longterm provisioning

[wdobni]

...hoping to learn from your experiences...can you give suggestions or reccommend books that give wisest practical guidelines for longterm voyage provisioning...what meats easiest to eat repeatedly and keep the best and in what form...what veggies, in what form and from what source...what staples, how much and stored how...I'm more interested in self-provisioning rather than ordering up boxes of dried goods from a factory manufacturer...ideally if you are 3 months at sea what provisions will work in all situations...thanks

[zeehag]

i found i dont need 3 months of foodstuffs for cruising--will you be crossing pacific?? is longest cruising passage i know of==but there is a stopover in hawaii these days so provisioning.
isnt like it was in 1790. there are actually grocers in small places for purchase of foodstuffs--heck, even MEXICO has those these days....when i left san diego i had enough foodstuffs on board for 6 months of cruising and exploring.
i have found delightful tiendas with better good foods with actual FLAVOR --meats, fresh fish, all kinds of veggies---pastas, rices---even things not available in usa---
try it.

if ye have to stock for 3 months--get your heavy and largest items first and place them--rices, beans, pastas--canned stuffs, etc--and mark them and place into bilges. the fresh stuff is easy to find everywhere anymore----but then costco is world wide now. so is sams club and other places no one ever heard of....mega market, soriana---other huge stores with bulk items.....
after i stocked upon a years worht of owdered whole milk, i found there IS half and half in mexico...go figger.....

[conachair]

Originally Posted by wdobni

...hoping to learn from your experiences...can you give suggestions or reccommend books that give wisest practical guidelines for longterm voyage provisioning...what meats easiest to eat repeatedly and keep the best and in what form...what veggies, in what form and from what source...what staples, how much and stored how...I'm more interested in self-provisioning rather than ordering up boxes of dried goods from a factory manufacturer...ideally if you are 3 months at sea what provisions will work in all situations...thanks

These 2 are pretty good real world type books.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Care-Feedi...dp/1929214073/

http://www.amazon.com/Ocean-Cruising...dp/0713640693/

[zeehag]

books are older than you think--things hvve changed since those were written, much less published. current info is word of mouth and actually being there. ther eis a 5 yr lag in production of a book for publishing.
read the books but DO listen to those cruising actively for CURRENT info.

[simonmd]

If you have good water capacity, preferably including a watermaker, get loads of rice and various dried pasta. They keep forever and you only need a little of whatever fresh ingreadient that comes to hand to make a good meal.

As Zeehag said, unless you're going REALLY off the beaten track, I wouldn't worry too much and I always try to buy local produce where ever I go anyway as it helps the locals and tastes a damn sight better than anything tinned or frozen you could bring with you.

[reed1v]

Originally Posted by simonmd

If you have good water capacity, preferably including a watermaker, get loads of rice and various dried pasta. They keep forever and you only need a little of whatever fresh ingreadient that comes to hand to make a good meal.

As Zeehag said, unless you're going REALLY off the beaten track, I wouldn't worry too much and I always try to buy local produce where ever I go anyway as it helps the locals and tastes a damn sight better than anything tinned or frozen you could bring with you.

Yuck. Same old food will cause one not to eat. Need variety. Lots of very good tinned food companies around. We carried emergency foods, usually dehydrated stuff. Otherwise stocked up enough fresh stuff to get us to the next port. Also carried lots of nutritional supplements, protein bars, and dried fruits. Figured we always had about 4 months reserved where ever we went. Carried only water and milkman powder. No booze or soft drinks.

[simonmd]

Originally Posted by reed1v

Yuck. Same old food will cause one not to eat. Need variety. Lots of very good tinned food companies around. We carried emergency foods, usually dehydrated stuff. Otherwise stocked up enough fresh stuff to get us to the next port. Also carried lots of nutritional supplements, protein bars, and dried fruits. Figured we always had about 4 months reserved where ever we went. Carried only water and milkman powder. No booze or soft drinks.

Yuck, no booze or soft drinks will make me loose the will to live!

[carstenb]

Get a pressure cooker and cook lots of stew/chili con carne/spaghetti sauce and the like. VAccum pack this and it will keep forever.

Also - go buy Beth Leonards "The voyagers Handbook" She covers all this and if she doesn't discuss it in her book - you don't need to know it

[goboatingnow]

Three months provisions, where as you going , the Artic. ??

Dave

[osirissail]

When I think of "long term" provisioning I think of the specific products that are your favorites and unique to your geographical home area versus food products that are easily available to local folks around the world.

Things like specific spices, coffee's, teas, and other condiments rather than basic "staples" that are routinely available in any little port or village. Dry provisions and canned stuff are easily available most everywhere in the world as they are cheap and economical to distribute to little villages, etc. But specific brands and unique items that "local folks" really have no interest in purchasing are what, I suggest, you should consider for long term stocking. Also paper products that are your favorites as many of them are of no interest to simple villagers who use what is commonly joked at as "palm leaves" or "cardboard/sand paper" like toilet paper. Sensitive bottoms can tell the difference . . .

Canned goods store well if you protect them from moisture. "Boxed" items need to be repackaged to plastic storage containers as moisture laden "sea-air" can quickly deteriorate the packaging materials. Long term cruisers usually end up with a quite eclectic assortment of plastic seal-able containers of shapes and sizes that fit the nooks and crannies available in the storage corners of your boat. Keeping things dry and away from moisture is the key to "long term" storage success.

