Cooking on Board Part II

Cooking on Board Part II - by Mary Maskal, The Yachting Gourmet

Whether you are outfitting a brand new galley or just updating an existing, there are a few considerations you will want to keep in mind. As we discussed in the previous article, outfitting your galley can be a fun challenge if you approach it the right way. This article will take you through a few of the things you want to think about and then we will begin to outfit an actual galley on a Hunter 29.5.

Cooking on board can be different than cooking in your home kitchen. The first step in analyzing your galley and what you need is to think about how you will be cooking on board. Here are some questions to get you started. Consider each and make some notes on your answers.

1. Will you be doing most of your food preparation on casual boating trips such as a weekend or a few days or are you doing extended cruising?

2. What types of things do you enjoy eating most and do you think you will be, or have you been preparing on board?

3. What equipment does your galley have for cooking? Do you have an oven, microwave, cook top, stern rail grill, and good refrigeration?

4. How many people will you typically have on board? What is the maximum number you expect to have on an occasional basis?

5. If you have been using your galley, take an inventory of the items you have on board currently and whether or not you use them on a regular basis.

6. What would you most like to change about your galley and they way you use it?

Once you have answered these questions, you will have a good start on outfitting your galley to best suit your needs. And, you are ready to begin a process of revamping or outfitting your galley to best suit your particular needs, likes and desires. Our galley outfitting service can help you make selections on new items to add and to determine what you have on board that will continue to serve you. Just call us with your answers and we will take it from there.

Now, let’s take a look at an existing galley that I have just recently redone on a Hunter 29.5. This particular vessel is owned and operated by an ASA sailing school, SmarterSail, operating out of Florida and Annapolis, MD. The galley has a two-burner cook top, a refrigerator, and a microwave oven. There is also a stern rail grill on board.

My first visit to the galley finds it chock full of items. Every space is full of stuff. So, my task is to determine what the best complement of items is for this particular Hunter. This boat is used both for ASA classes and is available for charter, making the use of the galley diverse. When it is under sail for a class, there is a need for quick snacks, lunches, etc. When it is chartered, it is used more for meal preparation Both while underway and at anchor.

As is so often the case, I found that most of the items on board are not really galley friendly, consisting of kitchen cast-offs, non-boater-friendly materials, and disposable items. And there is very little organization, with items stowed haphazardly. So, we begin our process of transforming this galley into one that will serve the people on board.

In our next article, see how I go about the process of reviewing the items on board and setting up the galley in a logical and efficient way that will serve all who spend time on board.

For More information please contact Mary Maskal, The Yachting Gourmet, 727 360-COOK (2665) www.yachtinggourmetstore.com
371 Corey Ave.
St. Pete Beach, FL 33706

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