All of us have seen the endless

parade of beer and chips heading to various boats for an afternoon sail or weekend getaway and, in many cases, that is all the provisioning that you need. For those who want to eat in style for a longer adventure I have some suggestions for you to consider.

How long is your trip going to be?

While a six pack of beer and a bag

of chips might be good for an afternoon outing, you might get real hungry if that is all you have to last you for a weekend. You might need more beer.

How many people are going on the cruise?

Not only do you need to know how

many people you need to buy food for, you need to know a little about their eating habits. For example most teenagers I know can eat me under the table.

What type of cooking facilities do you have?

Most boats have some type of

stove on board. Many have BBQ’s which are a favorite way to cook for many boaters and larger vessels may have gourmet galleys with all of the conveniences of home including ovens and microwaves.

What kind of refrigeration is there on board?

If you are going on a longer

adventure, the type of refrigeration you have will determine the supplies that you will take for your voyage. There is a big difference between having an ice box or cooler on board to having a modern refrigerator freezer on your boat. If you will need ice, how long will it last and how often will you need to buy more ice. It is very nice to have ice clinking in your drink if you are lucky enough to be cruising in sunny weather.

Can you resupply during the voyage?

If you are cruising in areas where

you can resupply daily, it is not that important to get everything you need before you leave. If on the other hand you will be a week or longer between resupply points, planning is all the more important. I learned the importance of

Provisioning 101

A friend said, what is there to know about provisioning:

“Beer, wine, cheese, crackers. Four words.” While that is true in many cases, for those who want to expand their cruising, you will also need to expand your provisioning

By Gary Dickinson

this while camping with the Boy Scouts. Once a month we would take the boys on a camping trip. These trips would take place, rain or shine, and we would always back pack into remote areas. I remember having hot dogs for one of the meals but the boys forgot to get hot dog buns. If you forgot something for the trip you are out of luck.

Don’t forget the importance of snack food!

I have a sweet tooth, and one of the

things I bought for my last cruise was a case of candy bars at Costco. While sailing the Exuma island chain in the Bahamas I became very popular, or at least my candy was, and I only had to pack it to the boat rather than into a campsite like when I was camping.

Sundowners or Happy hour.

It

is called different things

depending on where you are cruising. In the Caribbean this time was called sundowners because when the sun went down you could hear the sound of conk shells being blown which signaled the start of social time among

the cruisers.Social get together while cruising is one of the best things about cruising. You have time to visit, swap stories, and get to know each other. This is where the beer, wine, cheese and crackers come in. I have seen cruisers who take sundowners very serious and they have loaded enough beer, wine, cheese and crackers on board to make their boat the boat that every one meets at for social hour.

Technological Advancements:

Many advancements have been

made over the years that make taking and storing food for your voyage much easier. Every day I was in port last winter I would see cruisers hauling ice to their boats every few days to keep their perishables cold. They make coolers now that claim to keep ice for a week at a time. I am lucky to have refrigeration on board, so I have not had to see if the coolers really meet that claim. I have a 12v 120v refrigerator/ freezer on my boat that has worked flawlessly for many years. I have the option of three setting as a cooler or two settings as a freezer. On an extended

48° NORTH, JUNE 2010 PAGE 47

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