BBQ grills and vibration

[Banooma]

My Kuuma/Force 10 Sea Chef BBQ grill arrived and can't wait to expand my sailing experience in BBQing new ways this weekend. I know this will probably be the millionth time a grill is mounted to a sailboat's stern rail, and left there for the season. But, I still have to ask. The manual says to "remove the grill from the mount and store it when not in use" and "long periods of vibration will loosen the BBQ on the mount."

Does anyone have any experience with justifying these precautions? Do you remove your grill from the mount when motoring? How much vibration constitutes long? I see many sailboats in my marina with grills that seem permanently mounted whether or not the owners are there. Are all of them at risk of becoming a sacrifice to Neptune without warning?

I know I can certainly tighten the screws before I get underway and at the end of a day, but should I be checking periodically if I find myself motoring out for an hour or two? Should I be concerned with trying to devise a cable tether to keep it out of the drink?

 

[Ross]

Just put a drop of thread lock adhesive on the bolts before you put the nuts on.

 

[Rick D]

It's a CYA thing. I have had mine on two years and it has never loosened up. I do check it once an a while. Don't worry; be happy.

 

[Steve Dion]

Rick:

There is a boating proverb that says, " the bbq will not fall off it's mount until you have a $15/lb steak on the grill". Didn't your read that in the book of boating proverbs?

Loctite or fingernail polish is a good sealant for the threads.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

corollary to that proverb

There is a boating proverb that says, " the bbq will not fall off it's mount until you have a $15/lb steak on the grill". Didn't your read that in the book of boating proverbs?

You will only drop very expensive cuts of meat overboard, never hot dogs or burgers.

 

[Steve Dion]

Peggie:

I may have been luck over the years. That has NEVER (i am sorry already that I said that) dropped food overboard while BBQing. Now the BBQ thing may be different.

 

[Rick D]

Dropped Cuts

One steak, one chicken breast. Both to seagulls. Now I cook with the lid on

 

[Steve Dion]

Wiser with age?

 

[Richard19068]

I dropped a nice pork roast over one time. Almost jumped in after it.

You do want to check the fasteners though. I remember one start of a Newport to Ensanada race where the bar b que fell off the stern rail of a cruising class boat in the channel out to the start line. I hoped they had another means to cook their meat.

 

[Ross]

Somebody needs to make a grill grate with fiddles.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

That's been done

Somebody needs to make a grill grate with fiddles.

However, VERY few things slide off the grill...it's dropping 'em while turning 'em that turns most meat into fish food.

 

[Ross]

However, VERY few things slide off the grill...it's dropping 'em while turning 'em that turns most meat into fish food.

Maybe better grilling tools are in order.

 

[Winkfish]

Maybe better grilling tools are in order.

You can turn your binnacle into a BBQnicle. At least then the roast stays on the boat.

 

[richk]

We've had ours in place for three years, only removing it during the winter. No worries.

 

[Ross]

You can turn your binnacle into a BBQnicle. At least then the roast stays on the boat.

The grease dripping out makes the floor slippery.
And that brings up a question. Is hanging a grill over the rail and letting the fat drip into the water a violation of the no spilling oil into the water rules?

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Also a fire hazard

The grease dripping out makes the floor slippery.

A grease flare that ignites the burgers...and you'd better have a fire extinguisher handy. That's why a grills should always overhang the water.

And that brings up a question. Is hanging a grill over the rail and letting the fat drip into the water a violation of the no spilling oil into the water rules?

Nope...'cuz the rules only apply to petroleum.

Once upon a time a raft up on Lanier we decided to cook Sundays morning breakfast bacon on the grill...and mine was best suited for it for several reasons. We had about 10 boats, and several pounds of bacon. The guys were cooking the bacon, I was in my galley doing something when one of 'em poked his head in and said, "we need to check your generator when we
get back to the dock...there's a huge oil slick behind the boat." When I went out to look, there was indeed a HUGE oil slick...but it wasn't from my generator, it was bacon fat--which was also all over that end of my swim platform (grill overhang the transom).

My swim platform was teak...and I can attest that bacon fat is the best teak oil on the planet. That raft up was in May...the wood was still well "oiled" the following spring!

 

[Winkfish]

Speaking of BBQs, do you all use charcoal or propane/gas grills?

 

[Ross]

The best grill fire extinguisher is a spray bottle full of water or marinade if you strain it carefully.

 

[zeehag]

i find the bestest ever fire extinguisher for bbq grills is placing the top on the grill with the air holes shut. puts the blaze right out. no air for fire growth and you can still eat the foods and not waste them.

i use charcoal and a weber smokey joe kettle. with tile under. lol best grill ever and for only 2.50 this time-i usually pay only 1-2 dollars for them used. work great and fit in my huge boat easily.

my ericson has a magma grill on it--is so tight after 5 yrs it wont fall ob--lol--cant--is frozen on!!! never took it off--never ever--lol--doesnt vibrate loose unless is only finger tight to begin with.

 

[Ross]

I asked CW4 warrent officer Chad Wolfe USCG this morning at church concerning this. He said that technically it is a violation but he never heard of anybody getting a citation for it. So just don't get grumpy when the law enforcement gang comes by to chat.