Provisioning with no refrigeration?

[Tupaia]

Originally Posted by Grith

Water is one of our biggest potential issues. Yes I have been reviewing buying a RO Watermaker but they are both outrageously expensive and our need for one is uncertain as The Kimberley’s does have some waterfall and stream water in most dry seasons.
One of the issues with RO Watermakers is they actually don’t like sitting unused and our need is potentially very intermittent and restricted to this one trip as with both a pressure seawater extra tap in the sink and 220 Litres in tankage and portable containers we are generally fine for drinking water.
Heading up there for about a 3 month very remote cruise without resupply next year is the challenge for food, water and fuel.

https://www.quenchsea.world/collections/frontpage
Pre orders for December.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by Tupaia

Beware eggs is cardboard cartons. We do not allow any cardboard on board. Cardboard, especially food cartons, are cockroach heaven.

Oddly, in the states they are now plastic for the most part.

Powdered eggs are also a good alternative

I used to worry about this problem with cockroaches and cardboard also. But then Amazon boxes would show up. They would make it on board. Other cardboard boxes. Then eventually cereal boxes or other cardboard from the grocery store. I’ve actually never had a problem. But that’s only in the states.

I only had one problem with cockroaches aboard. That was two boats ago.

I went ashore at Miami Beach to the Publix grocery store to get some food.

Brought back a couple of bags of groceries. Put everything away and decided to read a paper book with a single reading light in the evening.

A few pages and I heard something run across the coach roof. Outside. Sounded like a small squirrel or something.

I went to investigate and I saw nothing. So I went back to reading. Then I heard it run across again. I turned on the interior light and this thing I heard running across was not running across outside. It was running across inside! On the ceiling. It was loud enough running it sounded like a small squirrel or chipmunk.

When I turned the lights on, I saw the biggest insect I have ever seen in my life. It was a cockroach. Inches long. Or as they call them in Florida a palmetto bug. And I know of cockroaches. I lived in Boston. I lived in New York City. I know cockroaches. But this thing was like eight of them combined into one.

I spent the rest of my reading time chasing this thing around with a glass and capturing it. Then throwing it overboard.

[MicHughV]

The trick to any icebox is to keep it filled to the max as much as possible. I've also used empty half gallon plastic milk bottles, filled them (not quite to the top) with water, and had them frozen and stack them in the bottom of the icebox.

Finally, the icebox drain needs some consideration. Mine had a loop in it, so there was always water in it, and not air.

[Peeew]

In addition to the suggestions above I will add some that I learned from my hiking days. Food dehydrators are inexpensive and easy to use if you have time. Fruits and vegetables will keep well and taste great after storage if dried properly. Often entire meals can be dried for later use. Leftover stews, soups, etc can be dried and make easy to prepare boat food. Pretty much any non oily food dries well. For extended trips a vacuum food sealer also helps keep food for a longer time.

[Grith]

Thanks for the link regarding the Quenchsea watermaker. I have looked at the manual Katadyne Pur Survivor often found in life rafts previously.
I cannot figure out why for something like the quenchsea why a simple motor cannot be designed to drive the manual pump arm and produce the 4 litres of water an hour that way without the manual effort and time loss of hand pumping.
Just pumping these units this way would potentially be much cheaper than all the fancy and often noisy high pressure pumps in the expensive electrical units.
3 hours x 4 litres would be more than adequate for a couple like us as our water budget is only around 10 litres per day.
Just trying to get my head around a unit comprising a small elliptical drive on an electric motor run from my batteries powered by my large solar array.
I have never tried to create freshwater with one of these manual RO units but if the forces required are too high then hand pumping would be quickly exhausting.
If the forces are moderate then why not frame up a small electrical motor to drive the arm?

[John_Trusty]

Originally Posted by Chotu

When I turned the lights on, I saw the biggest insect I have ever seen in my life. It was a cockroach. Inches long. Or as they call them in Florida a palmetto bug. And I know of cockroaches. I lived in Boston. I lived in New York City. I know cockroaches. But this thing was like eight of them combined into one.

Funny story! I know Chotu knows this, but for the rest ... That palmetto bug didn’t come in on the cardboard, it probably flew onboard (yes, they’ll fly). I just loved the image of Chotu chasing a three inch long bug around his boat.

[JimsCAL]

I cruised for decades on boats without refrigeration. Many times for more than 2 weeks at a time. I assume you are going on a coastal cruise vacation. Just stop at a marina to get block ice every few days to keep the beer cold. And to top up the water tanks or get fuel if needed.

