So, what makes a good galley design and what is needed for you?
So, what makes a good galley design for you? Do you need a double sink? Are shelves and containers handier than drawers? How many burners do you need for a cruising couple, 1, 2, 3 or 4? Do you need a microwave be it for a tiny coffee heater or as your oven? Should a fridge be built in or is a top loading type slide out be better? Freezers, do you need one? Do you prefer a lineal or U-shape? How much ventilation and light is available? Even the largest boats often have galleys that are a fraction of what you will find in the average home. The lack of space, coupled with the constant movement, tropical nuisances and limited power could make the galley your worst nightmare. With a few basic tips and some thoughtful planning, you can avoid many common mistakes and start whipping up delicious creations in no time.
The key to a successful galley is, do you want to be cooking in it? On a boat we don’t always have the choice of eating out, this will certainly depend on where you are sailing. You would think sailing Australia you have many towns, resorts and such to eat out, but in fact you have long distances between these luxuries and 95% of your food will be made in the galley. I make more food in Our Galley in Australia than I have anywhere else in the world. In the Mediterranean depending on the country you maybe dining out every night and in Asia you will certainly take advantage of the cheap cost to eat out,
To say that the galley (kitchen) has limited space would be an understatement. It’s therefore essential that and attention to detail, with adequate storage to really maximise the potential of the available space in order to facilitate the joy of cooking in your galley. Good storage is key to any efficient kitchen. Whether in lockers, or under the floor, an integrated storage system ensures no space is wasted, it may take you a while to find the right solution for your space but it is well worth the effort.
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Using every bit of space you possibly can for storage is essential. We fitted shelving where the microwave used to be. And below. Added racks to unused wall space to hold everyday necessaries. |
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| A compost bin is a galley requirement. It can be emptied out to sea helping to manage waste onboard |
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| A knife rack is helpful whilst underway. Knives get stored on passages, but when cooking underway it is a good place to secure the knife so you have both hands for other tasks. |
For smaller vessels, you'll need to consider whether that second sink is needed and ensure that clever design consideration has been given to the shape and location of hidden cupboards, overhead storage and pantry spaces. This is an essential consideration where provisions and equipment are stored away for unsettled periods at sea, and for long periods when sailing into remote and distant destinations. To really maximise the available counter space and storage space, fridge freezers and other appliances need be concealed in cupboards and under counters.
With regards to layout, I prefer a U-Shaped galley, with work benches and fridges along the walls, but everyone is different. A good wash up area also makes life easier. A clear and practical workflow is one of the basics of any good kitchen design and is especially important in the cramped confines of a yacht’s galley. You need to move seamlessly between the different tasks of food preparation, cooking, serving and the inevitable clean up!
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| A U-Shaped galley has more security when at sea. I can do everything by just turning, everything can be reached from one central position. |
Every cook knows that the humble kitchen sink is not just for washing up. It’s also the focus for fresh food preparation. So if you are able to afford the space a double sink will help in both prep and clean up.
Fridges and freezers. There has been the notion that your not a real sailor if you need a fridge and freezer. Long gone are the days where sailors live on Spam and Beans. I like to eat well so a fridge and freezer are definitely a must in Our Galley. You have so many choices now. And not always do you need them to be built in. We used a camping fridge freezer for many years. They are not heavy on power usage and we have no generator to run ours, relying on solar power. Now that we have a generator we are using the built in Fridge and Freezer system. Ours is very similar to the first illustration it has a separate fridge compartment to the freezer and the fridge is top loading as well as having a door in the front to access the middle and bottom of the fridge compartment.
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| It seems there are as many different fridges/freezer combinations as there are different boats. |
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| Finding on that fits your galley will be the first important step |
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| Sure we might all love the draw combination but it certainly won’t fit many galleys. |
Stoves, ovens, grills and microwaves. As many cruisers now have fitted generators I am seeing more and more galleys with microwaves, thermomixers, dishwashers and induction cook tops. I prefer a larger 4 burner stove, not because I use all four burners at once, but for for the fact that it gives me the oven size and a grill. However a two burner can be suffice, we had a two burner on Alcheringa and I cooked the same food as I do on a four burner, just ensure you buy pots, pans and bakeware that fit. It really comes down to what will make you comfortable in the Galley.
