The Boat Galley
Episodes
Will I Like Cruising?
07 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Somehow, you've started to think about cruising. Maybe you saw boats anchored in a harbor or got talking with a cruiser. Maybe a friend is living on t...
Catching Water
05 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Catching water is a special way to keep your water tanks filled to the brim, even if there's some scrambling. Here, Nica Waters tells her experiences....
You CAN Do It
04 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
"If you can read, you can do anything." That was the lesson Carolyn Shearlock's mother drummed into her as a kid. Listen in to learn how this translat...
Overcoming Fear, Gaining Confidence
03 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Storms, breaking seas, shrieking rigging, it seems every new sailor fears their first encounter with heavy winds. But it is not just new sailors who e...
Practicing Cruising Skills
02 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Not everything on a boat revolves around moving the boat and navigating. And many of those skills can be practiced on shore, every day. Carolyn Shearl...
Spare Parts for Your Boat
30 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A quick, comprehensive and invaluable guide to the essential spares you'll need to carry if you're planning to spend a good deal of time on board your...
Boating Friendships
28 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Is it easier to make friends when you sail, or is it the people who are different? Nica Waters gives her thoughts on the topic. Links: Caribbean Compa...
Tracking Down a Fuel Problem
27 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Ugh. Engine problems. Even if you have a sailboat with a so-called "auxiliary engine," there are plenty of times when you count on that engine working...
Interview with Sailing Kittiwake
26 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Roving reporter Mike McDowell interviews a young couple living the dream as digital nomads on their 26' catamaran. Links: Sailing Kittiwake: http://sa...
Electrical Galley Appliances
25 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Some cruisers want every electric appliance they had at home, others want none. Most have at least a few. Carolyn Shearlock discusses things to think ...
Stargazing from a Boat
23 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever really seen the night sky? From a place where there is no light pollution? All I can say is WOW. In ten years of cruising, Carolyn Shear...
What Kind of Dinghy?
21 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Every cruiser needs a dinghy. Which one is best for you? Listen in as Nica Waters explains the two very different dinghies they've cruised with . . . ...
Communications Apps for Cruisers
20 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Cruising to foreign destinations generally doesn't mean abandoning communications with your family and friends. We all still want to stay connected —...
Provisioning for an Ocean Voyage
19 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The whole idea seems daunting. You are in charge of ensuring there is lots to eat once you set off to cross the Pacific. But what is enough? And how d...
Catamaran or Monohull
18 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Seven years on a monohull. Four years now on a catamaran. Carolyn Shearlock compares her Gemini catamaran to her Tayana 37 heavy monohull and describe...
Cruising with a Dog
16 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Cruising with a dog? Is it really possible? I mean, not just in a marina, but out sailing or motoring? How about full time cruising in foreign countri...
Grilling on a Boat
14 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Grilling is a favorite way of cooking on board cruising boats. Nica talks about her favorite tools! Links to items mentioned (Amazon): Magma Kettle Pr...
Weird Wiring Colors
13 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
If you buy a used boat, someday you're sure to discover something that the prior owner did that leaves you scratching your head. For Carolyn Shearlock...
Gear Breaks
11 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Things WILL break on your boat. Many times, a permanent fix isn't immediately possible, especially if you're in a remote area. So what are you doing t...
Post-Hurricane Unseen Dangers
09 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Unfortunately, with hurricanes come sunken, holed and grounded boats. The shattered dreams are devasting and everyone wants to recover their boat or a...
Bring the Joy
07 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Moving onto a boat means downsizing. Nica Waters, who's doing this right now, gives you clues on how to decide what comes with you! Links to items me...
When I Hated Cruising
06 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
There's a saying about cruising that "the highs are higher and the lows are lower." Some of those lows can seem miles deep. And while Carolyn Shearloc...
Staying Healthy in the Tropics
05 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The cruising cook has many responsibilities beyond ensuring everyone on board is well fed. She/he is the person who is most responsible for ensuring t...
Monitoring the Batteries
04 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
How do you know if your batteries are getting charged enough? If there's enough power to watch a movie? If your solar panels or wind generator are suf...
Sufficient Power Aboard
02 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
If you're living off the grid — at anchor — what electrical "goodies" can you reasonably have and how do you power them? Carolyn Shearlock, with t...
