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Who pays for the food and beer?

15K views 88 replies 48 participants last post by  sanssouci 
#1 ·
I've always provided beer, snacks, and sandwiches for my Tuesday night can racing crew. My wife just realized this and says I'm too generous. I say its what every skipper does for his race crew.

Who's right?
 
#4 ·
I think it really depends on the skill level of your crew. I would love to crew on some races, but since I have no racing experience, I would bring beer/snacks enough for myself and some extra. But if I were an experienced racer, and was grinding the winches and what not it seems only fair that you provide the snacks and refreshments.

I never won a "who's right," but not stopping may explain my singledom! I sometimes have a hard time learning. But on the positive side I drink mostly quality local brew.

So if your wining races due to an experienced crew it is really quite cheap labor if all you pay is beer and chips!
 
#6 ·
Varies a lot from boat to boat and region to region. I grew up with all food and drink provided by the boat. More recently I've seen a shift to boat buying the drinks and crew bring their own food. It really does depend.

If you are feeding crew you should be getting good crew who are loyal and show up regularly. Help cleaning the boat, hauling sails from storage, Spring prep and Fall lay-up are all reasonable to expect. It's a relationship.

You can save a bit if your wife makes the sandwiches at home. *grin*
 
#7 ·
It's not a matter of who is right, it is a matter of peace in the household. Now, you can fold, and alienate a whole crew to satisfy one wife, and start sliding down the slippery slope of the henpeck highway, or you can create peace through Mutually Assured Destruction:
Tell her you just realized how many pairs of shoes she has in her closet, and offer to stop buying sustenance for the crew if she will stop buying shoes.

Then run.
 
#77 ·
Sorry...I'm late to this thread so I just read this from awhile back...

It's not a matter of who is right, it is a matter of peace in the household. Now, you can fold, and alienate a whole crew to satisfy one wife, and start sliding down the slippery slope of the henpeck highway, or you can create peace through Mutually Assured Destruction:
Tell her you just realized how many pairs of shoes she has in her closet, and offer to stop buying sustenance for the crew if she will stop buying shoes.

Who's this bljones guy? He's a genius!
 
#10 ·
treilley:900658 said:
Around here captain supplies the boat. Crew provide the beer. What is food?
I agree. For long haul races Capt. supplies basic food groups and TP. Day race-beer race it's the crews' responsibility for beer and snacks. Any extras provided by crew approved by captain.
It's not like the crew's paying for any rent or upkeep on your boat. You might end up with a few new crew members willing to pitch in to the greater good.
 
#11 ·
I've crewed offshore races on boats that do it both ways. It's really up to the skipper - and it typically comes down to whether the crew is worth keeping or not.

Personally, I really like the skipper who provides food on the distance races. I'll work my butt off to stay on that boat.
 
#12 ·
rama, if you're racing in LIS, good crew are hard to find and reliable crew much harder to find. Having a rep as a "too generous" captain is just going to help you get and keep better crew, which should translate into better racing.

What's the "right" amount for a birthday present?

And should you break out the good scotch for a bbq or dinner party?

I'd never expect the captain to be the caterer, but I have to admit it is nice when that happens.

Too generous is a relative thing, if making the wife happy creates a problem on the boat...well...You pays your money, you takes your chances.
 
#13 ·
I just started racing this season and my experience is limited to two boats..On 1 boat, the owner/skipper bought beer and food for crew...The crew which I have landed a position, the owner buys the first round of beer, then crew picks up the rest of the rounds.. Everyone is on their own for food..
 
#14 ·
I am curious what kind of crew you get when they have to bring all their own food and beer, etc. Its hard to get someone that knows what the heck they are doing and is willing to consistently take the time to race with you. We have designated places on the boat that we perfect and each person runs. That makes them really good at it. Missing a person can really create a big hole not easily filled.

I am no expert on racing. I do it, enjoy it (especially distance races), but it requires a bit of committment. If the capt doesn't even care enough to supply beer and food (however meager... part of the reason I help stock is I can only eat so damn many sandwhiches after a day or two at sea), I wonder where he is placing in the race???