Fiddles and a gimbal on your stove is a must. The fiddles hold pots on the top of your stove whilst the gimbal enables the stove to stay level at what ever angle you are sailing. This of course is not necessary for catamarans however fiddles May still be a good option.
Many are now transferring over to induction cooking, if you have the power source for this they are remarkably good for boat life. I have a single induction cook top that I use whilst we are in a Marina. This allows us to save on gas usage when we have unlimited 240 power supplied to the boat. We are also in a stable environment where pots and pans won’t slide off the cook top.
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| A single butane burner maybe all you need, it’s a matter of how you cook and what you cook |
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| The four burner, oven and grill combo is what we have onboard. We have the space and I do a lot of cooking so it is an essential bit of kit for our galley. |
Just like every other space on your boat it is important to look at each item and evaluate it before you bring it aboard. Is it something that you will use at least once per week? Does the item have more than one purpose? How easy is it to store and clean? These should all be factors when deciding what to bring into your tiny home.
Silicone may be the best thing since sliced bread.
They make several products now out of silicone that are perfect for space saving in the galley. From collapsible mixing bowls and measuring cups, to cooking sheets and pot lids that don’t make a sound, silicone is the new “it” girl. Not only is it durable and flexible, but it’s also easy to clean, heat resistant, and affordable. The latest products also save you and the planet with no need to use gladwrap, Alfoil and baking paper. When rocking at anchor they don’t rattle giving you a peaceful night sleep.
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| Collapsible pots amazing inventions for small space cooking |
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| You can get all sorts of great bake wear made from silicone and they don’t rattle |
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| Other than stainless steel the only cooking implements I have found to last on a boat are silicone |
This is a great example of the timeless concept, quality over quantity. Invest some money in three or four good pots and pans that work great in the galley and leave everything else at home. I suggest the following combination:
A Thermos Cooker: Before living on a boat I had very limited experience with Thermos cookers. I knew they existed but I had endless power so why invest in one. The thought had never even occurred to me that you could cook in one and do it well. Buy a set of clip on handles and these pots instantly become your regular cooking pots, cutting down on extra equipment needed. But the best thing it can reduce your cooking time drastically thus saving precious fuel.
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| I have no affiliation with Thermos. I truly believe in this product it makes life so much easier in the galley. |
A Wok: This thin, round bottomed, non-stick pan also becomes a versatile player in the galley. The pan is generally very easy to clean and are quick to get hot. This is the perfect tool for stir fry, pasta dishes, searing meats, making eggs, and steaming vegetables.
A Cast Iron Skillet: The best pan of all is the one you don’t have to wash! A cast iron skillet can be used for a variety of purposes such as frying, searing, or making sauces. It retains heat well and is also a good tool for baking if it has a lid and you have an oven.
Nesting Sauce Pans: If you are fortunate enough to have some extra space get a good set of stainless steel nesting sauce pans with foldable handles. The possibilities are endless.
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| My budget has never stretched this far, but I do believe if you are kitting a boat from scratch, do a lot of cooking onboard, have limited space these pot would definitely be worth the investment. |
At times in different latitudes it’s hot, damn hot, so if you can avoid cooking in the Galley do it. Sometimes working in the galley is just not worth it. If you are cruising in hot weather climates you will quickly invest in a good outdoor rail mounted BBQ if you don’t already have one.
A pizza stone is very handy. It allows you to cook
pizza, bread, scones all in the BBQ
Nothing better than home made pizza from the BBQ
Cooking outside saves your home from smelling like a fish factory and feeling like a raging inferno. We use ours at least four nights a week. In summer. We cook bread, pizza, roasts as well as your usual BBQ favourites. We are even known to use it underway. Throw a fillet of fish, some kebabs on the Barbie, pop a bottle of bubbly, and relax, your cooler and your not missing out on the next round of sundowners. Have a portable gas burner that you can take ashore to enjoy meals on the beach. There are so many delicious meals you can cook in one pan on one gas ring. There is nothing better than sand between your toes sipping champagne watching the sun go down and enjoying a great meal.
