Galley ideas.....?

[Javelin]

Frankly the galley on our racer/cruiser is not user friendly at sea.
To be fair it never was going to be on this 3/4 tonner but the challenge is to turn her from a Racer/cruiser to a Cruiser/racer.

So any ideas?

Our first issue is having to lean over the cooker to get anything.
There's large flat areas with no fiddle so stuff slides about.
In anything of a heal a cuppa has to be made in the sink.
Nowhere to put stuff to drip/dry after washing.
etc etc.

View attachment 32100View attachment 32101

 

[theoldsalt]

Seems a neat arrangement to me. Similar to my (purely) cruiser.

My only criticism is the low level locker preventing getting feet close to the cooker.

We always use the sink as a temporary storage for items to be used while on passage.

 

[lustyd]

Seems a neat arrangement to me. Similar to my (purely) cruiser.

My only criticism is the low level locker preventing getting feet close to the cooker.

We always use the sink as a temporary storage for items to be used while on passage.

I was thinking exactly this. You even have loops for a harness for port tack!

 

[alahol2]

There's large flat areas with no fiddle so stuff slides about.
In anything of a heal a cuppa has to be made in the sink.
Nowhere to put stuff to drip/dry after washing.
etc etc.

We use something like this on board... http://www.amazon.co.uk/Non-Slip-Kitchen-Home-Tray/dp/B0039F37P8/ref=pd_sim_kh_4
It stops stuff sliding around and we also use it as a draining board when washing up.

 

[Tranona]

Pretty standard layout apart from the lockers in front of the cooker which prevent you from getting closer. Any changes would involve a loss of storage space in return for better access to the lockers behind the cooker. Fiddles are easy to add as would an extra fold up worktop inboard of the sink. Lots of non slip material available to put on flat surfaces when needed.

 

[onesea]

Going through a similar process with a 3/4 tonner. In my usual minalmist view I am not going to change much...

Although our cooker is Fwd then sink then drying area with cool box underneath...

We do not have the slidey cupboard behind and have more space behind the cooker. We use that are to store pans and things we will not need when cooking...

Lots of none stick matting like below, I prefer this as if you drop any thing it fall's in to the mat and is trapped the mats can easily be washed in fresh water washing machine (Do not tumble dry, if you do it looses none stick and needs washing again!)

http://www.surbitonart.co.uk/acatalog/Sugarcraft_Catalogue_Non_Stick_boards_and_Rolling_Pins_265.html (at the bottom).

Only thing I want to do is put a drain on the cool box so I can fill it with ice to keep it cool and let it drain through the sink...

We are tempted by one if these but it will not quite fit (it might for you behind sink).

https://www.google.co.uk/shopping/product/10128627836523838235?bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.47008514,d.bmk&biw=1268&bih=783&um=1&hl=en&q=Joseph%20Joseph%20Arena%20Dish%20Drainer&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&ei=WMeeUauSEIKHrAfen4HgDQ&ved=0CGMQ8wIwAg

 

[john_morris_uk]

Our galley arrangement is the classic blue water 'U' shaped galley with deep sinks and fiddles everywhere.

We still make hot drinks in one of the the sinks when on passage! I thought that was standard practice....

Fiddles are easy to add. Just make them big enough to be worthwhile. Leave gaps in the corners so that you can wipe crumbs and debris out. You could add clip on/fold up work surfaces out board from the areas?

Does the cooker gimbal properly? You can add another set of pivots further inboard to give it more swinging room if it needs it or put the pivots on lockable slides so that you can have the thing slid inboard for more swinging room or outboard for use in harbour?

If you can't stand up in the galley and are always bent over I would be tempted to add a removable but robust stool/seat arrangement to sit on and wedge yourself in while working at the stove etc.

 

[John the kiwi]

If you can't stand up in the galley and are always bent over I would be tempted to add a removable but robust stool/seat arrangement to sit on and wedge yourself in while working at the stove etc.

Not wishing to hijack thread,(no really) but i have a galley at the fwd end of the saloon where i cant quite stand up. This is so aggravating to use that i had considered a major rearrangement to place galley just inside where i can stand up under main hatch. But then i did think that a simple kitchen stool might be all that is needed. Does anyone do this for the same reasons and does it work for you?
Thanks

 

[vyv_cox]

Discussed this with the head chef, who agrees with most of the other views. This arrangement doesn't look too bad to us, not quite as much working surface as there is on our U-shaped galley but looks like more than there is in our motorhome. Drawers are great, we do not have them and wish we did. For draining washed items we recently bought a microfibre drying mat by Home Connection. Very successful and we will be buying more of them. One modification I have made is a shelf that swings out for temporary use for draining dishes, although not at sea. You could perhaps fit one on the forward locker. The other difference we have is that instead of a ladder to the companionway we have a large step/engine cover that can be used to stack utensils on at times.

 

[No Regrets]

I have just purchased an in-sink drainer from ebay! (Round sink) and it's either going to fit on top, or down inside, not sure yet, but no problem either way. Might be worth considering...

 

[Spirit of Glenans]

Looks like quite an adequate galley to me. It seems to have about the same surface and storage area as I have in my Dufour 30 Classic. You could possibly kneel on those underfoot lockers while cooking at sea if you put down a piece of carpet or suitable cushion. You could lay a tea-towel on the table and put the washed items temporarily on that, then dry just dry and stow them. As for making tea in the sink under way, I've never seen it done any other way.

