I asked Mollie if she would share some tips on how to cook aboard a sailboat. “Sure,” she said with a smile. “That’s simple. My number one tip is to go out to eat instead. There are lots of great places in Coconut Cove that will cook or bake for you—Alligator Chuck’s BBQ Joint, the Sailor’s Corner Cafe, the Tipsy Pirate, the Thai place, or Penelope’s Sugar Shack.”
After explaining that our readers might not always be anchored near Coconut Cove or another town and might have to cook on board their boats at least some of the time, she offered this tip: “Avoid any recipes that include rutabagas.” Then she laughed so hard that she snorted her coffee through her nose.
“Sorry,” she said after she composed herself. “Every time I think about rutabagas I get a serious case of the giggles. Can you believe everyone was so crazy about that Rutamentals diet?”
At this point, Mrs. Moto crawled onto Mollie’s lap and demanded attention. After rubbing her belly for a few minutes, she said, “In all seriousness, cooking on a boat has its challenges. I’ve been fortunate enough to be connected to shore power while we’ve been living aboard Marjorie Jane which means I don’t have to worry about having enough energy to use our appliances. I’m also have a grocery store nearby, so I can stock up on supplies whenever I need to.”
She took a cautious sip of coffee, then continued, “But we’re planning to go sailing for the first time during the Coconut Cove regatta which means I’ll have to learn how to cook while at anchor. And if that goes well, we may go on longer trips. The ladies at the marina have been fantastic sharing their cooking tips and tricks which I’ll be happy to pass on to you.”
Mollie’s Tips for Cooking on a Sailboat
1 – Limited Power
Once you’re disconnected from shore power and leave the marina, you have to monitor your energy consumption. You won’t be able to run the electrical appliances that you did on shore without an inverter. And you also have to be careful that you don’t drain your batteries. Instead of running a coffee maker, you might use French press. Rather than using your Cuisinart to mix and knead dough, you do it by hand. Grill bread under the broiler or brown it in a skillet rather than using a toaster. Reheat leftovers in a pot on the stove, not a microwave. You get the idea.
Some boats can produce their own electricity with solar panels and wind generators, but we’re not so lucky on Marjorie Jane. Just one more thing to add to the never-ending boat project list. Sigh.
2 – Limited Water
The same constraints apply to water. Even if you have a watermaker—a sort of magical contraption that turns salt water into fresh water—you still need to keep an eye on your water consumption. The tanks on your boat can only hold so much water, they could end up leaking, the water could go bad, and watermakers tend to break at the most inconvenient times.
We’ll have to think differently about how we use water on board our boat. No more letting the faucet run mindlessly. Some tips the ladies gave me included minimizing how much water you use to cook pasta or boil potatoes, using canned beans rather than dried (no need to pre-soak them in water), and using salt water to rinse your dishes.
3 – Limited Space
Unless you’re living on a mega-yacht, chances are the kitchen on board your boat will be a lot smaller than the one in your house on land. Limited space means you’re going to have to be creative when it comes to cooking. Remember how I balanced a bowl of cake batter on the ladder leading up to the cockpit? Be prepared to use every inch of space you can find and to move everything to get into the fridge if yours is under the counter like ours is.
4 – Be Creative
Although there are limitations, cooking aboard a boat is also a chance to be innovative. One of the ladies was telling me how much she enjoys having to create something out of the ingredients she has on board. One night, she wanted to make chili, but she didn’t have any onions or ground beef. So she used some onion soup mix instead of fresh onions and opted for a vegetarian version with kidney beans and canned potatoes instead of meat. Her kids loved it.
5 – Things Can Go Flying
While we’ve been living in the boatyard, I haven’t had to worry about the boat moving. But when we’re cooking out at sea or at anchor, things will be different. I’m going to have to remember to be careful about where I set down things. The thought of a knife or a glass flying across the cabin if the boat is rocked by the wake of a powerboat is a little scary. Our gimbaled stove will come in handy. It will swing back and forth with the motion of the boat, keeping the pans and pots level.
6 – It’s Going To Get Hot
It’s always hot where we live in Florida, but while we’re connected to shore power, we can use our portable air conditioning unit. This won’t be possible when we’re out sailing. Everyone has warned me that cooking will heat up the inside of the boat and make it uncomfortable. Using the grill on our deck, eating cold dishes (like pasta salad), or making things that cook quickly will be important when it’s insanely hot.
Although cooking on a boat is different and has its own challenges, I am looking forward to trying out the tips, tricks, and recipes the ladies have shared with me. Provided, there aren’t any rutabagas involved.