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Minimalist Galley Set Up

3K views 10 replies 8 participants last post by  MarkofSeaLife 
#1 ·
Do you have a minimalist galley or do you go all out? I change mine depending on the immediate goals. Here is a look at a very minimalist set up I some times use when doing short cruises alone.

 
#2 ·
I really enjoy your posts and have a lot of respect that you get out on the water so much and seem to have such a good time, but..... I don't understand how you can do it.
Perhaps, it's because you have a home and your boats are your fun time, so comfort isn't all that important. Like those who camp without a tent?
Anyway, have a grand time and keep us up to date on your adventures.
 
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#7 ·
I don't understand how you can do it.
.
I am not sure how to answer how, but I can say why :)

Weight.

I stopped using a motor on this boat last year. I had been using a Honda 2.3, but the noise and the maintenance drove me nuts, so I decided to sail into dock when ever possible and when not possible, paddle.

The boat is of a weight and design that can be paddled or rowed. But I have observed that paddling performance drops rapidly with the increase in weight.

So, I try to cut out or reduce a lot of heavy items. Cooler, ice, bbq, canned food, motor, battery, anchor chain, heavy anchor, gas, pots and pans etc. I only carry 16 liters of water and replenish along the way with a gravity filter etc.

I plan to add a couple of 11 foot oars this spring, I think that will be easier than paddling.
 
#3 ·
Do you have a minimalist galley or do you go all out?
Mine is neither minimalist, nor is it "all out." It is fully functional, with a decent set of pots, pans, mixing bowls, knives, cutting boards, various tools and cutlery. I suppose it's because it's my home (when I'm there). It's equipped for long duration living, but is limited by space and money.

I would say my canoe/kayak camping galley is more limited. But even here I wouldn't call it minimalist. I usually carry a few pots, a pan or two, and a couple of mixing bowls, cutting board, a good knife, etc.

Probably my motorcycle galley gear is the most limited -- perhaps minimalist applies. Here I'm down to one pan, two pots and one mixing bowl.

Interestingly, I carry the same spice wrack everywhere I go; from canoe tripping to boat life to house sitting. It contains a decent selection of spices and a small set of kitchen tools like spoons, spatulas etc.
 
#9 ·
We also love to eat well, but as a charter boat we have all the mod cons to make the cook's job easier. The only thing we don't do is deep fat frying.
But even on the old gaffer (1909) that we sailed through the SoPac for five years or so, even though she had no electricity except for a 12 volt chart table light and a good stereo, we had a pretty decent galley. I really would have liked to put an electric galley sink faucet in, but back then water wasn't easily accessible in many of the places we went, so I just couldn't bring myself to install it.
The watermaker has completely changed how I live on the boat more than anything. Hot or cold water showers whenever we wish (several times a day in the summer's sticky heat) and even while at sea. Love that thing!
 
#5 · (Edited)
Our galley is perfectly fine and we cook there the same as we do at home... fewer pots and pans and hobs... smaller sink and frig and no freezer. But it's of course compact and very efficient.... everything is in reach! Great design by Dick Zaal. I made a few mods... one lid to access dish storage and the small shelves for spices, glasses, and misc stuff like stove fiddles and scripto lighter... Only a single drawer for cutterly.

I suppose minimalist depends on what you need to cook.
 

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#6 ·
No doubt our current set up is closer to all out than minimalist. I can make do with whatever the situation requires, but see no reason to try to come under the bar, if more options are available. I'll camp, whenever it's the only option available, but I'd never camp next door to a hotel, with vacancy.

Even with our current set up, which is quite comfortable (4 burner stove and oven, microwave, two fridges, ice maker, double sink, even a dishwasher (which we never use) it is substantially less functional than our home. Still, it's not all that limiting. My parent's first boat, when I was a kid, had no real galley. Cold food only, unless we hauled the portable charcoal bbq to the beach to cook. As a kid, the BBQ was a big hit, sand in the food and all. :)
 
#11 ·
Great videos!

No, I'm not minimalist. Nir am I "go all out".... I am a Total Extravagant Gourmet". Especially at sea!

My oven is the missed used appliance on the boat and has many more hours than the engine.
Each day is different, but always every meal is hot cooked.
I only eat 2 meals per day: cooked breakfast about midday and dinner about 8pm.

At sea I feel we use many more calories than we think. I've never done a long passage and not list weight. I reckon we use 5,000 calories or more. So a big roast meat dinner at night, breakfast of meat and eggs, and a quality meat lunch (at sea only).

Because I live on board, and my boat has good galley storage I have a full range of ingredients, herbs and spices... This makes it easier and fun.
 
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