Provisioning a three day get away on a 22

[RECESS]

I just brought home a 1978 Catalina 22. My wife did not like raising and lowering the mast on the O'Day 25 for just a weekend. Even with the use of a gin pole. She suggested I look into a Catalina 22 for weekend trips and we use the 25 for longer trips. OK twist a little harder for me to get another sailboat. We found a nicely equipped 22 and brought it home. After spending a little time on it and then going back to sailing the O'Day 25 it was like going from a tent to an apartment. I would have no problems knowing just what to bring on the O'Day but it has a lot more room and a lot more storage. I have two 5 gallon plastic Gerry cans for water storage but what else would you all suggest for a three day stay on anchor? We plan to anchor in the coves around Dog Island near Carribelle Florida. How do you deal with the porta potti situation on a trip like that with two adults and a child for three days? I have a couple weeks to try and make this a little more comfortable than just roughing it. Any and all suggestions welcomed.

 

[Mike B1026]

Local laws

You might want to check out the local laws. Port-a-Potti etc.
We have been using the http://www.rei.com/product/662980

It may not be "legal" in your area. I don't think many places have these in their regs.

I just brought home a 1978 Catalina 22. My wife did not like raising and lowering the mast on the O'Day 25 for just a weekend. Even with the use of a gin pole. She suggested I look into a Catalina 22 for weekend trips and we use the 25 for longer trips. OK twist a little harder for me to get another sailboat. We found a nicely equipped 22 and brought it home. After spending a little time on it and then going back to sailing the O'Day 25 it was like going from a tent to an apartment. I would have no problems knowing just what to bring on the O'Day but it has a lot more room and a lot more storage. I have two 5 gallon plastic Gerry cans for water storage but what else would you all suggest for a three day stay on anchor? We plan to anchor in the coves around Dog Island near Carribelle Florida. How do you deal with the porta potti situation on a trip like that with two adults and a child for three days? I have a couple weeks to try and make this a little more comfortable than just roughing it. Any and all suggestions welcomed.

 

[Ross]

Re: Local laws

provisions: covers a broad range of products. One tube of tooth paste is enough but two rolls of T.P. is prudent. food is another question but you are looking at 9 meals plus snacks and drinks.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Plans A and B

How do you deal with the porta potti situation on a trip like that with two adults and a child for three days?

Plan A: A 5-6 gal. portapotty will hold 50-60 flushes...enough for the three of you on a 3 day weekend.

Plan B: A 2-3 gal portapotty that holds 25 flushes...enough if you decide to come in for ice etc once in mid-trip...and a LOT less weight to carry off the boat to dump it.

The lee rail and swimming when you and/or the admiral only have to pee MIGHT make the smaller one work without coming in to empty it. Up to you whether that also includes the kid and whether conditions allow that.

 

[Andy1237]

Pre-freeze as much as you can before you leave; such as OJ, steaks, even plain water frozen in 2L softdrink bottles can be used to supplement the cooler ice needs.

 

[jibes138]

A 5 gallon bucket with a sealable snap lid can be used to supplement your porta potti. When full pour the contents into the bucket, snap the lid in place and the porta potti is all set for another few days. The pail takes up some space but saves a trip to shore. These buckets have a seal in the lid you might find them at Home depot. I used to get them from a friend in the food industry and they would get various foor products shipped in them so the seals would seal really good. and not leak at all and no smell would escape.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Or...a second portapotty tank.

When the first one is full, remove it and store it...install the second one.

Re the other end of the food supply chain:

Ya GOTTA have a grill!

You can take an amazing amount and variety--eat like kings, in fact--if you plan EVERY meal and snack and do all the advance prep--slicing, dicing, sauces etc--at home. Estimate portions and take only as much as you'll eat...that'll reduce the amount of storage needed for food by as much as 75%. I once took a 5 course marinated rack of lamb dinner for 4 on an airplane in a box that fit under the seat (details on request.). We cooked it aboard the boat that night.

Take Andy's advice to freeze everything you can including meat. When you load the food cooler, put what you'll use last on the bottom, what you'll use first on the top. You can pre-bake or nuke potatoes at home, then only have to re-heat aboard (they'll plump right back up when they get hot again) wrapped in foil on the grill.

 

[Sailm8]

My wife and I used to do the Keys in our C22 for a week at a time. Get a good quality cooler that has an insulated top. Freeze everything before you load up such as meat like burgers, chops, steaks, etc. Freeze gallon water jugs to fill up the space in the cooler also ice in a block if you can find it. Use an ice pick to chop up the block fro drinks/cocktails.

In a second cooler put drinks and frozen water bottles and you first days food.

Only open the first cooler to replenish what you need for day two into cooler 2. This will easily get you through 3 days with no problem. Try not to put anything in a cooler that has not been precooled or frozen.

 

[rgranger]

I downsized from a Coronado 25 to a MacGregor 22 this past summer. And space was a big issue. Some things I learned.

