Food storage while cruising tips.

Found in the tropics had no issues with carbonated cans if stored upright (tabs up) in their own ventilated locker tightly packed so they didn’t wiggle around. But agree they certainly make a mess if punctured. Grew fond of ginger beer as a mixer. But also excellent for mal de mer.

This is especially a problem with Coca Cola (sorry, no experience with Pepsi etc.) “Coke” contains low levels of phosphoric acid- in an aluminum can, what could go wrong? Gradually permeates the can resulting in leakage-interestingly often results in half full cans that still retain some CO2.
We rarely drink the stuff but keep it for company. Originally, we thought it was the boat vibration chafing the cans, but noticed the same problem on shore after 6 months storage. Interesting factoid: some old time hot rodders use Coca Cola to clean their engine blocks’ coolant passages!

I come from a back packing background & am very familiar with the dried, repackaged methods. But cruising east coast NA is different. You are never more than 1-2 days from a store. After several years of summer and tropical cruising, the only bugs we worry about on board are no see-ums (sand gnats) -early am & dusk. Living in SC, we know corrugated cardboard boxes, can be a vector for cockroaches, so we avoid them. Box board (cereal & cracker boxes etc.) don’t seem to be a vector since they don’t have the corrugated ridges to hide in.
On the loop, your biggest concern will be making enough ice whilst anchored or moored to a lock wall to keep your beverages really cold! Simplify, take what you usually like (& eat) then be prepared for new stuff along the way.

Finally, From one who pan fries bacon most mornings when cruising, Despite previous suggestions, I would suggest you try the “precooked” variety before stocking up. YMMV! Bacon is available universally it seems, we haven’t found a single (even tiny) store in the Bahamas that wasn’t well stocked this year or last.

Flatswing said:

Finally, From one who pan fries bacon most mornings when cruising, Despite previous suggestions, I would suggest you try the “precooked” variety before stocking up. YMMV! Bacon is available universally it seems, we haven’t found a single (even tiny) store in the Bahamas that wasn’t well stocked this year or last.

Click to expand...

If you haven't already discovered a Blackstone griddle, chances are it might be life altering for your bacon habit, especially with a bacon press (Lodge makes a nice one - I place paper towel over the frying bacon, followed by a square of tin foil then press to keep spatter down). Pancakes, eggs, home fries, fried rice, all sorts of stuff a BBQ can't do. And fairly easy to clean

https://www.walmart.com/ip/200845613

Peter

The NovaKool 2 door 12 vt has a freezer that does not keep things 'hard' frozen. IF you are going on a trip for months, buy a separate 12 vt freezer and cover it with a blanket. Put the freezer where it fits, even if it is outside.
The key is to put pre-frozen items into the freezer that has reached the desired temp prior to putting anything in it.

The hardest thing to keep fo a long time is regular old ice cream. The key to creamy yummy ice cream is crystal size. For some reason even in units made for dirt dwellings ice cream fairs poorly on boats. Worst with units designed for boats.
Turns out it isn’t hard to make. One possible exception is chocolate which requires a bunch of steps before freezing. And you get to make non standard flavors like cinnamon, mango, blueberry lavender and such which are quite good. It’s fun project on a rainy day at anchor.
So now make a small batch and eat after dinner once frozen.
Same with bread. Soft goods like that take up a lot of room. Baking bread makes a boat smell wonderful. Ingredients take up a vey small space.

Consider using heat seal system with vacuum to seal storeables.

Better than just baggies.

Eggs: crack into ice cube tray and freeze. Once frozen, pop out and bag.

OMG do you think your maybe a little OCD, I have never done any of those things while living on board and have never had a problem with bugs of any type and we have been living on board with 5 of us for years. Just live like one does on shore with very little exceptions when it comes to provisions is our rule and has worked a treat for us.

Maybe a little, but again it depends on where you are cruising and how often you can get to shore. A different technique is required for a 30-day passage compared to a weekend trip. Also, bugs are an issue in some cruising areas, but not everywhere.

At home, I am at the store most every day, because it's only a mile away and I don't often plan more than a couple days in advance. That wouldn't work for most cruisers.

We’re flipping to silicone baggies. Not only to not be contributing to non degradable waste but also to not having to store used ones on the boat. Turns out they work well and clean up nicely except for oily foods. Then use Tupperware like stuff.

