{"id":773,"date":"2026-05-14T14:43:38","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T14:43:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/yachtersworld.com\/?p=773"},"modified":"2026-05-14T14:43:38","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T14:43:38","slug":"how-to-provision-like-a-pro-for-your-next-offshore-adventure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yachtersworld.com\/?p=773","title":{"rendered":"How to provision like a pro for your next offshore adventure"},"content":{"rendered":"

For many first-time transatlantic sailors, provisioning is one of the most daunting jobs. But it doesn\u2019t have to be, as Helen Fretter finds out at the ARC rally<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Napoleon is credited for first decreeing that an army marches on its stomach, but it\u2019s a fair bet that many a ship\u2019s captain had already worked out that a well fed crew is a happy crew. When the regular rhythms of the day are blurred by watch systems and shifting time zones, it\u2019s meal times that can shape the days at sea.<\/p>\n

But how do you know what food to take \u2013 and how much? Every year ahead of the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers<\/a>, organisers World Cruising Club run a comprehensive schedule of seminars. Clare Pengelly\u2019s excellent talk on provisioning always attracts a full audience (and is worth attending even if you\u2019ve listened to it on a previous year, as she updates lots of information, such as local suppliers in Las Palmas and St Lucia), and offers a really in-depth guide to victualling and menu planning. Here are some key points to consider:<\/p>\n

Getting started<\/h2>\n

As with everything else on the boat, decide how you\u2019re going to designate responsibility. Most boats rotate galley duties across the crew, on others one person will take the lead. But having a plan means that even if the usual cook is out of action, perhaps with seasickness or catching up on sleep, whoever is making the next meal has a rough clue as to what to cook and where to find it.<\/p>\n

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Many fruits and vegetables will last longer stored dark and dry. Washing is optional but many crews choose to. Photo: James Mitchell\/WCC<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

A five-day rotating menu, with a designated \u2018chef of the day\u2019, should guarantee nobody gets too bored with either cooking or eating the same thing on repeat.<\/p>\n

For the first few days, choose food that is simple to prepare, easy to eat and gentle to digest. If preparing meals in advance, portion them for a watch, say 1-3 people, rather than for the whole crew. A top tip is to portion meals into a freezer bag, but freeze the bag inside a box so you get blocks that can be stacked easily and take up less precious freezer space.<\/p>\n

Decide on your boat\u2019s alcohol policy, and plan \u2018happy hour\u2019 accordingly \u2013 it doesn\u2019t have to involve alcohol, but could be a virgin cocktail\/zero beer and a few snacks, to bring the whole crew together in the early evening.<\/p>\n

Snacks can take on serious significance on a long crossing. Look down the calendar for any birthdays, festivals, and other random or important moments you want to celebrate (perhaps the halfway point?), and squirrel away a few special treats to mark the occasion. You might consider rationing, either week by week, or having a box for each individual, to avoid points of conflict.<\/p>\n

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A hand of bananas is a fun purchase, especially if
you have a larger crew, but check for critters. Photo: James Mitchell\/WCC<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Water first<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s easy to focus on food, but plan your water provisioning from the outset. At home most people can use 70-140 litres of water per person, per day. While much of that usage won\u2019t apply at sea (running a washing machine, dishwasher, long showers etc), having enough water on board for a full crew adds up quickly.<\/p>\n

An absolute bare minimum of 3.5lt per person per day for drinking\/cooking\/teeth cleaning, for four people over 30 days, totals 420lt \u2013 plus an emergency reserve. Even if you have a (well-tested) watermaker on board, make sure you use multiple tanks and large water bottles, and keep everyone on a water budget.<\/p>\n

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Label cans and strip the paper off if you are storing them near the bilge. Photo: James Mitchell\/WCC<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Tricks to conserve water include taping down taps to avoid them getting accidentally knocked and turned on (for example, when stowing sails or wet gear in the heads); using a plant spray bottle for rinsing dishes; and buying a small pump (available from many electrical shops in Las Palmas) for spill-free decanting when transferring water from large bottles.<\/p>\n

However, it\u2019s equally important to make sure people drink enough to avoid dehydration, which can exacerbate seasickness. Have named water bottles to make sure everyone can monitor their own intake and keep an eye on each other. Pengelly says a typical scenario is the skipper who powers through the first few days on coffee, doesn\u2019t drink enough water, and gets dehydrated and grumpy!<\/p>\n

Keeping things cold<\/h2>\n

In all but the most luxuriously appointed yachts, fridge and freezer space is going to be at a premium, so you\u2019ll need to plan how to best utilise it. First work out how cold your freezer actually is \u2013 if it only operates at 0\u00b0C to -6\u00b0C then food will only be good for a few days.<\/p>\n

