# Cruiser's Biggest Provisioning Surprises...



## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

Well, I will share one of our biggest surprises (or two). I welcome others to share theirs!

First, we have two kids on board. Of course, we have been harping about water usage for years, but it seems it has finally settled in: we can now go (very conservatively) for about two weeks on 130g of water. If we don't conserve, we are down to about 10 days. This includes showers every day and at least one clothes washing.

On the other hand, we are killing the paper towels. They seem to be our nemesis. We have been switching over to more traditional towels for cleaning and other uses, but paper towels are probably our biggest issue.

Another item we are having trouble balancing is bread. For something that costs a buck at the store, it sure does come as a luxury about your second week on the hook! Our workaround for that is tortillas which last a surprisingly long time and keep well. But you can't exactly store enough bread to last a month, so we are looking for some good recipes to make it.

What have others been surprised with? What is your nemesis?? What was your workaround?

Brian


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## chucklesR (Sep 17, 2007)

Cigarettes!

Not a problem for everyone, but there it is. 

Real soda, I don't mean the soda stream stuff - it doesn't taste the same, and if you are going to drink soda you want it to be what you like (especially in a diet soda).


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## sww914 (Oct 25, 2008)

I am truly shocked the the peanut butter prices in Mexico. I wish I'd bought 10 jars at Costco in California before we crossed the border.
In fact, the whole concept of buying in bulk to save money seems to have skipped Mexico.


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## MastUndSchotbruch (Nov 26, 2010)

sww914 said:


> I am truly shocked the the peanut butter prices in Mexico. I wish I'd bought 10 jars at Costco in California before we crossed the border.
> In fact, the whole concept of buying in bulk to save money seems to have skipped Mexico.


Hm, I saw Costco and Sam's Club in Mexico.


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## barefootnavigator (Mar 12, 2012)

Brian, you might be surprised how easy it is to bake fresh bread. If you don't want so much heat from the oven try using a cast iron skillet and making corn bread. I'ts so easy even I can do it and there is nothing in the world as luxurious as fresh bread. As far as the paper towels go its hopeless. We try and try, we have a 99% green boat but paper towels are our downfall.

When it comes to provisioning dog food is our money pit, we spend almost the same amount on Chloe as we do on our self's. Once we cross the border we will start sharing our food with her and cutting down on kibble but she is older and her food has all the vitamins and minerals a doggy could want. Storage for dog food is another issue, we buy a 6 month supply at a time and it definitely cuts into our booze storage.


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## Melrna (Apr 6, 2004)

Beer for a long cruise. I can store a lot but crew drinks a lot especially during sundowners with other cruisers. 
Bread we make or if in the Bahamas, Bimini bread is bought by the case. 
Toilet paper with 4 women onboard is my other nemis. Takes up way to much precise storage space, even after collapsing the rolls.


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

barefootnavigator said:


> Brian, you might be surprised how easy it is to bake fresh bread. If you don't want so much heat from the oven try using a cast iron skillet and making corn bread. I'ts so easy even I can do it and there is nothing in the world as luxurious as fresh bread. As far as the paper towels go its hopeless. We try and try, we have a 99% green boat but paper towels are our downfall.
> 
> When it comes to provisioning dog food is our money pit, we spend almost the same amount on Chloe as we do on our self's. Once we cross the border we will start sharing our food with her and cutting down on kibble but she is older and her food has all the vitamins and minerals a doggy could want. Storage for dog food is another issue, we buy a 6 month supply at a time and it definitely cuts into our booze storage.


We ended up making Fatty's food (until recently, explained later). We used rice and chicken, both of which are readily available. For vitamins, we introduced Dinovite and a calcium/mg supplement. However, the vet recently told us the calcium supplement was probably not needed. You can also supplement with boiled eggs with the chicken (and put the egg shells in too... the dogs digest it for calcium). However, fatty didn't tolerate he egg shells as much as other dogs. If you want the recipe or link, I can send it. If you buy your foods in bulk, you will probably come out cheaper and it is a healthier meal.

We ended up having to go to a prescription diet now because Fatty has developed an allergy to rice and similar products. Now she eats duck and potatoes (while we scavenge for bologna)!! Hard life she has!!

