Equipping a Galley and Salon

Cruising Corner: Equipping the Galley and Salon

As published in the July, 2018 Newslines

By Bernice Houle, Affiliate Member and Cook on Impulse

Memorial Day has come and gone, everyone has recovered from the CYC Open Regatta, and July 4 is a just a flash and boom in our memory. Racing season is in full swing, the Full Moon Raft-ups have started, and folks are planning for the Long Island Sound/Block Island cruise in August. To assist with some of the preparations for cruising, the March Newslines (http://chelseayacht.org/members/newsmarch.pdf) included an article about provisioning your boat. That article along with this one should be a good foundation for prepping your boat for an overnight (July Full Moon Raft-Up is scheduled for Saturday, July 28) or longer cruise.

How many people are typically on your boat? Four? Then there is little need to have more than a set of 4 mugs, glasses, plates, bowls (deep, not shallow), and eating utensils. Hard plastic or non-shatter, non-slip dishes (can you find square ones to maximize space?) are recommended. In addition, unbreakable stemless wine glasses are a classy way to sip your bourbon on ice.

With limited space it is helpful to have multipurpose “tools” in your galley. For example, it is often not necessary to have multiple-sized skillets/pans. A 12” skillet can meet most of your cooking/reheating needs. The same is true for pots. A medium sized pot can cook pasta, grains and beans, reheat soups and stews, and can be the vessel for a yummy quick tomato sauce.

The following are kitchen supplies that for me are “must haves”: three good, sharp knives including a paring knife, serrated knife, and an 8” chef knife; a bottle/can opener; spatula and spoon (not slotted); a mixing bowl; measuring cups and measuring spoons (if you want to follow a recipe and are not comfortable with estimating. A cutting board is necessary and don’t forget a couple of pot holders. Add a pair of kitchen scissors to your list along with a salt and pepper grinder (they won’t leak) and a couple of basic spices that will fit in a square plastic container and your galley is all set to go.

Items that did not make it to my “must haves” list but are so convenient that they need mentioning include a pour-over brewing/filter cone for coffee (or other coffee maker) and a tea kettle to quickly and easily boil and pour the water. Yes, the water can be boiled in your pot and poured with a cup (which is why they are not on my essentials list), but these two items offer a quick and easy way to provide coffee for a bleary-eyed crew.

The March article recommended preparing meals that will lead to leftovers. Storing those leftovers should be considered when setting up your galley. I love the nesting, plastic, snap lock storage containers (square). They are airtight and will not pop open in your refrigerator/ice box. Check them out!

It is important to think about how you will use your galley. For example, I do not bake while cruising, so extensive baking supplies are not a consideration for me; but they may be important to others. Visiting others’ boats is also a great way to share experiences. While being hosted on a members’ boat I found I was impressed by the stemless wine glass that had a thumb indent. If I needed new glasses, they would certainly be a contender. What is important to you? What galley items are most used on your boat? I encourage you to share your experiences with others.