Tips and tricks for minimalist cruising

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Chotu

Indulgence IS increasing your carbon footprint.



Every single new thing you buy is produced in a way that creates emissions. Every last thing.



You are burying your head in the sand.



A lot of people talk a good game about being environmentally conscious. Those celebrities in their jets preaching about the environment, for example. You are no different from them if you don’t scale back the resources you consume.



Fact of the matter is, every single thing you buy creates carbon or pollution, so the less things you buy new (and the more you can get something used), the better you are doing for the environment. This is a WELL known fact. You don’t want as not to admit it, because you might be inconvenienced or feel discomfort by backing off your consumerism.



Here’s where it gets interesting.



Buying very good pans is NOT an example of a bad purchase for the environment. Buying NEW pans is. So the best pans for the environment are the pans you already have. Why? Earning money comes with a carbon footprint. Second best are extremely high quality used pans that last a lifetime, such as an old cast iron pan, or out of style pans of the same brand you have right now.

Third best are the pans you bought. Yes, they are new. Yes, you had carbon emissions from making the money to buy them, they were mined, manufactured, transported by truck, sat in a store with HVAC and lights, in a building that was constructed to house them, etc... but... if you can control yourself and keep them for the rest of your life, they aren’t the worst pans you could buy.

The worst pans you could buy are the new ones from a very cheap store that degrade so quickly, you replace them every year or two.



I love cooking too. It’s very important to me. I have a mixture of new high end and hand me down pots and pans. They don’t match. The food doesn’t know if they match. 2 I bought new, the rest are hand me downs from parents (purchased 50 years ago) and from a boat I bought where they left some nice pots and pans aboard. My cooking equipment carbon footprint is quite minimal and my cookware is the same quality as yours.



You didn’t realize it, but you introduced a perfect illustration as to how to use the principles I introduced above to actually make a difference in carbon emissions and the environment in general.



These principles, when applied across your entire life, including to boating, result in greatly reduced carbon emissions.



Nonsense? Think again.

My nonsense comment is not about the specifics of any one piece of equipment on board. I have a mixture of cheap occasional use stuff and better quality stuff. I don’t really care about the precise environmental impact at the level of pots and pans. I buy what I need and can afford occasionally I buy a gadget etc ( just about to buy a cheap €17 electric whisk )

I own an electric car , cause when I bought it it was the cheapest way my wife could do her daily 150km commute.

I’m conscious of my environmental footprint but I’m not obsessed by it.

[wolfgal]

Originally Posted by Na Mara

Another tip for minimalist cruising is doing deck showers instead of showering below most of the time. There is nothing nicer on a hot day than diving into the sea to get wet, lathering up on the bathing platform, diving in again to wash off the soap, and then quickly rinsing off the salt to finish up. If bathing isn’t practical then buckets of sea water work as well. Very refreshing and saves a ton of fresh water and humidity below decks. There is just something so liberating about showering/bathing in the fresh air and as a sailor I get to do it whenever I like.

THIS

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by wolfgal

THIS

Au natural is best imho.

[wolfgal]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

For me, a major goal is to reduce all disposable plastic wrappers/containers to ZERO.

I was initially looking to buy a Vacumn Sealer for foods then decided that would only make for more plastic garbage.

We now use LocknLock containers for storage.
Bulk cook and Freeze Sauces, Stews, Soups in modular containers for backup meals.

Even Fresh Market meats and seafood, we take our own seperate containers to bring home for processing.

Any other ideas to keep all plastics off the boat?

Excellent! very! will do this too!

when my kids were young and were begging for take-out, i'd send them with my own containers (glass baking/freezer pans with a tight lid - good quality, still have the two) in a bag so to avoid getting all those plastic containers and tinfoil and forks and other total-pollution nonsense. and my kids preferred it this way because somehow the food tasted better this way too.

wolfie

[Oeanda]

Minimalism.



https://www.theguardian.com/artandde...imalist-starck

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by Na Mara

. Living aboard a big Wally yacht with a genset running everything is an example of a minimalist lifestyle that is neither economically nor environmentally beneficial. My variant is somewhere between living on an old racing boat with little to no modern comforts and sailing aids and living on a Wally.

The Marketing strategy for Wally is interesting showing a solo sailor at the helm of this large uncluttered flush deck boat.
https://youtu.be/JsSHNsjEwLk

Perhaps a modern nod to J class sailing without the need for crew, handling a 100 ft dingy around the Bay alone, as if it were nothing.

Offering no shade or protection in heavy weather, a design concept where Function follows Form to make a statement

[Na Mara]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Au natural is best imho.

Totally agree, though my neighbours in the marina don’t seem to have got that memo.

We should be careful though lest the casual viewer of this forum comes away with the right idea that sailors are a bunch of not so closeted naturalists

[KP44]

Originally Posted by Joh.Ghurt

My biggest trick: Use what you have and don't lust after the so called Must-Haves

After moving on board, I learned I had most fun with gathering in some cockpit or some BBQ on a random beach.

