glass ones invariably break.). Can be bungied/stored moreorless anywhere. The re-invigorating power of a hot wet on a cold and wet day at sea cannot be underestimated!

[Andy Stevens]

I'm going to buy a barge and convert it to the first floating "sail through" McDonalds!

I'll also sell petrol and outboards too.

[Mark Halliday]

Halfords were doing 12v hot/cold boxes at 1/2 price and I think the deal is still on. They do about 4 or 5 sizes.
I can get mine between the console and tube, if the tube is let down a bit before putting the box in place and then blown up again the box will not move. Mind you do not block the vent(s).
If you do not have one, a ciggy socket is easy to fit, and can be used for all sorts of things, except lighting fags! Marine ones do not take the heating element.
Stainless flasks are excelent (mine is full of dents). If you get one with a wide mouth it can be used for keeping bangers and other 'solid' food hot or cold.

[Jono]

...I’m definitely of the “stainless steel flask” persuasion….. preferably someone else’s… and preferably with hot chocolate with a “small slug” of rum in it… strictly for medicinal purposes, you understand? …. and not for the helmsman obviously.. …at this point, those that know me and understand that I maintain a firm grip on the wheel, will notice how easily I pass the helm over to someone else… anybody else, in fact…..

[TQBoater]

We usually take some sarnies, flask of hot water, sachets of cuppa soups hot chocolate and coffee.
Depending on how we feel we then have drinks or hot soup.

We are also known to drop into Torquay harbour and use the BelowDecks cafe as we can watch the boat from the tables.

[jwalker]

Flask for quick drinks. Gas stove, kettle and a couple of gals of water. The, now very common, stoves which take cartridges and are low in profile, (good stability) are excellent. They use an inbuit piezo igniter so no matches necessary, have a large burner so quick and they come in a foldable case for easy storage. I've had mine for about 4 years and it's still fine. It's had a dunking or two, too.
Argos, about £20, and lots of other places.
There's nothing like fresh tea with your fish supper. Mmmm.

Can't be bothered with restaurants and bars. I'm out on me boat, why would I want to sit inside in the smoke?

Take a wee basin, soap and towel with you. A nice wee freshen up after eating and away you go.