Charcoal in the South Pacific

[WhisperII]

Bit of weird one here...

Anyone with experience cruising with only a charcoal BBQ, especially in the South Pacific?

My wife and I are planning to head out from Brisbane to Fiji and then Vanuatu for 4 months next year on our Compass 28.

Our BBQ is charcoal, and I'll be bringing a few bags, but does anyone know if I can restock our charcoal supplies in Fiji?

I know fires onboard seem wrong, but I'm loath to switch to gas.

Cheers,

Oscar

[svBeBe]

Do not know about Fiji as we skipped Fiji, but Vanuatu, no...and depending on which island, there may be absolutely nothing to buy.

Frankly, I have not met a long-distance cruiser using anything but gas...may be time to convert.

Bill

[Jacana]

Use wood

[Tantalus]

Originally Posted by Jacana

Use wood

Nice thing about wood is you can use scraps which will probably be free and not have any of the petroleum distillates charcoal does.

[seacap]

I have a gas grill now. But will be switching to charcoal. Where does everyone store the small propane bottles for theses grills? Would love to use a gas grill but can't figure where to store the bottles.
No, I don't have a propane locker. I use a kerosene stove.

[roverhi]

Charcoal picks up moisture from the typical boat environment and becomes very hard to light or keep lit. Doubt if you'd be happy going with charcoal.

Don't know how much you plan on barbecuing, but the small throw away bottles for stoves can be stored in an air tight container made up out of PVC piping. The small containers aren't much of a safety issue, in any case, as their capacity is so small that a leak in one container or even several shouldn't reach explosive concentration. Used these small containers in a single burner stove and lasted a long time for that type of cooking. Most of what I'd be grilling would be fish and that doesn't take long to cook unless you are the type that insists on turning good protein into shoe leather.

[boatman61]

Get a stainless dog bowl and fill it with sand then place in the centre of your grill.. pour spirits or kerosene over it and light... cook away...
Old LRDG trick in N.Africa and other desert locations.. mind they usually used a bucket..

[NoTies]

Charcoal is easy to pick up in Port Vila but not possible anywhere else. Local villages surrounding the main town make it and sell it at the local market.

[WhisperII]

Awesome replies everyone, thanks.

Good advice about absorbing moisture, though I keep our charcoal on the boat now and its seems to do all right-still would probably be a good idea to bag it for the longer trip.

Good to hear Port Vila has charcoal. I bet that it is available in Suva or Nadi as well.

I love the routine of a charcoal BBQ on the boat. Getting out of the water tired, lighting the little venturi, and then pouring a drink or two while the coals get going. If we can also get supplies in Fiji, I think we'll stick with our current set-up.

Oscar