Provisioning for an Atlantic Crossing?

[ds797]

I am planning an Atlantic crossing on a 40ft Sailing boat. Will be going as part of the ARC.

I know NOTHING about how to provision with food for this length of trip!

Please can anyone help me with plans or advice? Have you done this trip?

Thanks so much.

 

[john_morris_uk]

There are several ways to do this.

One way is,

Ask how long is it going to take you in your boat. (The answer usually lies between 16 days and 30 days or so.)

Allow some slack in case of emergencies.

Plan a weeks meals and then multiply by the time above is one way.

Allow plenty of snacks and some basic ingredients for when you get bored and want to cook something from a cook book etc.

Another way is to try living on our boat for a week without resupply. Note what you took an what you missed! Multiply up appropriately.

Final top tip. Make bread! Every day!

 

[ChrisE]

I'd second what John has said and add that when we did it we worked out how much food and drink we would need per day assumed a passage length which for us was based on 120 miles a day and then doubled it for contingencies.

A couple of things worth noting, make sure you know how big your water tanks is when you fill up. Ours was half the stated size! When doling out water, unless you have a watermaker, do it via a jug so that you know exactly how much has gone out and record it.

Take loads of bottled water for the reason above plus as a contingency if the water you have in your tank goes off en route (there are some fairly dodgy supplies around).

Lastly, I'm sure that you have heard about taking a load of unripened bananas and then letting them ripen en route. Well truoble is that you end up with loads of ripe bananas to be eaten witihn a day or so!

Best of luck and enjoy your trip.

 

[john_morris_uk]

A few more top tips. Use nets for your fruit and veg and be assiduous in sorting them and using the ones that are going off/about to go off first.

Onions keep ages

Potatoes are ok if you make sure you don't have a bad one that goes to mush and makes the others go off. Keep them dry and in the dark.

I have kept eggs for weeks in the tropics without too many problems.

Some run a dry ship, but we always have a general crew meeting at 1800 with sundowners before the main meal of the day. One beer doesn't do to much harm to the navigation and safety.

 

[ChrisE]

Cockroach-free zone

And another, no cardboard packaging material. Mrs_E was over-assiduous about this, to my skeptical eye. However, I was converted when, as we stowed the last provisions and broke up the box on the pontoon, out popped a couple of cockroaches, yuk.

Oh, and we were a one beer at lunch, two at sundown, ship, still are as it happens!

 

[Guest]

We found that the first week was structured meals but after that the appetite diminished. Some days it was just breakfast, soup for lunch and cheese and crackers later. Unless it is rough then you really do not have much exercise. Reducing sail just before dark is looked forward to for an excuse to be active!

It all has a lot to do with the weather. The middle bit of the Atlantic was flat calm for us.

Also depends on the people, one of our group of yachts had meat potato and 2 veg all the way across with full roasts on Sundays, but they had done that for many years and it was just normal. Others had bread every day. We preferred a shower everyday. It depends on the crew.

It also depends on the boat, some have the ability to carry huge amounts of tinned weight. Others have huge fridge and freezers. Some boats do not have any storage capacity at all, when fully crewed. Some do not have the ability to run a freezer if the engine fails. We know a boat that had to dump the whole contents of the freezer over the side after the first week. So find out what redundancy and failures of the boat can affect you. What would happen if the gas failed; do you have other ways to heat water? What would happen to the type of cooking if the water maker failed/ tank split.

Can I assume that you will be sailing down to the Canaries with the full crew compliment. If so then that is your main proving ground. All the food issues will be sorted before the crossing. Then restock in Canaries. However, any long life tinned or bread supplies should be purchased before the canaries. 1000 boats all going for the same types of food. As for our contingencies they are always a different type of meal to our planned meals. Not altogether the most healthy, but normally with life dates into the following year. There is a sliced roast beef with gravy in a tin that was easy to store and lasted for the next crossing as well. Most of these can only be found in UK stores. If crew is meeting you at the ARC start then see if you can get them to put their clothes etc on the boat before and leave their bags free for spares and food.

Some of us also like milk. Its a lot of weight and volume. We do not use dried milk due to water worries and preference. The mineral content helps when using low mineral water sources.

As for fresh there are ways to store lots of vegetables but we have a ban on bell peppers. If they go off the smell is horrid and you can not seem to get rid of it.

In a nut shell it is a joint decision between the capability of the boat and the crew expectations!

 

[Laurin]

When I did it on a 46' boat we worked out how many days and added 50% contingency (but this would not go to waste as the boat had a freezer and was continuing on after the passage). We had a very hungry crew of 6 so worked on 1 box of cereal per day, I think 2litres of milk, and 2 loaves bread etc etc. For lunches we always had salad and sandwiches etc. more fresh stuff at first, followed by perhaps tuna and sweetcorn rice salad later on in the passage. The best bit was the dinners, if we were provisioning for 20 days we just bought 20 lots of meat/fish, 20 lots of carbohydrate (even split of rice, pasta, potatos). As much fresh stuff as we thought would last, and the rest tinned fruit and veg. We also got some random packet mixes of sauce etc. Our watch system meant you were on a mother watch every 3rd day so it was great so you'd root through the veg/fruit box to see which were deteriorating quickest and had to be eaten, then invented the rest of the meal around that. By the way Delia Smiths Banana and walnut loaf is completely idiot proof. We made it with correct ingredients, no nuts, sometimes apples instead of some of the bananas, with mars bar in it etc etc and it always turned out well. Most read book on the boat was Delia Smiths complete cookery course!!!