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WCC\u2019s Clare Pengelly advises ARC participants. Photo: WCC<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Many boat freezers will chill down to -6\u00b0C to -12\u00b0C, so will keep food for around 15-20 days. A home domestic freezer usually maintains a temperature of around -18\u00b0C, freezing items for up to three months, and some well insulated boat appliances can achieve similar. A bluetooth thermometer inside the freezer can be useful to check temperature without opening it.<\/p>\n

Fill your freezer with frozen food to start with, ideally well in advance, and keep the freezer 100% full for the first week if you can. Then eat from the top down \u2013 the bottom will be the coldest, so eat those items last. If the freezer fails, eat the defrosting food in order of risk \u2013 so chicken before beef etc.<\/p>\n

Rather than opening the fridge repeatedly, an old fashioned \u2018evaporating fridge\u2019 \u2013 ie a damp cloth in a cool sink \u2013 can be used to keep things like water bottles cool.<\/p>\n

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Shop in stages, dry goods first. Photo: Ian Roman<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Make a stowage plan<\/h2>\n

Decide where you are going to put everything, and make a stowage chart or spreadsheet. Do you want to put all similar items together, or group things by week to avoid repeatedly pulling up saloon cushions?<\/p>\n

Remove as much packaging as you can dockside, which reduces the risk of bringing insects aboard, as well as the weight and volume of waste (it\u2019s much easier to recycle packaging in Las Palmas than the Caribbean islands). Double-wrap sachets, and dried goods like pasta, bread and flour in plastic bags or watertight boxes to avoid infestation. Try not to buy it all from the same shop, or store it all together.<\/p>\n

Cans and saltwater don\u2019t mix \u2013 steel (used for most food cans) can rust, aluminium (often in drinks cans like tonic water or beer) can corrode, and not all have a plastic lining. Write on them what\u2019s inside, and remove the paper if you\u2019re storing them under floorboards to save clogging your bilge pumps with disintegrated labels.<\/p>\n

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Many suppliers in Las Palmas will deliver direct to the yacht. Photo: James Mitchell\/WCC<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Prolonging life<\/h2>\n

Vacuum packing meat can prolong its life, up to a couple of weeks in a fridge (with caution), and two months or more frozen. Some butchers in Las Palmas will vacuum pack produce, but if sailing around the world Pengelly suggests you might consider investing in your own vacuum sealer (often sold for cooking sous vide). Avoid using thin plastic, which can lead to freezer burn.<\/p>\n

If setting off from Las Palmas or elsewhere in Spain, a cured leg of jam\u00f3n will keep for two months if stored carefully \u2013 but be sure to have a sharp knife and gloves for carving (and to dispose of the bone appropriately). To carve, pull back the fat, remove slices of meat, then lay the fat back over it. Rubbing with salt can help extend its life.<\/p>\n

Eggs should be stored in a cool place, but not fridge cold, and best not wiped or washed. They should also be kept away from smells that could taint them, eg diesel. If in doubt, they can be checked by using the \u2018float test\u2019 (fresh eggs sink) \u2013 but it must be fresh, not saltwater.<\/p>\n

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Ask the critical question \u2013 do you have enough teabags? Photo: Paul Wyeth<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

There are many theories on how to best stow fruit and vegetables, but the key requirements are keep it dry, dark, well-aired, and cool.<\/p>\n

Citrus fruit keeps well, and even if shrivelled on the outside will usually be good to eat, these can be kept in swinging nets. If choosing apples, green will last the longest. Buying a whole hand of bananas makes everyone feel like a true adventurer, but store it separately, and wash to remove any critters.<\/p>\n

Pengelly advises that you don\u2019t need to Milton wash or scrub fruit \u2013 a visual inspection and wipe down is fine \u2013 though the pre-departure pontoons at the ARC often have crews industrially washing produce. More important, is keeping it dry \u2013 something to bear in mind if you\u2019re getting your delivery on a rainy day.<\/p>\n

Vegetables with a low moisture content \u2013 like leeks, carrots, potatoes and cabbages \u2013 usually last the longest. Carrots and iceberg lettuce can be wrapped loosely in foil or kitchen paper, while onion\/ginger\/garlic keep well in swinging nets. Don\u2019t even consider vegetables like broccoli or mushrooms \u2013 they will rapidly turn to mush.<\/p>\n

Even with the careful stowage, expect to lose around 10-15% of the food you buy to spoiling.<\/p>\n

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Review what can be eaten uncooked. Photo: TimBisMedia<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

How to shop<\/h2>\n

Shopping for a month or more with no \u2018top-ups\u2019 can be daunting. Pengelly advises breaking it down into four separate tasks:<\/p>\n