Freezer Only Aboard?

[Heathenly Twins]

Given the small size of my sloop and mountain of expensive things I have to buy to refit it and uncertainty of power consumption, is it acceptable to cruise with just a freezer? I mean, I'll be buying a fridge/ freezer as in: either or, but I like to eat lots of meat and will be going into lots of remote places without a lot of fresh meat options en route . If I store a month's worth of food in a fridge, I might get through two weeks before whatever is left goes off. If I get a month's worth of food vacuum packed and frozen it should be fine to just let whatever I'm going to eat that day thaw out on the galley drying rack, no?

I'm sure there are many people here who will say it's unsafe but, in practice, I don't think I'm likely to pick up any ill health issues from it. To be honest, I almost never wash my frying pan and never get so much as the common cold. I've even started warming up steaks destined for the pan prior to frying as it helps make that pleasant crust on the outside.

Am I gunna dai? 😂

[goboatingnow]

Produce like chicken is very problematic stored at fridge temps even if vac packed. Seriously you don’t want salmonella poisoning

One month at fridge temps. When you open it the smell alone will tell U what you need to know

Ps your frying pan used regularly of course kills the bugs on its surface, which is why you don’t die

Are you gonna die, who knows , but some of the illnesses you might get, might make you wish you were dead

[Heathenly Twins]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Produce like chicken is very problematic stored at fridge temps even if vac packed. Seriously you don’t want salmonella poisoning

One month at fridge temps. When you open it the smell alone will tell U what you need to know

Ps your frying pan used regularly of course kills the bugs on its surface, which is why you don’t die

Are you gonna die, who knows , but some of the illnesses you might get, might make you wish you were dead

I mainly eat beef. Chicken is too lean. Right now I do the fridge thing and by the end of ten days I need to have eaten everything in the fridge or it stinks. No bueno.

[rslifkin]

A freezer and a cooler (for slower thawing or short term fridge temperature storage) would work. Personally, I'd try to find a way to fit a combo unit into the space and power budget. Having only a freezer is certainly possible, but seems a bit impractical to me.

[Windpilot]

Interesting topic, but I also think the answere depends on where you are going with your boat.
What about all those items you'd like to keep just cold if in a warm climate? Don't want my butter frozen or liquid.

[Mr B]

I have a dedicated freezer (90 litre) for keeping my food deep frozen, -18 C
A fridge freezer the meat is only at about -4 C It will go off in a short period,
I will be a long way from fresh any thing,
I do have a fridge freezer as well,

Freezers come in all sizes, 12 volt, Relatively cheaply, Mine cost $490-00,

[LLCoolDave]

There are lots of chest models that can be used as a fridge or freezer. Look at Engels.

[Chotu]

You could do it.

Note: the best way to thaw anything in a sealed package is to use water.

Stick the item under water for 10-15 minutes and it’s at a beautiful refrigerator temperature through and through.

It makes for a much faster thaw due to the higher specific heat of the water. Also good for food safety because it stays cool while thawing.

If it’s sealed, seawater works just as well as fresh.

So a freezer is fine. Just don’t do that counter thaw thing. .

[Heathenly Twins]

Originally Posted by Chotu

You could do it.

Note: the best way to thaw anything in a sealed package is to use water.

Stick the item under water for 10-15 minutes and it’s at a beautiful refrigerator temperature through and through.

It makes for a much faster thaw due to the higher specific heat of the water. Also good for food safety because it stays cool while thawing.

If it’s sealed, seawater works just as well as fresh.

So a freezer is fine. Just don’t do that counter thaw thing. .

That's a good idea Chotu I think I'll try that. Thank you

[Heathenly Twins]

Originally Posted by Mr B

I have a dedicated freezer (90 litre) for keeping my food deep frozen, -18 C
A fridge freezer the meat is only at about -4 C It will go off in a short period,
I will be a long way from fresh any thing,
I do have a fridge freezer as well,

Freezers come in all sizes, 12 volt, Relatively cheaply, Mine cost $490-00,

Nice, you sound well set up. I'm hoping to get there soon but for now I have so much else to buy and fix.

[Heathenly Twins]

Originally Posted by Windpilot

Interesting topic, but I also think the answere depends on where you are going with your boat.
What about all those items you'd like to keep just cold if in a warm climate? Don't want my butter frozen or liquid.

Well personally, I'm trying to just eat animal products or whatever fruits happen to be in season locally. Essentially trying to mimic a pre agricultural era diet (more or less) so I go with ghee and am going to try rendered beef tallow as they don't require refrigeration. This diet really simplifies things 😄

The next few years I'll probably just cruise around British Columbia and Alaska but then might head down to Mexico and the Pacific Islands. BC and Alaska are pretty easy as it doesn't get too warm for too long especially further North.

[SV DINGO]

Sounds like a pretty unhealthy diet.

[Mr B]

Originally Posted by Heathenly Twins

Nice, you sound well set up. I'm hoping to get there soon but for now I have so much else to buy and fix.

I am well set up now, I have bought all the other things I require,
But I am heading north for the Tropics where it 30 Plus Celcius every day,

My freezer has to sit in the salon on the rear seat as its too big to get in the rear bedroom out of the way,
Its not a problem as I dont sit there any way, And I can lay down on each side of it,
I did have a problem with it, It wouldnt run straight from the Batterys as it thought the Batterys were too low, 13 Amps on the batterys,

But running it thru the Invertor, It runs excellent,
Batterys, 12 Volts, at 13 Amps, to the invertor, (It draws 4 amps,) Converted to 240 Volts and then back to 12 volts for the Freezer at 6 Amps,
It works, Duhhhh,

Ive come a long way in the 3 years since my boat didnt have Hulls in it,

Cheers, Brian,

[Heathenly Twins]

Originally Posted by Mr B

I am well set up now, I have bought all the other things I require,
But I am heading north for the Tropics where it 30 Plus Celcius every day,

My freezer has to sit in the salon on the rear seat as its too big to get in the rear bedroom out of the way,
Its not a problem as I dont sit there any way, And I can lay down on each side of it,
I did have a problem with it, It wouldnt run straight from the Batterys as it thought the Batterys were too low, 13 Amps on the batterys,

But running it thru the Invertor, It runs excellent,
Batterys, 12 Volts, at 13 Amps, to the invertor, (It draws 4 amps,) Converted to 240 Volts and then back to 12 volts for the Freezer at 6 Amps,
It works, Duhhhh,

Ive come a long way in the 3 years since my boat didnt have Hulls in it,

Cheers, Brian,

Looks like one big project you had there, kudos for getting it done. It's so nice to see people actually get a restoration done instead of dragging it out forever and selling it off unfinished. Roomy looking boat, too!

[Compass790]

The other thing you can do is as you eat your way thru the frozen meat meat is you can freeze a bottle of salt water & put it in a chilli bin ( kiwi for cooler ) Then you can put stuff in the cooler. If you make a thick walled cooler out of polystyrene you can get quite a few days out of ice bottles. Also thaw yr meat out in the cooler to help its cooling. Might be good to put beer in.

If you cruise around BC & Alaska there are deer everywhere... just sayn.