Talk Like a Cruiser
31 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Any new venture involves new language; shortcut the learning curve with this episode! Links VHF radio (on Amazon): https://amzn.to/2xnAPRY Storm Tact...
Boat Systems for Everyone
30 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Can you use all the systems on your boat? Someday, you may have to. Can everyone else aboard also use everything? If there is more than one person ...
Oven Baking Unevenly?
28 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Boat ovens are notorious for baking unevenly -- one part of an item will be burned while another part is raw. Carolyn Shearlock, author of The Boat Ga...
Organizing Your Boat
26 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
How many times do I have to rearrange things before I get it "right"? Why isn't it obvious where things should go? And why is it that what seemed like...
The Magic of Boat Names
24 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Naming your boat can be harder than naming your child. Experienced cruiser Nica Waters shares 5 tips to think about – and the story of her boat's na...
Mistakes Happen
23 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
No one is immune to mistakes. But the big thing is how you handle it at the time, and what happens next. Carolyn Shearlock tells of her most recent sc...
Overnight Passages
22 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Watchkeeping is not just about ensuring you avoid collisions, it is about ensuring the boat is safe, the gear is working properly and the person off w...
Cooking & Eating Underway
21 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Cooking on a boat is a bit different to start with but cooking while underway, particularly if conditions are "sporty," takes it a step further. Car...
Getting Mail When Cruising
19 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
If you're on the move, in a foreign country or even living aboard in a marina, how can you get your mail? Cruisers use a number of different strategi...
Six Steps to a Perfect Bottom
17 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Maintenance is a part of boat ownership, and doing a bottom job is a regular item on that to-do list. Nica Waters details the steps they take to keep ...
Q Flag
16 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Planning to cruise outside your home country? You're going to need a Q flag. What's that? you ask. Listen in and find out when, why and how to fly yo...
3 Ways to Reduce Cruising Stress
14 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
We start cruising to have fun. And then stress can creep in as we're learning a whole new lifestyle. In this episode, Carolyn Shearlock discusses thre...
Three Reasons to Go to a Boat Show
13 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
What do you get out of going to a boat show? Is it worth the expense? Nica Waters, fresh from the Annapolis Spring Show, gives three reasons for going...
Helm Notes
12 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
How do you remember everything that you need to know for the day's trip? It's generally impossible for one person to remember it all, let alone give t...
Eating Street Food
09 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Sampling the local food is a wonderful part of traveling. And food carts and street food abound — but is the food safe or likely to make you sick? C...
Working as You Cruise
08 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Some people feel perfection would earning enough money to set off cruising without ever having to work again. Others put off cruising because they don...
4 Months of Boat Repairs
07 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Are you really constantly repairing your boat when you cruise? That's a big question for those thinking about the life, especially as so many people m...
Sunsetters on the Water
05 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Cruising may not be all gorgeous sunsets in wonderful anchorages with your favorite beverage in hand, but when it happens, why not celebrate? Get ...
Unexpected Ingredients
03 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Provisioning isn't just about taking the food you eat all the time. Leave room for special ingredients! In this episode, experienced cruiser Nica Wate...
Do I Need an Windlass?
02 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A windlass is an expensive piece of gear; an electric windlass isn't just money but also requires substantial electrical planning to ensure it gets ad...
Ten Things to Make Galley Life Better
30 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Carolyn Shearlock, author of The Boat Galley Cookbook and 10-year cruiser, lists ten of her favorite products to make cooking in a small, un-aircondit...
Is Your Lifesling Ready to Go?
28 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The Lifesling (MOB retrieval system) is one of those pieces of gear that we certainly hope we never have to use, but if we do, it has to work perfectl...
The Precision of Boat Space
26 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
You may think an inch is not that much space. When you're renovating a small boat, it's as good as a mile. Nica Waters talks about the joys of thinki...
Trips from Hell
25 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Trips from hell. They exist. Weather. Boat problems. Sick. Tired. Hot. Whatever the reason, some trips just don't go as expected. Ten-year cruiser Car...
Two Clues
24 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
For years, Lin Pardey has urged prospective cruisers to "go small, go simple, go now." Here, she relates how that seems to be changing the cruising ex...
