Freezer or No Freezer?

[Jimmyhenry]

I presume your cruising will be local coast and Rottnest. So not months. Probably days or a week? In which case maybe just refrigeration.

If it is months. And planning Sth Pacific the game changes.
1/- fridge freezers need larger heat exchangers in the tropics. Bigger the better.
2/- Fresh water (desalination) is vital. Getting water can be very trying in the islands.
3/- Clothes washing is a pain! We over came most of the problem by buying a dedicated spin drier. No heat. Just 1800rpm. Means we can soak In soapy then stomp then soak again. Then spin almost dry. I do most of the laundry and I am very happy with this solution.
4/- Again you need fresh water. Not muddy stuff up some creek.

Pete

[Tom and Maje]

We have 2 freezers (the isotherm and a Dometic 50) and a washing machine on our Leopard 40. Ice is a food group for my husband. Look at the Panda washer/dryer. It has the capacity to wash a set of queen sized sheets. It doesn't get things completely dry, so you will have to hand clothes out, but it doesn't take them long to dry.

Maje

[UFO]

Originally Posted by GILow

More of an unforeseen hazard than a fringe benefit I reckon.

Especially if you are married

[UFO]

Originally Posted by Jimmyhenry

I presume your cruising will be local coast and Rottnest. So not months. Probably days or a week? In which case maybe just refrigeration.

If it is months. And planning Sth Pacific the game changes.
1/- fridge freezers need larger heat exchangers in the tropics. Bigger the better.
2/- Fresh water (desalination) is vital. Getting water can be very trying in the islands.
3/- Clothes washing is a pain! We over came most of the problem by buying a dedicated spin drier. No heat. Just 1800rpm. Means we can soak In soapy then stomp then soak again. Then spin almost dry. I do most of the laundry and I am very happy with this solution.
4/- Again you need fresh water. Not muddy stuff up some creek.

Pete

Rottnest would be nice - It's just re-opened - It has a chequered history First and Aboriginal prison camp, then a Tourist Resort, Then a Covid Prison camp and now back to Tourism


But once international things look a bit better its a slow boat to the Med

[mako]

Originally Posted by Jimmyhenry

If it is months. And planning Sth Pacific the game changes.
3/- Clothes washing is a pain! We over came most of the problem by buying a dedicated spin drier. No heat. Just 1800rpm. Means we can soak In soapy then stomp then soak again. Then spin almost dry. I do most of the laundry and I am very happy with this solution.

Pete if you have a water maker then why the technique above? Your boat is large enough for a European style washer or washer/dryer (I hate those).

[Hudson Force]

Earlier in this thread I suggested, "Why not have both?" and this was likely because I cruised with a refrigerator and freezer for 25 years. Then I think back at my first 20 years of cruising with no refrigerator or freezer. These were excellent times with different planning and different foods, but never a thought being deprived of anything that made our cruising life less fulfilling. Maybe there's something to be said for striking out with your on plan and adapting to your own needs. There's likely not a one best plan that fits all!

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Hudson Force

Maybe there's something to be said for striking out with your on plan and adapting to your own needs.

I would say this applies to every boat "upgrade" boaters call needs instead of wants. Everyone should consider starting out without them and as you cruise decide they are worth more in enjoyment that they appear to cost in money TO YOU. Plus you really LOVE the things you later decide to spend your money on that you have been doing without and will defend the choice to your (other others) dealth

[slug]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I would say this applies to every boat "upgrade" boaters call needs instead of wants. Everyone should consider starting out without them and as you cruise decide they are worth more in enjoyment that they appear to cost in money TO YOU. Plus you really LOVE the things you later decide to spend your money on that you have been doing without and will defend the choice to your (other others) dealth

Also remember that a freezer is super energy intensive

Best to act like a seaman , not a landlubber ..... simplify systems and minimize expectations

When I sail a boat equipped with s freezer I immediately alter the temp from freeze to cool, then
use it to store fruits and vegetables

These only need to be cool to achieve long life

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by SVHarmonie

We catch a LOT of fish. We’d be kind of lost without our freezers...

I do not see your point.


If you catch so much fish, you could just as well catch one fish a day and eat it fresh.


Why freeze something that is so abundant?


b.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by slug

Also remember that a freezer is super energy intensive

Best to act like a seaman , not a landlubber ..... simplify systems and minimize expectations

When I sail a boat equipped with s freezer I immediately alter the temp from freeze to cool, then
use it to store fruits and vegetables

These only need to be cool to achieve long life

great for you I guess

My freezer holds 2 months of food and solar provides all the power needed so don't care how energy intensive it is or isn't. This is 2020, not 1820.

[barnakiel]

I like this part of your discussion here where you touch upon the energy factor.


I think this relates very much to the whole picture, you know, the global thing.


All this energy comes from somewhere. And all this energy 'costs' pollution.


Perhaps us, cruisers, people who claim to be living the environment friendly way, could sometimes do something for the environment? Like. Skip. The freezer.


?


Or, at the very least, have as small one as we can do with?



b.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

I do not see your point.


If you catch so much fish, you could just as well catch one fish a day and eat it fresh.


Why freeze something that is so abundant?


b.

Incredibly simplistic approach to living on the water.
You catch fish when they are biting and you happen to be transiting that area.

Why is a Solar system that can maintain efficient well insulated freezer and fridge storage compartments be an environmentally negative thing for people living on the water?

You harvest supplies whenever you can get them, either ashore or when you catch them.

People like to eat well, unless you would suggest that we all become
Breatharians!

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

...You harvest supplies whenever you can get them, either ashore or when you catch them.

Yep, and one of the supplies we harvest when we can is the sun.

I’m with barnakiel in spirit at least, I would never choose to run a generator. However, I was happy to put put the effort into getting a very respectable sized fridge/freezer that runs from the sun and I am more than willing to be a bit stingy on the power for other stuff from time to time to stay this way.