Sailing around the world on a budget

[Sea Change]

Where do you freeze your big water bottles, and where do you do your vacuum packing?

In a previous boat we built an insulated box and froze everything at home before we left. We'd eat the chicken first, then the mince, then the sausages. Could generally get a week out of this arrangement.

Obviously such an arrangement only works of you have access to a freezer ashore, and are in a climate cool enough that you can get everything aboard before it defrosts...

 

[Frank Holden]

Where do you freeze your big water bottles, and where do you do your vacuum packing?

In a previous boat we built an insulated box and froze everything at home before we left. We'd eat the chicken first, then the mince, then the sausages. Could generally get a week out of this arrangement.

Obviously such an arrangement only works of you have access to a freezer ashore, and are in a climate cool enough that you can get everything aboard before it defrosts...

Marina or friend's freezer.
In New Zealand I found a butcher in Howick, Auckland who would vacuum pack and freeze to order.
In my experience supermercados in S America sell - as well as fresh - vacuum packed meat. In Chile its often from Brasil or Paraguay but I once found Australian.

 

[Wansworth]

Where do you freeze your big water bottles, and where do you do your vacuum packing?

In a previous boat we built an insulated box and froze everything at home before we left. We'd eat the chicken first, then the mince, then the sausages. Could generally get a week out of this arrangement.

Obviously such an arrangement only works of you have access to a freezer ashore, and are in a climate cool enough that you can get everything aboard before it defrosts...

What about smoking?

 

[newtothis]

What about smoking?

Been doing it since I was a teenager, but they say it's not good for one's health.

 

[Frank Holden]

Vacuum packed scotch fillet
Supermercado | Jumbo.cl

We stored ship in Ecuador at the equinox 2 years ago, boil your brains hot. Didn't freeze the vacuum packed meat but kept the fridge at 4ºC.
Power was via aquagen plus two modest panels. Managed ok for 3 weeks.
Mind you when you have trim-able panels and both your lat and the sun's dec are near 0º solar works pretty good.
Problem was the perishable vege didn't last - not even the cabbage. I suspect it was chilled in Ecuador.
Canned goods are often king, tomatoes, corn, carrots, beans etc.

 

[lustyd]

and where do you do your vacuum packing?

I assumed all cruisers would have a vac pack machine on board. Best thing I ever bought, albeit a little wasteful on plastic but we recycle where possible.

 

[billskip]

I assumed all cruisers would have a vac pack machine on board. Best thing I ever bought, albeit a little wasteful on plastic but we recycle where possible.

Yes I had one, it was also ideal for clothes
to reduce size for storage

 

[lustyd]

Yes I had one, it was also ideal for clothes
to reduce size for storage

You used a food vac for clothes?

 

[billskip]

You used a food vac for clothes?

Multi purpose vacuum pump also ideal for aircon, some people use a vacuum cleaner

You used a food vac for clothes?

It's sucking out no contamination

 

[capnsensible]

Multi purpose vacuum pump also ideal for aircon, some people use a vacuum cleaner

It's sucking out no contamination

Great for reducing the room winter clothes take up when cruising in the Tropics.

 

[BobnLesley]

The corollary being: the unlimited budget boat filled with all kinds of equipment spends a lot of time in port unable to move while waiting for technicians or spare parts.

The most ludicrous example of this that we ever saw was a boat we met twenty years ago during our first year in the Med: A couple in a 50' yacht had been sat for five weeks (and were still there when we left) in a very expensive Majorcan marina waiting for parts... The progress halting parts they 'needed' were a new door catch and seal for their dishwasher

 

[dansaskip]

Re Fridges and freezers aboard It is quite possible to live without either, even in the tropics. A case against both is the same they take up on a smaller boat and the power consumption plus just one or two more things to go wrong/break down. So I agree with Frank Holden here. I certainly managed fine without. It probably helps that although not a vegetarian I don't rely on eating meat all the time plenty of other good alternatives.
I reckon it helped that even been sailing I had travelled to many countries, had eaten the local fare and long broken away from the meat and two veg idea of a satisfying meal. But although I agree with on his option on Spam I disagree with Frank's dislike of corned beef - Corned Beef Hash is a fine and tasty meal and they even sell it in tins ready to eat in some places.
I also disagree with Sea Change's statement "Because once you leave Europe food can be shockingly expensive", In my experience I did not find this to be the case at all, buying local and at markets and not buying expensive imported luxury food like Kerrygold butter.
There is also mention of frozen meat but you would be be a little upset as I saw an American sailor was arriving in NZ to get all his precious store of frozen steaks confiscated by NZ customs as you are not allowed to bring in meat, dairy of veg into the country. These rules apply in many other countries too.