Hurricane Preparation
23 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The time to plan how you'll prepare for a hurricane is long before there's one threatening your boat. Carolyn Shearlock has always cruised in hurric...
First Aid Kit for the Boat
21 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
What do you need in a first aid kit aboard a cruising boat and how do you ever begin to organize it? Carolyn Shearlock tells what they carry for coast...
Privacy on Board
19 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
How do you keep your sanity (and your privacy) on board a small boat? Nica Waters shares tips learned from over 20 years of living aboard and cruising...
An Introduction
18 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
So what is Carolyn Shearlock's cruising background? Where has she gone? Does she really know anything? Find out all this along with why she started Th...
How to Use a Propane Stove
16 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Propane stoves aren't that hard to use, but there are some important differences from home electric or gas stoves. Here, Carolyn Shearlock addresses t...
Project Boat as Your First Boat
14 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
If you're in the market for a boat, sooner or later you'll be intrigued by some really low-priced boat you see. Hmm, you think, with the money I sav...
A Cruising Day with Totem
12 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Ever wondered what a day cruising really looks like? Come along with Nica on Totem for a day as 9 people cruise in Panama's Guna Yala region. Links: S...
What Does Cruising Cost?
11 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Wondering if you could really afford to cruise? Most people assume that you have to be wealthy to cruise. Not so — but it does take a certain amount...
The Joys of Sailing
10 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Even an accomplished sailor needs to learn the subtleties of sailing a new boat. Lin Pardey uses tricks learned in her years of sailing to safely lear...
It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere
09 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Beer, wine and other alcoholic drinks seem to be an ingrained part of the cruising life. But we've found that cutting back a little has actually impro...
Ciguatera (Fish) Poisoning
07 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Whether you're fishing, buying fish at the market or even just ordering fish at a restaurant, you need to know about ciguatera poisoning. What is it r...
How Do You Learn To Sail?
05 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Learning how to sail is a prerequisite for going cruising on a sailboat. Nica's been sailing for years, in all kinds of boats, on all different bodies...
Cruising the Bahamas
04 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Cruising the Bahamas is wonderful! Seven things to know — and really think about and take to heart –before you go. It's easy to get so caught up i...
Living With a Small Refrigerator
02 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Boat refrigerators are small, usually less than a quarter of the size of a home refrigerator. But grocery stops are less frequent than when living ash...
Getting Prescriptions When Cruising
31 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
What do you do if you fell ill while cruising or if you have a pre-existing condition that requires medication? How do you get hold of the drugs you n...
Re-Entry Grief
29 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
All cruises come to an end, sometime. How do you deal with the reentry? Nica Waters shares her experience with coming back to land after cruising, and...
Taking on Water? What You Need
28 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
If your boat is holed, you have just minutes to save it -- but it CAN be saved. There's no time to waste. Pumps can't keep up; you need to stop the le...
On Watch
27 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
What's it like to actually be at sea? Three-time circumnavigator Lin Pardey shares 4 vignettes from times on watch. These stories were taken from Lin'...
Doing (US) Taxes While Cruising
26 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Sailing off into the sunset doesn't end the obligation to file and pay taxes. But how do you do it when you're living on a boat and travelling? A crui...
Refrigerator Problem or Bad Batteries?
24 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
You reach in the refrigerator for a nice cold drink on a hot day, and the can or bottle just doesn't seem as cold as it should be. A few hours later, ...
Cruising Hacks, Galley-Style
22 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Living in a small space, sometimes it's the little things that really help you make the most of the space you do have. With a 28' boat of her own, exp...
Operational Info
21 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Be honest. Can you always remember everything about your boat. Which gas can is for the outboard (mixed with oil) or the generator (straight gas)? How...
Outboard Won't Start?
19 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Need to go somewhere and the outboard won't start? Or worried about trying to go somewhere and having a problem with the motor and not getting home? C...
How Much Water Per Day?
17 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
How much water do you use on your boat? How much do you need to carry to get you to your next stop? Important questions as you're planning your trip ....
How Do You Decide to Go Cruising?
15 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Life is comfortable. What question can you ask that will make it possible to flip the switch and decide to head off to the unknown? Nica Waters, who h...
