Corinne Kanter S/V La Forza - Catamaran Cruiser

Sink

My double extra-deep sink comes in handy to wash in one and spray rinse in the other (purchased at a restaurant equipment store). Make sure your sink is capable of handling your largest pot.

I do not have pressure water and use foot pumps for both fresh and sea water. When practical, I do wash with sea water and spray rinse with fresh (using a small 99 % plastic spray bottle). I installed a soap dispenser on the sink to preclude needing soap bottles on the counter top.

Refrigeration and stove

• Both my refrigeration and stove use propane fuel. We burn about a pound a day and carry two 30 pound cylinders giving us plenty of time to get refills.
  
  
• My refrigeration is under-counter, has a small ice maker and holds a 6-pack plus a few leftovers.
  HINT: If you have deep top-loading refrigeration, make a graph of the inside and the opening to see what appropriate size stackable container crates you can use in this space. By having items in crates, it enables you to pick up 3 or 4 crates instead of rummaging around for loose items piled or balanced on one another.
  
  
• My 3 burner stove, with broiler/oven faces toward the bulkhead rather than toward the room. This gives me a safe and secure work niche out of any traffic path and allows others to access the galley with me. Frankly, a 2-burner that has sufficient room to properly center your largest pot or skillet is far more practical.

Cutting board

My large wooden cutting board is marked, one side for fresh (F): fruits and cooked foods, the other side for (R): raw meats, fish, chicken. I spray rinse this board once a month with Clorox and water solution.

Storage

• I use an overhead rack for wine glasses. HINT: On boats that heel over, make a suitable stop to keep the glasses from sliding out.
  
  
• The doors on the bottom cabinet under my sink both do double duty. They swing out with a divided rack for wax paper, plastic wrap and sandwich bags on one door and a trash basket on the other. Handles on my front lower cabinets are bronze rings for my towels.
  
  
• One area on the port aft of our boat, La Forza is for storage of heavy food supplies, with one shelf serving as the booze cabinet. Another shelf has heavy-weather meals; each meal is stored in a re-sealable plastic bag, so one does not have to think - just grab the meal, heat and serve. Every 3 months, we use these meals and replace with a fresh supply. We also carry an emergency pack of food and water along with supplies in a soft pack carrier and replace that once we have done our overnight(s) crossing and are island hopping.
  
  There is also an area where I keep a hanging net for crackers, mostly lightweight foods.
  
  Once the foods are removed from the large pantry and get into the everyday cabinet, it's marked off on the stowage supply list. Next time we have to restock, we have an accurate account.
  
  
• Open crates are stored on the forward port side with tissue wrapped Granny Smith apples, crates of eggs are kept in Styrofoam containers. Green tomatoes are kept in paper bags (peeking in every three days) for if there is a pink one, out it comes because it's telling the green ones "hurry up and ripen". This is all in a well ventilated area. When storing eggs in a cool ventilated area in the original cartons, turn them over in their carton every 3-5 days, especially when you carry 3 or more dozen eggs at a time.
  
  
• Next, straw baskets are up in the main salon where I keep our fresh vegetables and fruits.
  
  
• We also use small, sturdy, plastic hamper-like containers which double as seats around our dining table. Inside are our sheet sets, towels, cloth napkins, etc. I also use the commercial size plastic food containers that once had mayo, ketchup, relish, etc. and now store rice, flour, oatmeal, etc. adding 2-3 bay leaves to keep the weevils away.