1) Netting hung from the cabin top is a cheap and awesome addition. It keeps your stuff off of the cabin sole and makes it possible to actually find the thing you are looking for. Give each person in your crew their own net and they can keep their stuff to themselves.

2) You do not need to pack a lot of ice. Instead freeze a bunch of individual sized water bottles and a few 2L bottles ....use them as ice. This will also free up space in water storage. The larger the volume of ice, the longer it will last. Chip ice melts in a day or two. A 2L block will still have some ice after 4 days.

3) Canned soup (not condensed) is a fast and hardy meal... I like the vegetable beef and bean and bacon. They require no refrigeration and if you are under sail and don't want to cook, you can eat it right out of the can with a plastic spoon and you have nothing to wash.

4) Peanut Butter and Jelly!!!!!

5) For bread I always get those round flat bread things that have started showing up in the market (not tortillas). They don't get smashed like regular bread and they don't take up as much room.

5) For drinks I pack a bunch of those individual powdered flavor packs and add them to water. They have a bunch of flavors, the kids like them, they take almost no room and they are a lot healthier than soda.

6) Trailmix is always a favorite snack with my kids

I always find breakfast to be the most challenging meal. I like to get up first and set sail while the family is still snoozing, but I also really like hot coffee in the morning.

 

[Freedom77]

Beer, Beans and Bacon Fair winds...

 

[RECESS]

Thanks for all the advice about the frozen food, frozen water and food items. For the bucket to empty the porta potti (waste holding tank) do you start it with a half gallon of water and blue tablets or packs for waste water tanks to keep the smell down?

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

No need...

For the bucket to empty the porta potti (waste holding tank) do you start it with a half gallon of water and blue tablets or packs for waste water tanks to keep the smell down?

You're already gonna have whatever "treatment" you need in the portapotty tank...and since the bucket will be sealed, the environment in it will be anaerobic so nothing else you add will prevent odor, but since it will be sealed it won't matter. However, I'd go with either a larger portapotty or a second tank for it...have you ever noticed how much storage space a 5 gallon bucket needs on small boat???


Re breakfast: Unless you hate your eggs scrambled, break 'em and scramble 'em at home and put 'em into a plastic bottle to keep in the cooler. Then all you have to do is pour 'em into the pan.

 

[SirWm]

Re breakfast: Unless you hate your eggs scrambled, break 'em and scramble 'em at home and put 'em into a plastic bottle to keep in the cooler. Then all you have to do is pour 'em into the pan.

Sounds like a good idea!
How long will eggs keep after they are "opened" ?

 

[rgranger]

Beer, Beans and Bacon Fair winds...

Well.... you can't argue with that...:dance:

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

At least a week if they're kept cold

Sounds like a good idea!
How long will eggs keep after they are "opened" ?

I've never had a problem up to 4 or 5 days.

Btw...another trick with eggs that really has nothing to do with this subject...

To transport deviled eggs to a party without risk of disaster if you have to hit the brakes, put the cooked white halves back together and put 'em back in the egg carton...and put the stuffing in a covered container. Stuff the whites and put 'em on the plate when you get to the party.

 

[kenn]

My wife and I do at least one 3-day weekend a season in our 19' boat. Often, one of the nights is at a marina, so we get a chance to shower and maybe dine out, but we have also done 3 days out.

Three days is just within reason for our little Class III MSD head.

Everybody's already given you the top ideas for food. We follow most of them, especially freezing everything you can. We also buy vacuum-bagged entrees (like lamb korma, beef stew, etc) that don't need refrigeration. We just heat'em in a saucepan, then cook up some minute rice on our butane burner to go with it.

Trail mix is a staple.

 

[Sailm8]

Freeze eggbeaters. They come in pint cartons in groups of 6 from Sam's. Thaw one out at a time. We use the precooked bacon (you get used to it) instead of the real stuff. No grease to get rid of. Good boat breakfast is slice open a English muffin, cook eggbeaters, heat bacon and put all on the muffin with a slice of cheese. Add a Bloody Mary and all of the food groups are covered. Booze, grease, bread and bacon.

We cooked on a one burner propane canister stove.

 

[ffaubert]

Beer, Beans and Bacon Fair winds...

Not with that combination! Foul winds maybe.

 

[rgranger]

Not with that combination! Foul winds maybe.

I once saw a boat named "Breakin' Wind". I wonder if this was his diet?

 

[Dan Hill]

The biggest problem with eggs in my opinion is the clean-up on a boat that small. What we do is an old boyscout trick. Crack the eggs individually into zip-lock bags, squeeze as much air out as possible, mush the egg around for scrambled or leave alone, drop bag(s) into boiling water til done to desired tastes, open bags onto plates and enjoy! They say the eggs will sometimes turn green due to some sulfur content and that a drop or two of lemon juice will cure that. Have Fun!!!