Victualling - a logistical challenge in every sense

A famous quote by Napoleon Bonaparte is that an army marches on its stomach. This is even more true for a crew of a racing boat, and the person responsible for feeding the crew is a victualler. But feeding them involves much more than just providing sustenance and fuel.

We are usually divided into two watches (crew teams) of ten or eleven each who then take turns to sleep and eat, or go on deck to sail.  On our level 2 training course we were on a 68 footer, which had no table to eat from and we just grabbed sauces or condiments from the raised foot area. A table is actually not practical when the boat is moving very fast at an angle and on a bouncy sea.

On our level one training we were on a 60 footer with a smaller crew. We at least had a table. I was 'reprimanded' by the skipper after the course that I put too much care into my management of the food and the kitchen. He said that I will be disappointed on the race if I make so much effort because the crew will just grab and run to go on deck or to head for their bunks. It is not practical nor smart to try and please people. Victualling is about being hard nosed and merely providing fuel. No niceties really - just dish up in a dog bowl and they eat what they get!

Just to recap: we are doing eight legs on this race around the world, with 22 to 24 crew on each leg. There are 12 identical 70 foot yachts racing against each other. Each of the legs require that we plan, buy, pack, store and cook for the crew. Last week I was on a one day course to help prepare us for the job. I am on the victualling team - it is definitely not a job for just one person. 

To give you an idea of the stats: On the Pacific Ocean leg, which is 30 days more or less, for 18 crew x 3 meals per day = 1620 servings
Total race meals = 250 days x average of 18 crew x 3 meals = 13,500 servings
Cereal for 250 days x 18 crew at 2kg per day = 500kg
Toilet rolls for 250 days x 3 per day = 750 toilet rolls
Biscuits 250 days x 2 packets = 500 packets
Bread mix 9kg flour per 7 days = 325kg

How to pack all of this, where to store it on every leg in the boat, how to cook when the boat is at an angle and jumping around on the waves in a storm, how to keep the areas clean and germ free, how to prevent food from being wasted while making sure there is enough…. all logistical issues we are having to deal with and manage.

We are trying to simplify this process by working on a seven day menu with really simple dishes that we repeat. We have freshly baked bread each day and some surprise menus as a backup, and to make things less boring. But it will be a case of: "Ok, tinned bolognese sauce on spaghetti - must be Tuesday lunch time!"

We do have some snacks planned - each day will have fruit, biscuits and chocolates included in the food bags. When a crew member has a birthday there is usually a cake - if the weather allows us to bake. The highlights in terms of food, according to previous round the worlders, are the care packages that family or friends send to stopovers or bring onto the boat before the crews leave on a race leg - hint, hint! ;-)

Overall though, food will be fuel - merely that!