 

[ianat182]

Perhaps one answer night be to construct a sinktop cover of polycarbonate or formica faced ply to give the extra working surfaces you require; using polycarbonate would allow you to see what was stowed in the sink during a passage.
Access to lockers above the stove obviously not desirable with kettles and heat so a change of location for those items, and salt, packets of flour etc that would not be needed, replacing the former items would get around this aspect.
Fiddles fitted to the new sink cover together with the non-slip material would help the at sea brewing, if not in the sink.
Your arrangements look better than mine, at least you have the space for an oven too it seems; me 2 burner and grill only so fairly limited catering aboard.

ianat182

 

[Talulah]

Seems a neat arrangement to me. Similar to my (purely) cruiser.

My only criticism is the low level locker preventing getting feet close to the cooker.

We always use the sink as a temporary storage for items to be used while on passage.

Agree about the foot level lockers. They would have to go. That arrangement would give me back trouble.
Other than that it looks pretty good. Much better than a lot of boats I've been on.
The sliding door fronts behind the cooker are better than swinging doors.
I have seen a number of boats with scorched doors where the lower front corner is held in a flame whilst the crew reach for the coffee behind.

 

[Lodesman77]

Doesn't look too bad to me either.

I would say the most useful thing I have added to the galley is an aluminium tray for the top of the stove. It is exactly half the size of the stove top, and the sides are about two inches high. This sits on the left hand side and I put the mugs there, then the kettle goes on the right and when it boils I barely have to lift the kettle to fill the mugs, it catches any spills and is of course fully gimballed. Of course if you are left handed I would suggest putting it on the other side...

I made it from a flat sheet of aluminium in about 15mins, it fits exactly into the rails so it doesn't move about and if I ever lost it I would make another one straight away. The gimbal effect is far more effective than non-slip stuff at an angle; you could also try using a cutting board that fits - it would still be better than a sloping surface.

.

 

[Scarboroughsloop]

Doesn't look too bad to me either.

I would say the most useful thing I have added to the galley is an aluminium tray for the top of the stove. It is exactly half the size of the stove top, and the sides are about two inches high. This sits on the left hand side and I put the mugs there, then the kettle goes on the right and when it boils I barely have to lift the kettle to fill the mugs, it catches any spills and is of course fully gimballed. Of course if you are left handed I would suggest putting it on the other side...

I made it from a flat sheet of aluminium in about 15mins, it fits exactly into the rails so it doesn't move about and if I ever lost it I would make another one straight away. The gimbal effect is far more effective than non-slip stuff at an angle; you could also try using a cutting board that fits - it would still be better than a sloping surface.

.

I like that idea - consider it nicked

 

[johnphilip]

help for galley slave (normally me when sailing)

Frankly the galley on our racer/cruiser is not user friendly at sea.
To be fair it never was going to be on this 3/4 tonner but the challenge is to turn her from a Racer/cruiser to a Cruiser/racer.

So any ideas?

Our first issue is having to lean over the cooker to get anything.
There's large flat areas with no fiddle so stuff slides about.
In anything of a heal a cuppa has to be made in the sink.
Nowhere to put stuff to drip/dry after washing.
etc etc.

We also find the non slip mat really useful, but two other ideas which help
1) A draining rack which goes on table or chart table when parked. http://www.force4.co.uk/604/Force-4-Foldaway-Draining-Rack.html
2) A bread board which fits over the sink with 4 small rubber feet placed to fit within the sink perimeter and prevent it slipping about. Surprising how much easier this is to make sarnies on there rather than the worktop, and easier to get rid of crumbs as well. Admittedly we have the "sink and a half" arrangement.

 

[johnalison]

I agree with those that think it looks neat, and those who also think that leaning across the lockers is unsatisfactory, though you might be loth to lose the storage.

As well as a cover for the sink, it looks as if there may be room for a small folding shelf over the settee berth. this could fold down when not in use and be supported with a stay. We have something like this with a stay that clicks in and out of position, and is useful for stuff waiting to be washed, or one of those plastic draining racks that fold up.

I see you have an extinguisher nearby - do you also have a fire-blanket?

 

[Kukri]

Three thoughts:

I store the crockery in a domestic sink type plastic coated wire draining rack, rigidly held but removeable, with a stainless draining board under it. Plates can't fly out, nothing rattles and it is easy to clean everything - much nicer than those cute plate shaped lockers, which get disgusting over time, and you can put wet plates in it and leave them to drain, because tea towels get very nasty very fast on a long passage.

Not an original idea; nicked from HW Tilman.

Use a domestic sink and stainless drainer with the inch and a half waste going to the below deck bilge pump via a diverter valve. My own idea.

The easy way to make hot drinks is to have a stainless steel vaccum flask with a dispenser (what the Chinese call an "air pot") secured on the bulkhead; fill it with boiling water twice a day and shove the mug under the tap; much better than faffing about with a kettle and a mug in the sink.

Not an original idea; nicked from an American-Chinese professor of physics.

 

[Javelin]

Hey thanks guys some great ideas there.
The drainer from onesea looks great for behind the sink if I can find a colour that doesn't want to make me feel ill.
The dispensing flask idea sounds cool and needs some more thinking about.
The ally cooker tray is a must, really like that one. (yes it is on a very effective damped gimble)
Bread board on little rubber feet makes sense and will be done.

The lower lockers do stick out a bit but have to stay as the outer face is structural, 1 1/2" ply running fore and aft.
The fire blanket is on the right set back behind the sink, bad cropping of the photo, sorry.

Good point about the companionway steps.
Lots of wasted space there over the engine box.
The sill is very high also which makes entry tight for those of us with dodgy knees, so that could be reduced by 4".

Hmm lots to do, many thanks all....

 

[pampas]

http://www.surbitonart.co.uk/acatalo..._Pins_265.html
Can anhybody kindly tell me what the ball ended bits are used for? about 3/4 down on this site?

driving me mad to think of a use onboard!!!