 

[Sea Change]

I assumed all cruisers would have a vac pack machine on board. Best thing I ever bought, albeit a little wasteful on plastic but we recycle where possible.

Must admit, I've heard of them but never seen one in the flesh. They sound like a good idea.

 

[veshengro]

" a vac pack machine on board."

Are they 12 volt, or would going into a Marina be necessary to operate the machine?

 

[BobnLesley]

Re Fridges and freezers aboard It is quite possible to live without either, even in the tropics. A case against both is the same they take up on a smaller boat and the power consumption plus just one or two more things to go wrong/break down...

Whilst an advocate of the KISS principal, there are limits.
Our fridge died the day after we arrived in the Marquesa Islands and it wasn't until we reached Tahiti six months later that we were able to fix it; we got by, but it took some of the fun out of life. Food preservation wasn't as bad as you might imagine - we either bought/ate meat fresh or canned it and also consumed more corned beef and spam than we might've done - the latter's not too unpleasant sliced very thin (potato peeler) and fried until crisp. Butter is also easily preserved in salt water. No, the main downer was cool drinks, though you can with perseverance learn to enjoy G&T/Rum cocktails/wine when warm, we never managed the same with beer; I came to judge/prefer grocery stores on how cold their beer fridge was, rather than price/how well stocked they were. Our salvation was the cruising community: Word quickly got around that we were without a fridge where after people would regularly call by in the late afternoon to drop off a bag of ice cubes, or swap some cold beers for our warm one; so on the upside we did meet and make a heap more friends.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

" a vac pack machine on board."

Are they 12 volt, or would going into a Marina be necessary to operate the machine?

Yes, many are dual 240V / 12V. A google search will show models. I know because camper van friends use one on their extended trips. I also checked on google to make sure I was not mistaken.

 

[mjcoon]

... No, the main downer was cool drinks, though you can with perseverance learn to enjoy G&T/Rum cocktails/wine when warm, we never managed the same with beer; I came to judge/prefer grocery stores on how cold their beer fridge was, rather than price/how well stocked they were. Our salvation was the cruising community: Word quickly got around that we were without a fridge where after people would regularly call by in the late afternoon to drop off a bag of ice cubes, or swap some cold beers for our warm one; so on the upside we did meet and make a heap more friends.

I thought most supermarkets (though I have barely ventured out of the Med) sell ice? Years ago I tried taking on holiday a cassette of the sound of ice clinking in a glass to see if it enhanced the sensation of drinking warm G&T: not much!

 

[Sea Change]

One of the good things about having both a fridge and a freezer is that you're pretty unlikely to lose both. The most flexible system is having two separate units which can each function as either fridge or freezer.

Of course everybody is free to do what they want. An Alpicool 12v unit is about £200 these days, solar panels are virtually free.

Maybe I'm missing something by not eating canned meat under the light of an oil lamp, but with current technology and prices it's a conscious decision to live that way. I prefer to take a few home comforts with me. Why compromise?

 

[Sea Change]

I also disagree with Sea Change's statement "Because once you leave Europe food can be shockingly expensive", In my experience I did not find this to be the case at all, buying local and at markets and not buying expensive imported luxury food like Kerrygold butter.

I can only speak about the Eastern Caribbean so perhaps other parts of the world aren't so bad. But it really is quite expensive here. Local markets are lovely but they are not cheap. A small carrier bag of veg will add up to about £20. Booze tends to be quite cheap, and it's usually cheaper to buy flour and bake bread than buy a loaf.
We only eat fish when we catch it, as buying from the boat boys is prohibitively expensive, and the supermarket offerings are rubbish. The one exception was the fish market in Grenville, Grenada, where I got a decent sized mahi for about £30 and made six meals out of it. Of course catching fish sounds free but once you've lost a few lures it starts to look pretty expensive too.

In places like the Grenadines or Antigua, the cheapest butter is around £3.50/250g. Considerably more in the smaller shops. We've never bought Kerrygold. Usually Anchor is the cheapest, and oddly two smaller packs are often cheaper than one big one. Although it's common for no prices to be displayed, and when they are, it doesn't necessarily reflect the price at the till.

We did try switching to margarine for a while but it turns out we're not actually poor enough to consider that a compromise worth making.

 

[Roberto]

I thought most supermarkets (...)sell ice?

In many places putting local ice in drinks means the following week being spent in the toilets bent in two by intestinal disease