Brian


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

Melrna said:


> Beer for a long cruise. I can store a lot but crew drinks a lot especially during sundowners with other cruisers.
> Bread we make or if in the Bahamas, Bimini bread is bought by the case.
> Toilet paper with 4 women onboard is my other nemis. Takes up way to much precise storage space, even after collapsing the rolls.


Just so you know, beer has a bad habit of exploding if setting against unfinished fiberglass (Gulf stream crossing to Bahamas). The mess it makes, especially when you don't figure it out for about a month or two later, is a real eye opener!! Now beer can be a luxury while liquor drinks have become the mainstay.

Funny, that!!

Brian


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## barefootnavigator (Mar 12, 2012)

Brian, I would love that link and will pass it along, thank you.


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

barefootnavigator said:


> Brian, I would love that link and will pass it along, thank you.


This is the recipe we used:

Chicken and Rice Dog Food Recipe - Homemade Dog Food

We did it both ways (using the boild quarters and raw thighs). But the easiest way for cruisers os probably to buy canned chicken. You can get canned chicken (already cooked) in very large quantities at Costco and it is relatively cheap. This keeps you from having to go through as much trouble with boiling the auarters or the things and cutting them up, etc. FOr cruisers, as you know, rice keep easy and is dirt cheap. SO make a large portion of rice and leave in a disposable container (or separate into ziplock backs of the correct portion for easy feeding). Then just mix in the chicken fromthe can unless you want to use the cooked chicken recipe. Our only other change was that we took out the egg shells. Fatty didn't like them and they make a crappy mess!! You can add in a Calcium product if you are worred about it (I think it was Citrocal, but I cannot remember... white jar with I think a blue label). All of this is on the site. Last thing I would change is I would get the dog used to eating it cold or close to cold. Again, for cruisers, this is a big plus. Just take the time to slowly get them used to it.

Brian

PS We also added the Dinovite, but bought the large bag. Introduce that SLOWLY... or be ready to pick up a lot of yucky poop!


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

BTW, you can buy large portions of rice at Costco too. We do. This makes their meals quite inexpensive, plus (most importantly) all of this stuff is available wherever you go and YOU can eat it too!! A little safety factor built in.

Brian


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## remetau (Jan 27, 2009)

Brian,

First off, stop using so many paper towels. Use rags and sponges instead.

We found that bread was easy to get, but not always cheap. I don't mind spending the extra cash on local foods though. We also use the tortillas a lot more.

Beer was a bigger issue, but I found that good rum is an easy replacement.

Now that we are vegans (for this year anyway), who knows that the provision problems will be. I would hope it would be easier, but last time we were in the Bahamas, the fresh fruits and vegetables were scarce and on their last legs.


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

remetau said:


> Brian,
> 
> First off, stop using so many paper towels. Use rags and sponges instead.
> 
> ...


Who said it was ME using the paper towels!!?? You met my boys! (snicker). Truth is that I am as bad as they are... almost. We use the towels too. It is a hard transition though.

Anothe big surprise was the amount of trash we accumulate as cruisers. Yikes!!

I will say this, cruising sure give you a new perspective on your Footprint you leave on the planet... the water you use, the food you consume, the waste water, the trash, etc. Am I te only one that goes to a land-based toilet and flushes and thinks, "Wow! I'd be out of water in a few days if I had to use that thing!"

So you two went Vegan? Good for you. I tried the whole vegetarian thing once and didnt last very long. Problem is I am a sucky fisherman!

We will be stopping off in Manatee (Emerson Pt) in next week or two. The plan is the weekend after next. You wanna come? Lotsa cruisers going... February 1st... put it on your calendar!!

Brian


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## rhr1956 (Dec 18, 2010)

Brian, I just facebooked you.


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

rhr1956 said:


> Brian, I just facebooked you.


Got ya!

Brian


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## remetau (Jan 27, 2009)

Cruisingdad said:


> Who said it was ME using the paper towels!!?? You met my boys! (snicker). Truth is that I am as bad as they are... almost. We use the towels too. It is a hard transition though.
> 
> Anothe big surprise was the amount of trash we accumulate as cruisers. Yikes!!
> 
> ...


Yeah, I get the trash thing. It takes a bit of conscious thinking to think about it ahead of time, but I feel that it is well worth the effort.

We were once vegetarians for a year and decided to try vegan for 6 weeks this year, but we may stay with it or at least mostly vegan and vegetarian.

