Staying Cool in Galley

[Chuteman]

Any secrets or techniques on minimizing galley temps when cooking meals in warm/hot climates?...............primarily on a monohull but CAT too at times.

Even with hatches open (although breeze can extinguish burner flame sometimes) and fans on .................it can get really hot down below.

Throw in a squall & now you have a dinner sauna down below.

[Vasco]

Beer !!!

[Chuteman]

KB - thanks............just wanted to make sure I was not missing any tricks. A range hood with a good exhaust fan would definitely help .........but it would call for a thoughtful design given the small space & environment outside (water).................add that to the mega yacht wish list.

[GordMay]

Sail / Cook nekkid ???
Won’t reduce the temperature; but might help make it more bare-able (sic).

[FrankZ]

My secret for staying cool in the galley is to let someone else do the cooking.

[Pura Vida]

This is not practical for all but I move the Seacook into the cockpit for most meal preparation. I made a little bracket out of teak and hang it on the stern with the bar b que.

[ssullivan]

The reality is that there is no way to keep cool cooking. Not to be Captain Bringdown here, and spoil Gord's joke, but do not cook naked or even without some shoes if you are making a large meal. The chances of a pot spilling over with scalding hot contents are pretty high.

About the only thing is to open up all ports and hatches, run your fans, and get used to the heat. No real tips or tricks. Maybe you could put a spray bottle nearby and spritz your face and neck from time to time.

[Richhh]

I cook a lot with an oven as well as with a 'cook top' ... some suggestions:

Use a fan to blow the steam/water vapor out the companionway as fast as possible.

Use lids on on all pots and skillets whenever possible.

Try to cook everything in one pot instead of many .... stews, etc.
For cooking dry foods, let soak a bit before heating.

Learn how to cook with low heat instead of 'roaring burners' which wastes heat and fuel ... cook slower and with lower temps.

If possible cook all the day's meals at one time ... simply reheat later.

Use the smallest pots and skillets whenever possible ... dont put a small amount of food into a BIG pot.

[svHyLyte]

Pre-prepare food when it's cooler and then think Microwave or pressure cooker on a rail mounted Sea-swing or grill.

We have an Origo Microwave that we can run off a Heart 2500 W Inverter which does a good job of heating the food, only. My wife makes up dishes in advance and vacume packs servings in retort pouches with a FoodSaver. These can be reheated in the Microwave or in a pressure cooker with a few oz of water (without the "Jiggler"). We've also made bread in a No#10 tin can, in the pressure cooker, but when it's really hot--often here in Florida--we often go with wheat tortillas! ("Wraped" sandwiches are the latest rage around here!)

Cheers,

s/v HyLyte

We have a dorade vent over the galley, and have installed a small computer fan to draw air out. It helps.
Sean, it is an aquired skill. Sundari only cooks clothed when we have polite company No spills, no burns, and a happy captain.
FrankZ, I was going to say the same thing. I am only allowed in the galley when my better half is not aboard, and then, only to make food for myself. She is the captain Bly of the galley set

[Hunter42]

Originally Posted by Kai Nui

I am only allowed in the galley when my better half is not aboard, and then, only to make food for myself. She is the captain Bly of the galley set

That's the way it should be . . . we have an unwritten agreement, I stay out of the engine room (closet) and he stays out of the galley! There's a reason I'm called the Galley Wench!

GW

[Chuteman]

Thanks for all the ideas & hints...............
Let me see if I got this right = Surround it, fan it, cook it low, nuke if possible, move it out, spritz, sip & strip.

[roverhi]

The problem with cooking the evening meal is it is typically the dead period between the onset of shore and sea breezes. No breeze means it's hot. It's also the time that all the components of the boat have absorbed the maximum solar radiation and are putting all that heat energy back into the boat.

Awnings to cut down on solar heat absorption, exhaust and direct fans will help but are not cure alls. Getting a good cockpit grill and moving the cooking to the open is the best solution if you must cook. Failing that, pre-paring the evening meal is a good solution that has already been suggested.

We lived through two summers, at anchor, near the equator. The only problem was that evening two hour dead period between the breezes. We had a full boat awning and windscoop that kept the boat comfortable as long as almost any wind blew. No wind, and it felt like a high humidity sauna. Fortunately there was almost always a breeze the rest of the time.

Aloha
Peter O.

[Hunter42]

Just returned from San Carlos Mexico where the temperature hit 98 degrees in the cabin every afternoon! We used the grill most of the time but when it was necessary to cook in the galley, I prepared things that did not require a alot of cooking time (like Shrimp Diablo) or used the microwave (packaged rice). Also did advance preparation in the morning to keep my time in the galley short!

It's not recommend to cook totally 'nak kid', but I do strip down to just a pareo! A cold cerveza or margarita helps too!

I've put together a cookbook of "GalleyWise" recipes that work great in the galley . . . some in cooler climates, but most for warm climates!

http://www.recipezaar.com/cookbook.php?bookid=87034

The Galley Wench

GW, ours is in writing
Chuteman, yep, that pretty much sums it up. I your area, there are a number of surplus electronics stores. Search them out, they are a great place to get computer fans cheap. IMHO there is no better energy efficient way to cool the boat with the possible exception of scoops on the hatches. And those only work if there is a breeze.