Don't Blindly Follow Experts
14 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Getting ideas from other cruisers and experts is wonderful, but you have to temper the advice they give with knowing what you like and what you plan t...
The Things You'll Miss
13 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
When you decide to do one thing, you miss out on a million others. You have the choice: Lament what you don't have, or celebrate what you do. Lin's mi...
Trash Management to Avoid Bugs
12 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Trash can be a real source of bugs on a boat: ants, flies and cockroaches. We don't even want to think about the other critters - like mice - that mig...
Cooking in a Moving Kitchen
10 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Burns and cuts can happen anytime you're cooking. Add in the movement of a boat — even in a calm anchorage, let alone at sea — and the chance of a...
Fit2Sail Introduction
08 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Nica Waters has been cruising and sailing on her family's 28' sailboat since 1992. She shares some insights about life on board, particularly what she...
When Boat Work Turns Filthy
07 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Living on the boat while working on it can be tough. But a motel may not be practical . . . or in the budget. Carolyn Shearlock has lived through thre...
You'll Never Be Ready
05 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
It's so easy to get trapped in the mindset of doing "just a couple more things" before heading out on an extended cruise. In ten years of cruising, Ca...
What to Always Have in the Dinghy
03 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
When you're living on a boat away from a dock, the dinghy is your car. You use it to go back and forth to shore, and also for fun little explorations....
How Big a Boat Do You Need?
02 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Nica Waters has cruised extensively aboard her 28' boat, sometimes just with her husband, Jeremy, and sometimes with her 2 kids. Her perspective urgin...
What Do You Do All Day?
28 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Until you do it, it's tough to imagine what full-time cruising will be like. You may have done a bareboat charter before, but is that really what it's...
Passagemaking and Sleep
26 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Thinking of cruising further afield, where you'll have to do an overnight passage? Wonder what it will be like and how in the world you'll manage slee...
Cruising Over Age 75
24 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Even amongst retired cruisers, Dave Shearlock is a bit of a rarity. At 76, he and his wife Carolyn bought theirsecond cruising boat. They've been aboa...
Is Cruising Really Healthy?
22 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Personal trainer and wellness motivation coach Nica Waters has been sailing and cruising her 28' cutter since 1992. She's passionate about helping peo...
Improving Boat Ventilation
21 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Living on your boat in summer — tropical or otherwise — can be hot. Really, really hot. Many boaters cope by staying in marinas and install air co...
Laundry Room Etiquette
19 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Laundry rooms are a way of life when you're cruising for more than a few days. But space and machines are usually limited and everyone wants to get i...
Galley Design
17 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
There are tons of features to look at and think about when you're buying a boat. Some are personal preference and some are major safety considerations...
Provisioning Practice
15 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Nica's cruised for years on her 28' cutter, with as many as 4 people living aboard full-time. She's learned some tricks about provisioning along the w...
How to Make Boat Cards
14 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
If you're new to boating and cruising, you were probably startled the first time someone gave you a boat card or asked for yours. What's this? A busin...
Turkish Evil Eyes
12 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Go through any harbor or marina and you'll probably find a least a few boats sporting Turkish Evil Eyes. What are they and why do many people put them...
Creating a Boat Details Document
10 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
It's impossible to remember all the details of every bit of equipment on your boat! Yet, you need that info when you're buying parts, checking the war...
When Does Cruising Really Start?
08 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Cruising is as personal as almost anything else in life, and this includes deciding what makes it really cruising in the first place. Nica Waters has ...
Check If Instruments Are Accurate
07 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
When you get a new boat — brand new or new-to-you — you assume that the instruments are set up correctly. Ditto if you get new instruments, especi...
Organizing Galley on Charter
05 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A few minutes spent organizing your provisions at the beginning of a bareboat charter will pay immense dividends over the course of the trip. It'll be...
Choosing a Boat Name
03 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Choosing a boat name is a lot like choosing a name for a baby: it's a very personal decision. Carolyn Shearlock says, "With our first boat, we were ju...
Exercise on Board
01 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Exercising on board is fraught with questions, most having to do with equipment and space. You don't have to take your entire personal gym with you wh...