We have a magma BBQ I am not all that happy with it. It is a horrible thing to clean and the stainless steel is not good quality. I would rather a Baby Q and when the current bbq dies it will be replaced with the Baby Q.
Garbage mitigation is important for all cruisers, but especially those in warm climates, people traveling vast distances, or cruisers who are visiting less developed countries. Not only is excess garbage difficult to store but it becomes foul smelling very quickly and can bring unwanted pests aboard your boat. The perfect breeding ground for these pests can be found in corrugated cardboard and aluminium can label glue. In supermarkets that are less than sanitary, cockroaches and earwigs seek out dark, dry places to lay their eggs. Keeping all cardboard off your boat and removing the labels on your aluminium cans drastically limits your risk of unknowingly inviting these creatures onto your boat. Invest in some good air tight bins and plastic bags to contain food once you have taken it out of the packaging and have plenty of marker pens onboard to write on the cans once you remove and dispose of the labels.
More on rubbish ▶️ Managing Waste
Just like everything else, organization is key to having a well-functioning space. Coming up with a system that works well for you will take some time and practice. You will drive the rest of your crew crazy for the first few weeks (or months) while you constantly revise your system. Eventually though you reach an equilibrium where things seem to start flowing nicely.
Yep this is a storage plan of Our Dreamtime. To go with this is an excel file.
Saves your sanity when you can’t find something, believe me.
My best advice is to separate your food into groups that make sense for you, keeping things that you use often or that are already open in easily accessible areas. I kept mine divided into the following sections: Canned, Baking, Asian, Italian, Wet pantry (bottled, sauces) Herbs, Dry Pantry, Sweet, Snacks.
We changed a lock that was really not being used
to it’s potential into a pantry for dry goods.
When finding a place for everything it is important to keep in mind that heavy provisioning can affect the performance of your boat. You want to do your best the keep the boat balanced and to keep things that are heavy closer to the floor. Contents will shift while underway. Use spare towels, old socks, bungee straps, shelf liner, or larger plastic containers to keep things from rattling around and breaking.
More about storage ▶️ 10 Storage Ideas for your boat
Just like investing in high quality pots and pans, a few good knives are an irreplaceable tool in any cook’s kitchen, land or sea. But the real key is making sure that whatever you have is high quality and sharp! In my experience working with dull knives is significantly more dangerous than sharp knives, especially when underway. A sharp knife gives you more accuracy and control of the food you are cutting. My choice is also to have one solid piece, no joins, no timber and no separate handle that can break off. One a boat everything is effected by the environment, you want knives that aren’t going to rust or go mildew and rot.
Solid state knives are my favourites they keeps everything
cleaner and no broken handles.
The four tools that I carry on all boats related to knifes are a chef’s knife, a paring knife, a filet knife, and a two-stage handheld knife sharpener with one carbide side and one ceramic side. The carbide is step one and allows you to regain your sharp edge while the ceramic side is for finer detail. I’ve never been good at manually sharpening on a knife stone and I find that the newer handheld sharpeners work just as well for the common cook. I have a knife magnet strip on the wall of the galley this secured knives whilst I am cooking underway. I never leave a knife on the countertop. Whether clean or dirty it is secured on the magnetic strip, no knives flying off the bench top in unstable weather conditions. The knife block is easy to clean after you are finished prepping. I have a dedicated sharps draw, knowing that everything is sharp in this draw you are automatically more conscious of the fact when putting your hand into the draw. All sharps are placed in the draw with handle ready to grab.
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| Another item I find is a safety element in the galley |
Perhaps the most important step to having a good galley is to have a safe galley. The galley and the engine room are the two most dangerous places on your vessel for fire danger- It’s not something to mess around with. You should have at least a class K (kitchen) wet chemical fire extinguisher located within proximity to your galley to help put out grease and oil fires, as well as a fire blanket.
Horrific accidents involving gas leakage can and have severely injured or killed yachtsmen. Gas is a popular choice for cooking down below because of its clean burning and odourless properties; however, it is also a dense gas. When gas is heavier than air it will sink down if it is leaking, usually into your bilge. This creates a recipe for a lethal explosion. Luckily there are alarms on the market that are marine quality and made especially for monitoring and preventing this situation. Other safety equipment such as smoke alarms and first aid kits should be well stocked and tested periodically to ensure they are in correct working order. Most importantly, when the seas are heavy and the boat is healed over just stick to common sense and eat a ready made, prepared meal.