[impi]

Originally Posted by wdobni

...hoping to learn from your experiences...can you give suggestions or reccommend books that give wisest practical guidelines for longterm voyage provisioning...what meats easiest to eat repeatedly and keep the best and in what form...what veggies, in what form and from what source...what staples, how much and stored how...I'm more interested in self-provisioning rather than ordering up boxes of dried goods from a factory manufacturer...ideally if you are 3 months at sea what provisions will work in all situations...thanks

I think this link will / should take you to a page Ana posted on our blog with food and pricing (unfortunately in Rands and there are about R8 per US$) which is what we purchased for our crossing from Cape Town to Brazil. We found we had too much food on board but it made for some great meals https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...1ZfMU5uelB4c1E

[janice142]

Hello wdobni. As others have stated, food is readily available where ever you find people HOWEVER that doesn't mean it is convenient, and having aboard what I want right now beats a trip in the dinghy to shore, unload bicycle, unfold bike, ride to store, buy food, load and transport back to dink, etc. etc. etc.

Yes, having produce is a blessing (ice too!!!) but basics are aboard and replenished as used. For me, I keep a running list of items as I use them so I know what is required to refill my stocks.

As for a suggested how-to, when I first moved aboard I shopped as usual, buying what I liked, then the containers in sizes appropriate for the space I have available. Provisioning isn't just about buying -- it's about figuring out where you're going to put the items on board. You'll need less than you imagine BUT you'll need it where you can get to it.

Space becomes an issue as "stuff" finds a way of filling all available lockers, thus packaging is important. I buy tuna fish in foil packages versus the tin cans, remove boxes and store bagged items in a couple of plastic cat litter containers (they are square and fit nicely where I need 'em!)

Truly though much of my shopping is done by what sort of issue I may have bringing it all back home. Specifically, that means that it's easier to buy large and/or heavy items when I'm not hauling the stuff back on the bicycle, e.g. if offered a ride in a car.

As for food stores, I prefer to can meats (pork, chicken, turkey, beef, sausage, ham) in my pressure cooker. I've been canning in the 1/2 pint (why the canning companies won't call it a cup I'll never know!!!) size jars. The meat is then added to fillers (tomato paste, rice, pasta, potatoes, instant potatoes, etc.) .........

Still I've tasted the small cans of beef from Dollar Tree (not bad) along with inexpensive ham and chicken from that sort of store. When you pick up the cans give them a shake side to side. If it sloshes, there's a lot of water and not so much guts so try a different brand. Mine are healthier and have more "umph" but if I wasn't particular the cheap stuff is pretty darn good nowadays.

Buy what you like and eat NOW because even though those canned peaches look great in the shelf if you prefer pears there is no way you'll eat the peaches. Ditto every choice while in civilization -- if you don't eat it at home your likelihood of eating it afloat is not-so-good.

And buy a few treats too for a gloomy day.

Oh, and one final thing, we try to have at least two of every item. My in-stock coffee is running low but I know when I empty the jar, there's another aboard. Of course then coffee will be on my list for replenishing... I do keep approximately 3 months of food aboard -- not because I intend to be out anything like that period of time, but if I am ever broke (like last fall -- we won't discuss that though!) I know that I have enough supplies to live quite well until my financial situation stabilizes.

All the best to you.

[barnakiel]

There are provisioning chapters in almost every cruising book. Look into 'the ... Crossing Guide' and bang there is always some chapter on 'proper' provisioning.

3 months at sea? Where are you going?

Say g'bye to fresh veggies.

For 3 months of provisions you may take 1/3 in each of your fave staples (e.g. here this would be: pasta, flour and rice). Then build around this core - just 3 add-ons (corned beef, canned tuna, beans in tomato sauce) will give you 9 types of food on board.

The above is only an example - get only the foods you like, not what others eat. Not eating what you love on a voyage would be a serious mistake.

Think about things you can prepare on board and take the necessary ingredients (you need yeast to make bread / pizza / sweet buns) (you need various types of grease for various types of food, etc.).

Take all the 'must haves'. To some it will be olives, marinated pepper corn and salami, to others it will be hard cheese and canned butter.

If you forget to take something essential, improvise. Take slightly more than you think you will eat - once the early seasicknes is gone you will most likely eat more than you do ashore.

Remember ... about the fuel for your stove! ;-)))

Have fun sailing, cooking and provisioning.

Cheers,
b.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by wdobni

...hoping to learn from your experiences...can you give suggestions or reccommend books that give wisest practical guidelines for longterm voyage provisioning...what meats easiest to eat repeatedly and keep the best and in what form...what veggies, in what form and from what source...what staples, how much and stored how...I'm more interested in self-provisioning rather than ordering up boxes of dried goods from a factory manufacturer...ideally if you are 3 months at sea what provisions will work in all situations...thanks

Do you really mean "voyaging" or "cruising"? For example, do you plan to spend the entire 3-months underway at sea w/out making land fall or is it 3 month coastal cruise with intermediate ports of call?

If the later, "cruising", then I suggest you don't do any long-term provisioning -- buy fresh, buy local, and enjoy the experience!

[boasun]

Or you can go to the Army/Navy store and get a few cases of MREs.
Of course after a month eating MREs, you crew may carve off one of your legs for fresh meat...