 

[hisw]

The other thing to remember is to carry enough gas. I know several people who have run out on trips and had to survive on cold baked beans for a couple of weeks!

Squashes are also great. They will keep for months/years. You can fry, steam, boil or roast them or when you get to the other side, throw them at passing gulls.

 

[johnkebab]

We used stowage below the waterline to keep stuff quite cool, but not fridge standard, as we had no other means of generating electricity other than the motor. Lots and lots of tinned food, eggs came on board in the polystyrene egg containers NOT the cardboard type, for the cockroach reason stated above, and all fruit and veg was washed religiously before it was allowed on the boat.

Most fresh veg keeps OK for the 2-3 week crossing, one person I know also took a leg of ham across with them, and that lasted OK too.

Also take a supply of sweeties and things for the box for the night watch, keeps morale up quite well!

We had an allowance of 1 beer a day, but it wasn't taken up that often (I went cold turkey for 7 days in the hope they would accumulate - wrong!) But also did a trip where booze was how you wanted, gets out of control quite easily when there is nothing to do......

Other thing not food related is books, and lots of them, want to learn a language, nows the time, at one point I averaged a book a day, there really is that much time (depending on size of book of course!)

 

[snowleopard]

Stories you may have heard about being unable to get provisions in the Canaries are way out of date. You'll find it easier there than in many UK harbours. The following places are excellent and will deliver to the pontoon-

Hyperdino supermarket, 1/4 mile from the marina, is huge and has most things (be sure to try the green-skinned oranges!). The local sliced bread is called Bimbo. It lasts for ever.

For fresh meat, if you have a freezer, go to El Corte Ingles (department store in town) where they will vacuum pack it. If you don't speak Spanish, get a translation of the labels. Tucking into your celebratory steak and finding you're eating stewing steak is upsetting.

The indoor veg market in town is excellent - pick a good stallholder and get him to deliver it all to you.

Most Canarians drink bottled water. They buy it in 5 litre containers which are delivered in crates. Pack in all you can.

Arrange netting hammocks for storing fruit & veg. Pick over every day and use anything going soft or it will contaminate the rest.

There is usually a good talk on provisioning organised for the ARC.

Things we had to have brought out from home were english tea bags and bread mixes. Tinned ready meals are hard to find. We tried the meatballs and lentil stew with meat which were both tolerable. Tinned curries, chili, baked beans are unobtainable.

It's worth noting that if you need prescription medecines they can be bought over the counter there and many cost less than the UK prescription charge (though some are much more expensive. Stugeron is available locally but in doses of 75mg (UK dose is 15mg)

Any gas bottles can be filled locally. It is arranged through the Don Pedro at the fuel dock. It was the first place we found who would do that as we headed south.

Be sure to make a plan of what is stowed in which locker. There are few things as frustrating as turning out lockers for something you can't find! I wrote a little Access database to list everything by location or type and generate lists for shopping. We ticked things off as we used them to save hunting through lockers to decide what to cook.

 

[johnkebab]

Ah, forgot, don't take fruit and veg thats been refrigerated, unless you're going to keep it in a fridge, it goes off quicker.

 

[michael_w]

No need to go throught that bread baking malarky unless you really want to.

Buy "BIMBO" loaves, they keep for at least three weeks. Only drawback is the taste is reminicent of polysytene ceiling tiles. That and ryvita saw us through.

 

[Stemar]

Pumpernickel bread keeps for ages, but it's an acquired taste.

Also, a few self-heating expedition meals. There may be times when it's just too bumpy to risk using the stove, and a warm meal is likely to be very welcome then. They aren't cheap, but keep for ages.

 

[JackIron]

Simply answer is take enough - I know that sounds facetious - but by the time you get to the Canaries (assuming you are getting the boat there yourself) you'll know what you'll need. It one of those cruising things - most of your concerns become obvious once you've slipped the lines and are on your way. I remeber worrying about all the entry requirements - its all obvious once your doing it.
My recommendations would be :
1. Dont do the ARC (it generates unecessary concerns like this one) but lets not get into that here !
2. Grapefruit last for ever - we were still munching through ours once we got to the Caribbean.
3. On your next big crossing don't take loads of what you liked on your last crossing - it changes !!!
4. Stock up before the Canaries - drop the hook off Graciosa - top up at the local store by the quay, and leave from there.
5.Relax!