For $30 dollars you can save lives.
There are always a few specialty gizmos and gadgets that everyone just can’t live without. Don’t drive yourself crazy by not bringing them with you if you truly use them on a regular basis. For instance, I enjoy eating a lot of fresh produce but hate standing in front of a cutting board for hours chopping up all the ingredients; therefore, a manual food processor/chopper/dicer is a must for me.
Fresh fish is one of our primary food sources when cruising, and a vacuum sealer has been a worthwhile investment that we certainly need onboard. A high-quality rechargeable blender has also been one of those gadgets I can’t live without.
The point is to really evaluate the things that you need vs. the things that you think you might use…at some point… in the next couple of years. Be selective, be realistic, but don’t make your life miserable by denying all the creature comforts you truly enjoy, what’s the fun in that?
When it comes to choosing a skillet, the pros have a hands-down preference: heavy-duty, hard-to-burn-in, last-a-lifetime cast iron. It requires extra care, but trust us, it’s worth it.
What do the experts say?
So what are the key ingredients that make your galley work? Well I asked the experts and this is what they had to say.
1. Petra Hughes a great cook who inspires me with her cooking finesse. She has been sailing the Australian east coast for a number of years and she said these were her must haves.
Sharp knives, micro plane, spices ,good pots and my husband to wash up at the end of a good meal 😋 😀
2. Margot McLachlan is currently sailing South East Asia and know a thing or two about how to organise a galley, her must haves were.
Sharp knives, a decent cutting board, a strainer, a Dutch oven and my iPad (stores my recipes!)
3. Ruth Daw says in her mind she is always sailing on her beautiful boat. Her must haves are ones that I can’t live without either.
I can’t cope well without a good freezer…my luxuries are coffee machine and good cookware.
4. Leonie Smith knows her way around a kitchen she has spent many years running commercial kitchens as head chef in some pretty swanky places. So her must haves go like this.
Thermo pot, 2 litre pressure cooker, knife sharpener, yogurt maker and a sense of humour
Of course Karen Oberg your recipe books are very good to have on board with good tips and
Recipes. “Thanks for the plug Leonie 🤩 you can find the link to my books below😜”
5. Lee Maisey is an adventurous gal, her life is travel, her time onboard is precious so her knowledge is what’s good onboard to make things quick, easy and delicious.
I love my 2.5l pressure cooker, good knives, good plates, and my stick blender that has a mini food processor. If I had a bigger boat I would take my thermomix - but that’s at home for another day …
6. Cait James is relate with to the world of sailing but wow has she taken it on with gusto. She and hubby Sam are refurbishing a catamaran whilst living aboard with 2 year old Charlie. You can catch them on YouTube ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@sailingwiththejamess I was really interested in seeing Cait’s must haves. To be honest it shows she is a practical busy mum, with lots going on. So here are her must haves.
Sharp knife, cutting board, taco seasoning, rice cooker and a can opener 👌
7. Helen Paulsen is an active busy woman and it shows in her choice of must haves she is a women after my own heart with these.
Kettle, Shuttlechef, cast iron camp oven, collapsable strainer and flexible cutting boards. 😃
8. Lea Pennicott is a long term live-aboard that has many sea miles under her keel. She really has great advice for those starting out on the adventure of a lifetime, each time she comments it’s full of wisdom, her choices too have onboard above all others.
Wok, China plates, glass glasses, PC, DreamPot. “Yep I’m with you Lea on every single one”
9. Tracey Whealey your humour always shines. Quite simply this is all that is required apparently 🤔 and I don’t disagree 😜
Wine...🤣🤣
And our final galley prep expert.
10. The wonderful funny amazing cook Erica Hammond.
An appetite and Karen to cook 🥰😇
What I would love is too have us all together one day to cook a feast like no other. Thank you ladies from the bottom of my keel for throwing your ideas into the wind, so others may benefit from your wisdom as galley wenches ❣️
If you would like to see the moving pictures of how we released the stuck chain and anchor you can watch it here. 👉 http://tinyurl.com/DreamtimeSailEp87
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