If you take your racing seriously, take your crew seriously. If its just a beer fest and you couldn't care less, well, tell them its a joy sail and to bring their own booze. I am not saying we race quite that serious, we have fun, but Jaysus H... I mean, all the beers for when you get there anyways. If you are drinkin underway, you ain't racing (right). How damn much beer can 5-6 guys drink after the last buoy? Well, nevermind that last comment. The basic point remains though (snicker).

Brian
 
#15 ·
Cruisingdad:900722 said:
I am curious what kind of crew you get when they have to bring all their own food and beer, etc. Its hard to get someone that knows what the heck they are doing and is willing to consistently take the time to race with you. We have designated places on the boat that we perfect and each person runs. That makes them really good at it. Missing a person can really create a big hole not easily filled.

I am no expert on racing. I do it, enjoy it (especially distance races), but it requires a bit of committment. If the capt doesn't even care enough to supply beer and food (however meager... part of the reason I help stock is I can only eat so damn many sandwhiches after a day or two at sea), I wonder where he is placing in the race???

If you take your racing seriously, take your crew seriously. If its just a beer fest and you couldn't care less, well, tell them its a joy sail and to bring their own booze. I am not saying we race quite that serious, we have fun, but Jaysus H... I mean, all the beers for when you get there anyways. If you are drinkin underway, you ain't racing (right). How damn much beer can 5-6 guys drink after the last buoy? Well, nevermind that last comment. The basic point remains though (snicker).

Brian
Moderator or (snicker) otherwise; you end up with a crew dedicated to the boat, not to the beer and feed bag. It's a small part of the issue. If you're suggesting that the best sailors do it for the beer, you're way off the mark. They do it for the skipper, however way he-she manages. I'm appalled that a moderator would even suggest such idiocy.
 
#16 ·
I don't race my boat lot and only in one or two distance races a year. Usually I've asked the crew to bring a few things and give a list so I don't end up with provisions for a month at sea. I provided all the food and most of the beverages and my wife does duty as sea cook. I've also sprung for shoreside accomodations for the crew to get a nights sleep before heading home.

That was in the past. This year, my financial position has significnatly eroded and is certain to get worse for the foreseeable future. In the next 20 minutes I'll be sending a message to my crew for the biggest race I'll do this year, that I simply cannot do as much as I did last year. We'll see if I'm posting for new crew tomorrow.
 
#17 ·
Wednesday nights:

I've been providing beer, ice, soda and chips. After a while, some of my crew decided on their own, that it would be fair to contribute, so they do.

Distance races and practice days:

I provide a 2-foot sub (or two), and ice. The crew brings whatever drinks and snacks they feel like having. If it's an overnight race, I'll also provide breakfast.
When the weather was cooler, I whipped up omelettes, bacon, coffee and toast.
Now that the weather is hotter than six hells, it's been hard boiled eggs and iced coffee.

With one exception (whom I fired), my crew has been very appreciative of my generosity, and has started kicking in more for food and beverages as they began to realize that not only was I feeding and equipping them, but that I was also pouring money into my boat to improve it for them.

I won't let 'em pay for any boat material though. That's my domain and I won't let anyone have a financial stake in the boat itself.
 
#31 ·
I think that reflects the relationship you have with your crew. Together you've come up with something that works. Great.

I raced on one particular boat for several years that had a similar kind of evolutionary relationship. The owners realized that they weren't feeding and watering the crew as much as in previous years, the crew was showing up for boat work days, and something else was appropriate to thank the crew. At the end of the season we got nice little (inexpensive) pewter cups with the name of the boat and our big wins. It was great, and the next work day on the boat had a huge turn-out.

In my mind it isn't quid pro quo, it is a relationship.

I certainly don't take it personally if a skipper doesn't supply all of my food and drink, although I do show my appreciation if he does! To me it is not about getting free beer, it is about whether I enjoy racing on that boat with that team.
Relationship.

On a related note, y'all keep talking about chips. Really? The grease and oil on fingers isn't a problem for you? No issue with slips and stains?
 