 

[Swagman]

I guess you've thought to ask the crew what they like first and foremost? I've seen many stock up without bothering, only to get a grumpy crew who disliked the planned menus.

Once you've concensus on items, I'd second the simplicity of a weeks menu of lunch and dinner and simply repeating it several times over the passage.

We always stock large amounts of pasta as with simple sauces they can provide a tasty filling alternative and it can both be prepared in a blow.

Equally agree with others that tea bags and sweeties are an oft understocked item. Staggering the volume one goes through with a thirsty / snackish crew but you'd also be suprised how many cups you can get from one bag.....doubling / trebling up from day one sounds anal but will reduce storage volume.

And whilst not proposing everyone gets too happy every day - if I ever tried to limit grog to only one can a day - I'd think I'd find myself swimming!

A beer with lunch, a G&T at happy hour, a glass or two of wine with evening meal - for me that's part of long distance racing or cruising and does provide highspots to look forward to!

Enjoy!

JOHN

 

[Vid]

Try shopping at a Chinese food wholesale supermarket as they have lots of interesting things in tins that are not stocked by the high-street stores. Many also have Thai and other oriental foods there too. Some of it is a little specialised and if you're unfamiliar with it then buy some and try it before ordering mass volume. I've had great success with those little things that look like coloured plastic offcuts but turn out to be excellent prawn crackers when fried in a little oil.

Also, you might be able to persuade conventional cash-and-carry shops, eg Makro, that you are eligible for a trade card and then you can buy in larger sizes or in bulk at discounted prices. If you're going to be buying, say a case of tinned tomatoes, then you shouldn't be paying the full supermarket shelf price for each can.

 

[zefender]

Unless you've a freezer, your vacuum packed meat won't last more than 10 days or so, so you will need alternaitve menu plans for half of week two and onwards. This really means lots of pasta, rice and maybe even tinned ham. So best to leave these things out of the week one menu or you'll be a bit fed up with them later on.

We bought plastic collapsible crates and filled them as Week 1 lunch, Week 1 dinner, week 1 treats (we also had individual crew treats to avoid chocoholics hoovering everything up on night watch) etc. That way, you always knew how much was left and didn't need to rummage through supplies for every meal, possibly damaging any produce. Put fruit and veg on foam 'wafer' to protect against bruising. Keep fresh stuff as cool and as dark as you can.

The 5 litre water bottles are fairly hefty to pour a cupful, especially when rolling a bit - I'd stick to the standard sized ones. We made sure to buy certain stuff like tea, decent instant coffee etc in the UK. Although by no means a culinary paradise, M & S do long life ready meals (things like chille con carne), most of which were entirely edible and really useful if folk are tired or it's all a bit bouncy to prepare fresh. I agree that the stores in Las Palmas were all very good and deliver straight to the boat too. Although best not to rely on it, but you will probably catch some fish so work this into your plan (and make sure you have things like limes etc for marinade! Take care with sell by dates though - some of the items (eg long life milk) we bought were out of date within a week of departure. We planned for 2 litres of water per person per day and had 30 days supply (crossing took 25 days) - that's a fairly scary 160 1.5 litre bottles!

 

[stephenh]

Over a year ago I downloaded the following from this forum.
Unfortunately I no longer remember who wrote it.
I apologise in advance to that person for not being able to credit this.

It is excellent advice and it works ...

'This is a quick system where you assume one main meal a day, one quick easy lunch meal and a breakfast.
Main meals are Carbohydrate/Protein/Veg
so you list the carbo's you all like....rice/pasta/potatos etc
same for protein and veg then
multiply the number of days by number of people....and you get , say, 10 days for five people.
50 portions of each....so you buy in portions 15 rice 15 pasta 15 spuds 5 gnochi...same for carbo' and veg..
You can then mix and match knowing you've got enough and you're not stuck to a fixed menu, as long as whoever cooks uses carbo/protein/veg they can cook anything they fancy.
Lunch was soups, bread, pot noodles...breakfast we liked pancakes with fruit.
Its much easier to shop like this than having to work out a menu that you then have to stick to.
Takes 15minutes to plan a shop for a 30 day trip, then not much longer than a normal shop to buy it, just more trolleys.

Fruit juice
Bread flour
Chocolate / biscuits / dried fruit & nuts ; can't buy too much !
Tins ; not dried stuff

If unknown type then try a sample first......'

with thanks to the original author...

 

[snowleopard]

A couple more thoughts...

I mentioned the veg/fruit market because the fruit is less likely to have been chilled than in the hypermarket.

You can't take too much food except fresh stuff. You will find shopping in St Lucia for canned goods a real come down after Las Palmas.

 

[Guest]

Remember to take those "special" meals disguised in other packets. Life is no good without surprises. This is the real reason for taking labels off cans, you can smuggle real food in and label it corned beef hash! Quite safe on our boat.

Also there should be a special treat each night for the after midnight watch.

We also carry a box of snickers for those times when a meal is out of the question but energy is needed. I've begun to hate them as they are only associated with times of stress. But they seem to work.