Hippocampus said:

One of the major determinants is access. Doesn’t matter if you’re anchored in a cove for weeks in Washington county Maine or a week from landfall. Same with spares and liquids.

Once you’re in the situation of If you didn’t bring it-you ain’t got it
Your thinking changes.

Click to expand...

That situation wasn't too much of a problem when we were cruising the East Coast. There was always a boat within earshot (live or VHF) and we'd put out a call for what we were in need of and asked if they'd trade. Did that quite a bit and it helped make friends. Ended up on a rainy afternoon with 11 people below partying on fresh bread and rum. (I'd needed a bit more flour and asked boats on the waterway if they had some and when I got it invited them for bread when anchored.)

OldDan1943 said:

The NovaKool 2 door 12 vt has a freezer that does not keep things 'hard' frozen. IF you are going on a trip for months, buy a separate 12 vt freezer and cover it with a blanket. Put the freezer where it fits, even if it is outside.
The key is to put pre-frozen items into the freezer that has reached the desired temp prior to putting anything in it.

Click to expand...

The other option is to get one of the marine fridge/freezers that has separate compressors for the 2 compartments. Then you get separate freezer temperature control and can set it colder without freezing stuff in the fridge.



For that reason, I'm a little sad that Novakool didn't start offering a dual compressor version of their big 9 cubic foot fridge until about a year after I bought the one we have.

Perfect Fit said:

Be careful of soda/carbonated drinks in cans. In the Caribbean they seem to either puncture or split and you end up with a mess.

Click to expand...

We have a large C02 bottle and fittings.
Cap fittings fit the standard softdrink pet bottles
C02 bottle lasts for 12 mths
We only do bubbly water.
Way better and cheaper than Sodastream and no more waste.

rslifkin said:

The other option is to get one of the marine fridge/freezers that has separate compressors for the 2 compartments.

Click to expand...

Best option of all is batteries and inverter and use off the shelf house refrigeration.

Inverters and batteries are way cheaper than they used to be
Refrigeration is dirt cheap land if they ever play up, often cheaper to replace than trying to get a fridge guy down to look at it.

In all our decades of cruising there was always somone heading back in and paying for a marina berth to get a 12v fridge worked on or regassed.

Never heard of anyone doing it yet with a "real" fridge freezer.

Subject: NovaKool 12vt RFU 8000DC
Established an airflow via 2 fans from the compressor area to up out the back high vent. Put an over size air inlet low on the fridge cabinet. Added 1/2 inch foam insulation on three sides. Added stainless lobster. Programed the 'lobster' to shutdown twice a day for 20 mins each time.
Went to the boat yard for it bottom painting and through hull valves.
Emptied the fridge/freezer, left it running.
When I returned to the boat, just a little ice/frost build up.

Conclusion : Humidity is the enemy. Fan inside the main box. Keep the doors closed. Plus, for the freezer, put in pre-frozen food.

Simi 60 said:

Best option of all is batteries and inverter and use off the shelf house refrigeration.

Inverters and batteries are way cheaper than they used to be
Refrigeration is dirt cheap land if they ever play up, often cheaper to replace than trying to get a fridge guy down to look at it.

In all our decades of cruising there was always somone heading back in and paying for a marina berth to get a 12v fridge worked on or regassed.

Never heard of anyone doing it yet with a "real" fridge freezer.

Click to expand...

Depending on the size fridge you need and your mounting location for it (and ability to secure the fridge in place), that's definitely a viable option at this point. On some boats it would take a good bit of work to physically fit one, secure it, and ventilate it appropriately (as many house fridges cool through their outer shell). Most also don't have latching doors, so something may need to be added to hold the doors shut.

I'd certainly consider it for my boat if I'm ever up for fridge shopping again, but finding something the right size and securing it are the biggest concerns. That mounting flange that screws into the enclosure on the marine units solves a lot of problems (we don't all have boats big enough to let a fridge free stand safely without risk of it moving in rough seas).

I agree with all the posts about cooking as much as possible before leaving, then packing and storing as much as you have space for. One thing, though, that I also learned was to keep a list on a paper pad, or on my phone, of where you have stored things. It should have been obvious from the beginning, but wasn't, and I wasted a lot of time before every meal lifting up every cushion, hatch and cover trying to remember where I had put those beans, or whatever. Like playing the old "Concentration" game", and losing every time.
Peter