#18 ·
Whenever I sailed as crew, and later when I actively raced my own boat, the practice was:

On beer-can and single day races the skippper provided the beer, soda and snacks (never-the-less, most of the crew seemed to bring along a 6-pack of their own and at the end of the season we had to unload a sizable amount of "moveable ballast" in the form of unused 6-packs). Following the races the skipper usually paid for dinner, although in those daze that was usually $1 a piece hot-dogs or hamburgers; and,

One long distance races, the skipper usually provided sodas, water and snacks and at least one good meal a day, usually dinner, plus dinner and drinks for all the night before the start (to moderate that number of pre-race drinks) and dinner and drinks once the race was done. Each crew normally contributed their proportionate share of meals for the race itself, or their proportionate share of the costs of provisioning, plus, again, the amount of beer or wine each person thought they might consume--plus enough for one other crew--keeping in mind that ours were "dry" boats--i.e., for safety sake, when off soundings, we limited ourselves to one beer or glass of wine with snacks before dinner (sun downers) and a second, only, with dinner itself.

The big deal wasn't beer or wine, or even food, but "treats". Cookies and snack-cakes/pies and like and one-bite candies (Snicker's mini's etc.). Four daze into a race and short on "treats" some guys would trade a watch for a couple of Snickers mini's (if the watch commander would permit it). We always carried a hidden stash of Snickers, Hershey's Kisses, and the like and usually a chocolate cake and a bottle of bubbly for the night before a finish. Even if we didn't win, show or place, we were pleased with the effort.

FWIW...
 
#19 ·
We casually buoy race. I provide drinks (including good beer) and light supper. It doesn't cost much, and I am happy to host. Sometimes the extra beer goes to Blt2ski's crew. They seem to go through it a bit faster than we do..
 
#83 ·
From Page one.............

I will swag us beggars can not be choosers eh!:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

now if this here boat owner would put himself back in his correct slip, ie across from us.....vs before us.......altho we did pickup a 6 pack or two from in front of slip E8 or there abouts the other day.....hope that skipper was not to unhappy to be missing said 6 pack or two!:D:D:D

Marty
 
#22 ·
Hey,

On the boat I crew on, for Thursday night beer can racing, the owner provides a few subway sandwiches, soda, a few beers, and some chips and cookies.

The crew does a lot of work getting the ready to race and then putting it away. The owner has a nice boat with good equipment. We try to keep it nice and to sail fast.

Barry
 
#23 ·
For buoy racing the vast majority of boats I have raced on the crew brings their own lunches, and most bring some beer, or whatever else they want to drink. most skippers have water, gatorade, chips and some beer on board. I actually prefer to bring my own beer so I don't end up having to drink Bud Lime or some similar swill:puke

I certainly don't take it personally if a skipper doesn't supply all of my food and drink, although I do show my appreciation if he does! To me it is not about getting free beer, it is about whether I enjoy racing on that boat with that team.
 
#28 ·
"Racing boats" whose crews get drunk during a race are party barges. That's not racing - that's stupidity. The boats I've raced on were not "dry" but had a 1-drink/day max. Even so, none of us had a drop of booze. We have a job to do.

After the finish in South Padre Island, however, I somehow ended up in Wisconsin the next morning.
 
#29 ·
As #2 boat in an overnight series, our clever skipper bought two rounds for the #1 boat when they pulled up a table next to ours. Figuring, if he could get them hungover...(G)...all's fair in love and war, right?

But all this discussion would be remiss if not to mention, there are still many YCs that sponsor weeknight racing, where the YC puts out a buffett and cash bar after the races. Skipper has the YC membership, often buys the first round, but the whole crew can join the buffett.
 
#30 ·
I'm not a serious racer. We do our local club's Wednesday night series and the occasional day-long or two-day-long race. We also take crew for 2-5 day cruises. I pick up all expenses that I would otherwise pick up if no crew came along - fuel, dockage, entrance fees, etc. I provide ice, some beer, and access to the ship's stores, including booze. Sometimes I'll bring a bucket of chicken or cheese for a Wednesday night race. For "big" events, like the Governors' Cup, I'll also provide shirts and hats with the boat's logo. When we provision, I'll either assign crew responsibility for a certain meal ("Kathy, you make lunch on Saturday. Brian, you have breakfast on Sunday," etc.) and I assign myself a meal as well; or we'll split the provisioning costs and have one designated cook. Our crew nearly always bring beer or a bottle and often bring things to eat, even onr non-provisioned day sails and evening races. Currently, we've got about 9 bottles of assorted spirits aboard since even we can't keep up with the donations to the liquor locker.

What kind of crew do we get? Certainly not professional-grade crew, but we don't have a problem filling the manifest.
 
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