liveaboard, sailing and stowage

[dearmstr]

I am new to living aboard and we are planing to go sailing in a couple of weeks. Just around home base. My question is how do I keep stowed items from shifting. For, example in my fridge, books, food stuff, etc.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Is your fridge an upright like a dorm room fridge with vertical door? Or a chest type built in the boat with a hatch like top?

Other points:

Stow loose things in lockers in plastic bags.

Use netting, and elastic cords to hold things where possible.

Buy net laundry bags (cost one dollar at a Dollar Tree store or at Walmart) to hold soft goods.

Put food glass jars together inside plastic tubs or boxes (Tupperware type) with padding between the jars) and secure the top.

Use Lee cloths on settees or bunks.

Use industrial Velcro to hold things on shelves.

[Greenhand]

We keep everything behind the settees in bins. As long as the laptop and other electronics are behind a fiddle, we haven't had any issues with them. The water filter jug and the spoon rest go in the kitchen sink. We have also found that we can leave baskets on the part of the table that is right at the mast. This centerline platform is very stable and was safe even when we went out to the ocean. You will likely miss a few things the first time out, but eventually you will come up with a checklist.

If you like sailing, your goal should be to find stowage for everything so that you can put a handful of odds and ends that you use daily away in just a few minutes. As long as we have actually put stuff away, it takes longer to get all the canvas covers off and run the jib sheets than it does to stow. In reality, that often means spending a day cleaning up - right now I have out all of our filing/accounting, as well as a couple of a things I bought yesterday.

[dearmstr]

Thanks for the replies. My fridge is the hatch type with access from the top.

[dearmstr]

Another thing. We have and 15cu ice box that we keep cool with three 20lb bags of ice.

[jamestholtzinge]

Since your refrigerator is a hatch style it might be similar to our hatch style. We put beer on the bottom to raise up the food so we can reach it all then we have wire baskets to hold things in groups so when we move things we can move a lot at once. Then we like to keep the beer around the freezer to keep it really cold. We also use the clear plastic containers to see through for left overs and you might find a few plastic bags to keep small items together. We keep all the condiments together in the same place etc..

[sapient sue]

If you have small items of decoration around the boat - use blue tac or similar putty to keep these items in place. I have grip fast on shelves in cupboards which stops storage items sliding and we use velcro. Importantly we tie down computers with webbing straps.

Start a TO DO before going to sea check list.

Ours includes:

Hatches close
drawer check
sink sea cock close
secure computer straps
stow fruit bowl
secure lee cloth on passage berth

Having a list stops this
Cheers Sue

[PortClydeMe]

Originally Posted by dearmstr

I am new to living aboard and we are planing to go sailing in a couple of weeks. Just around home base. My question is how do I keep stowed items from shifting. For, example in my fridge, books, food stuff, etc.

I'm glad that some folks have given you some advice, yet is this really a question? C'mon man. Get with it. Strap the stuff down, and pack well. Pretty simple. A top-loading fridge with some ice? What's the problem?

I looked at your name. At the risk of sounding like a smart-ass, can I reply "Yes, slave, what do you want?"

[JAYEN1]

Whatever method you use for stowage, hold-down, etc. THE most important thing is knowing what you have and where everything is.
Make a list (in alphabetical order), what it is, where it is, how many you have.
Do a separate list for spares, everything else, and for provisions as well. Then do a combined total list.
A hard copy for provisions is best so that you can adjust the 'amount' as you use things.
If you can't remember where stuff is.....=.....you haven't got it!!

[dearmstr]

Thank you for your help. It is dear mister not dear master

[PortClydeMe]

Originally Posted by dearmstr

Thank you for your help. It is dear mister not dear master

Oooops. My mistake. Sorry about that.