I'll try to remember about the Feb 1st. We have been wanting to get away from the dock, but have had too many friends visiting.


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## wingNwing (Apr 28, 2008)

It's really cold up here, the water is turning hard. So all this talk of raftups is making me quite jealous!

My biggest provisioning surprise comes from finding foods in forms different than we expect from the US. Butter in the islands comes in cans ("tins") instead of refrigerated sticks; coconut milk comes powdered - just mix with water; beans and vegetables that we're used to seeing in cans comes in glass jars; and tomato paste comes in a tube like toothpaste, just for some examples.

This link leads to a bunch of links from other cruisers' blog posts specifically about provisioning The Monkey's Fist: Collecting Cruisers' Perspectives: Is there Jif in Vanuatu?


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## newhaul (Feb 19, 2010)

If the heat in the cabin is an issue, you can bake bread quite easily in a pressure cooker on the bbq or small camp stove. Bread is almost as easy as egg noodles to make.


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## chall03 (Oct 14, 2002)

Corn chips.

umm yeah ok...first world problems I know. If Joshua Slocum or for that matter even the era of the Pardeys realised that for months the lack of corn chips on our boat was the number one issue onboard they would be disgusted. But there you go. 

On the other hand we left with 24 kilograms( I'm not good at converting sorry) of rice onboard and now there is about 22 kilograms still onboard to say nothing of the canned goods we took that were largely untouched. 

My personal fear was running out of toilet paper....water, fuel we could manage, but damned if I was going to run out of toilet paper. My wife is still finding rolls of it tucked into nooks here and there.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Do you have paper towels that come in the one-third size sheets? We find it seriously cuts down on waste. If you need a bigger towel, you tear off a few together. We find that we almost never need more than the small sheet.

Also, we have a good supply of micro-fiber rags. They rinse easily and will dry quickly hanging over the faucet.


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## denverd0n (Jun 20, 2008)

sww914 said:


> I am truly shocked the the peanut butter prices in Mexico.


I had to laugh. Our daughter spent a year living in Spain. When we were heading over to visit her we asked if there was anything she wanted us to bring. PEANUT BUTTER! She said how much she missed having peanut butter.

And the REALLY funny part is that she was never that much of a peanut butter fan in the first place. But when she could get it over there (which was very rarely), it was outrageously expensive, so she missed it.


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## aeventyr60 (Jun 29, 2011)

In Asia, the lack of good cheese. In Malaysia, salami, bacon and other pork goodies. Seems we to have to look hard for good quality Italian spices, olive oil and capers.

We figured out how to make our own tortilla's so good Tex Mex is a staple.

Can I interest anybody in some lemongrass?


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## PBzeer (Nov 11, 2002)

If available, try Arnold's Italian bread. Seems to last a bit longer. Plus, when I make sandwiches, I almost always butter one side and put them on the skillet. Gets past the going stale part.

While I use tortillas as well, I also use a lot of saltine crackers for things like peanut butter and sliced sausage and cheese. Egg noodles is another staple of mine. As for beer (I don't drink the hard stuff), I put it here, in the blue wastebasket (cans):


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## Tim R. (Mar 23, 2003)

aeventyr60 said:


> In Asia, the lack of good cheese. In Malaysia, salami, bacon and other pork goodies. Seems we to have to look hard for good quality Italian spices, olive oil and capers.
> 
> We figured out how to make our own tortilla's so good Tex Mex is a staple.
> 
> Can I interest anybody in some lemongrass?


I would like to see you Tortilla recipe. That seems like a great idea.


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## tmiller1116 (Sep 27, 2012)

Tortillas are one of the easiest things to make. Very basic recipe that I use:

2 C. flour
1/2 C. shortening (Crisco like)
3/4 C Warm water
1 tsp salt

-Cut shortening into flour and salt until like cornmeal
-add water and knead 1-2 minutes. Add flour/water if needed to firm up dough
-divide into about 8-10 small round balls
-roll flat on floured surface (it takes practice to make round ones, don't worry about your shape for now )
-brush off excess flour
-cook on un-greased skillet (cast iron is great for this) till bubbles form on top 
-you don't have to flip to cook the other side, but you can

cooking only takes 1-3 minutes depending on your temp.
I generally roll out the next one while the current one is cooking
place on plate between towels to keep warm while cooking
they will last 1-2 days but do not have the preservatives of store bought 
If you have a second burner to warm up (or make) refried beans, you are set!!!!