[Tupaia]

Originally Posted by Grith

Thanks for the link regarding the Quenchsea watermaker. I have looked at the manual Katadyne Pur Survivor often found in life rafts previously.
I cannot figure out why for something like the quenchsea why a simple motor cannot be designed to drive the manual pump arm and produce the 4 litres of water an hour that way without the manual effort and time loss of hand pumping.
Just pumping these units this way would potentially be much cheaper than all the fancy and often noisy high pressure pumps in the expensive electrical units.
3 hours x 4 litres would be more than adequate for a couple like us as our water budget is only around 10 litres per day.
Just trying to get my head around a unit comprising a small elliptical drive on an electric motor run from my batteries powered by my large solar array.
I have never tried to create freshwater with one of these manual RO units but if the forces required are too high then hand pumping would be quickly exhausting.
If the forces are moderate then why not frame up a small electrical motor to drive the arm?

I believe these were developed for use in 3rd world countries with no fresh water very little likely hood of them having electricity.

[Grith]

I have just written to Quenchsea suggesting what I wrote above. I understand electricity isn’t available in their proposed third world locations but already small solar panels are driving electric well pumps in similar locations where deep fresh water is available.
Why not something similar with desalination?
Solar panels have become very cheap as have small electric mass produced motors hence these now being distributed for water pumping by NGO’s.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Grith

Just trying to get my head around a unit comprising a small elliptical drive on an electric motor run from my batteries powered by my large solar array.

If the forces are moderate then why not frame up a small electrical motor to drive the arm?

I believe a windscreen wiper motor has been used to power one small water maker.

Pete

[Tupaia]

Originally Posted by Chotu

I spent the rest of my reading time chasing this thing around with a glass and capturing it. Then throwing it overboard.

Hope you threw it far away as they can swim as well as fly.


Reminds me of friends who were awakened by noises on deck. A critter (can't recall what) had taken up residence under their upturned dinghy. Still completely naked he raced around the dinghy, shoe in hand trying to club the critter whenever it made an appearance, while his wife looked on with great amusement from the cockpit.

[Grith]

Originally Posted by Pete7

I believe a windscreen wiper motor has been used to power one small water maker.

Pete

There is a thought. I am sure I have a spare one of those lying around somewhere.
Do you know which unit they drove with it ( katadyne, Quenchsea or other) and did it actually work for an extended period?

[wholybee]

The first third of my circumnavigation was done without any refrigeration. I learned during the first passage that the icebox was so poorly insulated to be useless as an icebox, but great for dry food storage, so four/pasta/rice, etc. went in there.

For provisioning, cheese and butter does not need to be refrigerated. The butter will melt, and the cheese will separate, but it will be perfectly safe. Cured meats do not need to be refrigerated. Onions, potatoes, and cabbage will easily last 2 weeks without refrigeration. Don't cut the cabbage, peel off the leaves as you use it. Most other veggies will last at least 1, and if you are lucky sometimes 2 weeks, depending on temperature and how fresh they were to start. Condiments, mustard, mayo, and ketchup do not need to be refrigerated. Just be careful not to contaminate them. I always bought the smallest jars of each I could find, to minimize how long they were kept after opening. You can bake bread with a basic white bread recipe, and the same recipe can be used for pizza dough or flat breads for simplicity. Just roll it out after rising. Canned tuna and canned chicken(where you can find it) can be mixed into pastas, stir frys, curries, etc.

My menus typically were stir frys of whatever veggies I had, usually onions, broccoli, bell peppers(which can be canned) and a selection of canned veggies and meat if I had it (canned chicken or fresh caught fish). Or a curry, basically the same as the stir fry, but add coconut milk and curry spices and dried chili peppers. I would bake bread once per week, for pizza, sandwiches, etc. Pasta with canned sauce, and added meat if I had it, or other veggies, canned or fresh. Crackers (biscuits outside the US) with cheese for a snack.

I bought eggs, but never relied on them. Too often I would buy a dozen "fresh" unrefrigerated eggs and find them spoiled the first time I used them. Highly dependent on where you are.

[capt jgw]

Originally Posted by Chotu

Yes, exactly Ann.

Mayo is just fine to leave out. It’s fairly acidic.

The way that mayo goes bad is people put that knife in after it touches some meat or something. They contaminate the mayonnaise.

So if you follow Ann’s instructions and always use a clean utensil to scoop out, you can leave mayonnaise out forever.

If you notice in the store, it’s not refrigerated when you buy it.

We get the mayo in a squeeze bottle. Easier to dispense and no worries about a knife. We have a fridge so it's not left out, but we could.

[gonesail]

i hear the freeze dried meals are pretty good.