For not hard to guess reasons I had to reduce my intake of Soft-drinks (mostly Coca Cola) and sweet snacks.

Use what you have is a good idea. But ground tackle and oversized cleats will keep you safe when other systems fail. Get oversized anchor and rode. Use oversized dock lines.

I doubt a minimalist needs advice about expensive and sugary drinks and "snacks".

[scareygary]

On my little boat, a favorite saying is: "If there's something you need and you don't see it, just ask. I'll show you how to get along without it."

[David Mathis]

A wool tee shirt to wear on hot days? Let's give that some thought. A tee shirt that can be sweated in for a week without stinking fails to be an appealing addition to our cruise apparel. If you're sailing and sweating, why wear a shirt? If you're at sea on a hot day, why wear clothes? If you're hot and sweaty, unless you're in a race, stop for a swim.

As to removing the carpet, about ten years ago the carpet was removed from the interior of our 43' express cruiser and replaced with snap together laminate flooring. The factory rep cautioned to not use it in a boat. However, the flooring installer recommended the installation by using a couple small spots of glue every other board. After many years and a few thousand miles, the floor still looks like new. No musty smell and no need to bring a vacuum cleaner. We would never go back to carpet. A little 409 or Fantastic and a damp cloth is all we need for a good cleaning. As to the helm area, the carpeting was removed and SeaDek was installed about 5-6 years ago and still looks new. This is a closed cell foam that is non-skid and comfortable with bare feet. Scrubbing it is usually just burning calories and becoming frustrated so we clean it with a pressure washer (works great, just don't get too close) when we get home. It works so well that we installed the SeaDek on the swim deck about 4 years ago.

[lo2jones]

If anyone has more tips and tricks for living cheaply, or minimalist cruising, focusing on quality not quantity etc. I’d love to hear more and maybe a little less about definitions. I love to cook especially out in the middle, picnics on the beach, cockpit dinners near the Pacific High.
Thanks in advance.

[Bill_Giles]

Be prepared to recycle, repair, reuse, make, grow, exchange. Exchange: skills, hours, effort and redundant items for your needs. Growing herbs and spices and things like garlic mean that you can enjoy simpler foods by making them tastier. Learn to fish and to preserve fish. Have big water tanks so that you can live off the grid.

[Mike OReilly]

Thanks for getting things on track Larry.

As I said earlier, our biggest "trick" for living frugally is to stay away from the dock. So that means having our boat equipped for long-duration self-sufficiency.

Large water tank, decent fuel, and lots of storage for food and basic maintenance. One thing we do is grow our herbs and sprouts. This keeps meals interesting, long after all the fresh stuff has gone.

With regard to fresh, some things do keep for long periods. This depends on climate, and ours is definitely on the cooler side, but root vegies (carrots, parsnips potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, rutabaga, etc.) all keep well for long periods. Cabbage will easily last a month or more, and is a great substitute for leafy stuff.

We have a fridge with small freezer compartment, but we also carry a lot of canned and dried food. We mostly dry our own (during our off-boat season), and then bag-seal it for extended storage. Food dried this way can easily last years, and once reconstituted, can be used almost like fresh. We try and buy food when it is cheap (in-season) and dry it for later use. This cuts down on the food budget.

[noelex 77]

I suspect true minimalists would be horrified by our approach to cruising, but nevertheless we are far more KISS than many boats.

The motivation is not not cost or environmental advantages, although as a side effect the KISS approach has advantages there.

The real reason is enjoyment.

The important goals for a cruising boat are to stay dry (no leaks or condensation) to stay safe (a seaworthy vessel with good anchoring gear etc) to stay comfortable (good ventilation and heating) and to have a great sleeping and sitting areas out and in, the latter preferably with a view so you can enjoy nature and new surroundings. Complex boats with many "luxuries" fail with these basic requirements.

The above goals can be achieved with a very basic boat, without multiple complex systems. There will be fewer breakdowns and less maintenance on such a boat and this leads to the greatest luxury of all and that is time to enjoy new cruising destinations without a multitude of repair and maintenance chores.

[Happ]

A few thoughts on keeping things simple.

First I use a foot pump instead of a pump at the head and Galley.

Second use a Composting head. Eliminates water used for flushing and trips to the pump out.

Plan your meals before you open the refrigerator. Saves energy with the door open.

Washing clothes is a fun one. I’ve gone to all poly clothes so they can dry on a hangar, even down below. Use salt water to wash and fresh water to rinse.

Lithium phosphate batteries and adjustable solar panels so you can always have the facing the sun.

I’ve gone with a Torqueedo Electric outboard. No need to go find a gas station. Charge onboard or use a small solar panel tossed on deck exclusively to charge the battery. Light and easy to store in a lazaret.

I found an individual pack of 10 ice tea mix in the size of a pack of cigarettes. Saves a lot of space and weight and it’s pretty good too.

The last one is go small and go now!