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## norahs arc (Jan 23, 2013)

Re cruisers and bread. My wife recentyl brought home some ready to bake bread that can be kept for 2-3 monthes without refridgerating. It can be baked in just 8 min. at 400 deg F. It is made by "Dempesters Bakery" . 
Now for the glitch, we live in atlantic Canada and I don't know if it is available everywhere. If you want any more info let me know and I'll try and help.
Keith.


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## SakPase (Jul 18, 2012)

Biggest surprise, how many cookies and snacks we eat and how we never use our canned goods.
Nemesis; our dog sneaking into the pantry and eating whole loaves of bread.


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## aeventyr60 (Jun 29, 2011)

Tim R. said:


> I would like to see you Tortilla recipe. That seems like a great idea.


TMMillers recipe about the same as mine.

I use:
2 cups flour
1/4 cup veg oil
3/4 cup warm water
1-2 teaspoons salt.

Mix, knead well, make into 8 or so balls, cover for 20 minutes, roll out on well floured saloon table, i still make funny shapes, sometimes they look like Australia.... Heat pan with just a few drops of oil, cook on one side for a few minutes....enjoy!


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

SakPase said:


> Biggest surprise, how many cookies and snacks we eat and how we never use our canned goods.
> Nemesis; our dog sneaking into the pantry and eating whole loaves of bread.


Too funny...How they are guided my their noses and stomachs.


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## wind_magic (Jun 6, 2006)

Cruisingdad said:


> On the other hand, we are killing the paper towels. They seem to be our nemesis. We have been switching over to more traditional towels for cleaning and other uses, but paper towels are probably our biggest issue.


CD,

I keep a roll of toilet paper near the paper towels. I know it sounds weird, but you'd be amazed how many times you can use a few sheets of TP instead of a paper towel, just having it within reach really cuts down on the number of paper towels you use.



> Another item we are having trouble balancing is bread. For something that costs a buck at the store, it sure does come as a luxury about your second week on the hook! Our workaround for that is tortillas which last a surprisingly long time and keep well. But you can't exactly store enough bread to last a month, so we are looking for some good recipes to make it.


I would respond to this part but I'd end up writing a book about it.


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## slax (Feb 17, 2013)

barefootnavigator said:


> Brian, you might be surprised how easy it is to bake fresh bread. If you don't want so much heat from the oven try using a cast iron skillet and making corn bread. I'ts so easy even I can do it and there is nothing in the world as luxurious as fresh bread. As far as the paper towels go its hopeless. We try and try, we have a 99% green boat but paper towels are our downfall.
> 
> When it comes to provisioning dog food is our money pit, we spend almost the same amount on Chloe as we do on our self's. Once we cross the border we will start sharing our food with her and cutting down on kibble but she is older and her food has all the vitamins and minerals a doggy could want. Storage for dog food is another issue, we buy a 6 month supply at a time and it definitely cuts into our booze storage.


have a gluten allergy so am bread free for the most part, imagine I could premix the gluten free post purchase and do some cornbread with the nongluten-flour combo as a sub though pure maza (w/out a gluten based mix in) is kinda hard to find even on the populated mainland, wonder how it is out and about...

per the paper towels, ever think about just not buying them, and learning to make due? its not like having a papertowel onboard is going to save your life one day or anything, maybe something you can learn to do without given the motivation, or not I dont know just seems like a good way to do away with something you know you dont need...

the dogfood... yes a problem possibly, though like all problems maybe more of an opportunity to overcome and minimize through effort which it seems from the posting you already do.. if you look at foods which are by all definitions of the veterinary community some of the best available on the market, depending on breed. most have a high content of fish which in theory should be pretty plentiful in your situation, combined with veggies and a complex grain (brown/wild/etc rice).. so while I would definitely pay attention to the consistency of this diet and additives of maybe a more expensive kibble to suplement the vitamins, or even investigate something to take the place of it you all can share, I would think for the most part you could share the base drygoods (alcohol aside  ) and have a smaller requirement for storage of kibble specifically.. unless its an emergency ration situation, then have at it... 
happy sails,
slax


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