How Long Do You Provision For?

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by Paul L

I just searched the Australian Woolworths site, one of the major food store chains in Oz. It came right up with the Naty brand of eco-friendly wipes.

That is why I said 'would appear to be ' .. no point in doing my own research when I can outsource the work

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

That is why I said 'would appear to be ' .. no point in doing my own research when I can outsource the work

Sometimes I like to do the research before stating the conclusion. Other times it's just more fun to state the conclusion.

[Olddan1943]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

To add a question to this thread.
After you provision up with X months of food.
Do you almost use it up and then go on another provisioning binge, or do you try to maintain X amount of food always?
Rotating the stock is what I see as being tough if we are to leave X months of food aboard, it would almost seem that the logical thing is to eat your way through it, planning of course to be in a place where provisioning is both easy and inexpensive and then binge again?

Once you establish your complete provisioning, you might consider writing an inventory and location, changing it as you use your stores.
If not, you might end up like me, too much of somethings and not enough of other things.
Let's face it, makes a person feel good to reach into your stores and pull out something needed.
Depending on the quantity of your stores, sometimes finding it the problem.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by Paul L

Sometimes I like to do the research before stating the conclusion. Other times it's just more fun to state the conclusion.

Well, if I was right all the time how would StuM fill in his day and keep himself amused....

Rather oddly the part of the Woolworth's site I was getting info from didn't go as far saying what yours did... just banged on about the perfumee side of things and ignored the composition of the 'paper'.. https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/p...ipes-unscented

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by Olddan1943

Once you establish your complete provisioning, you might consider writing an inventory and location, changing it as you use your stores.
If not, you might end up like me, too much of somethings and not enough of other things.
Let's face it, makes a person feel good to reach into your stores and pull out something needed.
Depending on the quantity of your stores, sometimes finding it the problem.

Indeed... that way you not only establish rates of consumption but what just does not move at all..... my very short list of 'do not buy ever again' is sardines, spam and instant spud....

[Meanderthal]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I’ll attach a screen shot. I believe there are many brands that come without the tube. We go through a roll a day, I also have allergies and use it as Kleenex too. So a couple of hundred rolls is I guess six months worth.
On the baby wipes thing, nope, ain’t going there. Reason is that was how I washed myself often in the Army when deployed to the desert. I’m not wearing fatigues or combat boots either . I also won’t tell the Wife she can’t shower, use a baby wipe, cause I can’t think of anything that would kill the romance quicker. That is what the Watermaker is for, of course if it dies we will use a wash cloth and a small bowl of water. If you have to you can wash with very little water, but water is luxury, we are older and we enjoy the little luxuries in life, hence the Watermaker.
Attachment 161914

Thanks!

Raised homesteading, so I have a deep-seated aversion to things which cannot be burned, reused, composted, or stored without odors.

[Olddan1943]

7 years in the navy, I would sooner not shower than than take a navy shower.
Some areas of the body do need to be hosed off but, at first opportunity, a nice long hot shower is still nice. Base upon my tank minder, that's about 10 gallons. I maintain my tank minder lies, I guess that is why I have a 500 god water maker. Timing is everything, water make running, long shower and a load or two of wash.

[Meanderthal]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

I go both ways... tend to keep a good stock of dry goods and cans at all times but do a big shop if I am somewhere where certain items are cheap and available... even if a voyage isn't in the offing.

My motto... if you you want it and you see it .. buy it... cos it probably won't be there tomorrow...

Same here, tho my background is only recently (past few years) on a boat. I have a checkered past involving off the grid living, seasonal road tripping, camping, and a true and abiding love of making good meals for people.

Maintain an inventory of pantry items and rotate. Leave room for new stuff, and definitely don't hoard stuff it turns out you don't use.

That last one is hard for provisioners. And cooks. Pass on the spam (btw my husband really loves my pineapple and spam fried rice.....if you want one more recipe to try before you chuck the canned ham product.)

Honestly, most of us provision so much from fearing a loss of a certain comfort level rather than because we need to hit a calorie minimum. I know I could go a month or two, with multis and water, before I'd die of starvation, lol. (If interested, calculate the pounds of fat difference between your minimum healthy bodyfat level and your current, then multiply by 3500 kcal/lb fat. That's your personal emergency reserve.)

The flip side of provisioning for long trips is carrying the cooking fuel for long trips.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

Damn ! ... another myth ... Listen up, fruit don't fly !

But then again: Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

Indeed... that way you not only establish rates of consumption but what just does not move at all..... my very short list of 'do not buy ever again' is sardines, spam and instant spud....

Sardines and spam, I agree 100%, but instant spud and canned tuna is a quick and easy way to make great fish cakes

[seidulas]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jt8QdgxuAsQ

Wonder if anyone is growing their own veg on-board - do something like a small hanging garden. Of cause, depending on boat size and all, its not gonna be a big harvests but in the event that you run out of veg, at least there is still some home grown ones to live on.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by StuM

Sardines and spam, I agree 100%, but instant spud and canned tuna is a quick and easy way to make great fish cakes

Maybe the spud issue is different in the tropical tropics.... we always have fresh spuds available.. a few minutes with the spuds in the pressure cooker and away you go. I have about half a dozen packs of Pappas Puree aboard.... youngest would be 5 years old....

What I do know is that if any is left in the pan it sets like concrete...

[Jim Cate]

What I do know is that if any is left in the pan it sets like concrete...

Aha! Yet another emergency hull patching material, available from your friendly corner grocer. West System, eat your heart out!

Jim

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

After you provision up with X months of food.
Do you almost use it up and then go on another provisioning binge, or do you try to maintain X amount of food always?

Sort of. I have large Lock-n-Lock containers for staples: flour, rice, pasta, sugar, salt, spices, dried beans, etc. I have at least two containers of everything, sized for the size packaging I generally buy. I add replenishing staples to regular provisioning runs as I can.

I also keep a base of canned goods that get rotated.

Rotation happens by pulling goods from deep storage to the accessible pantry and stowing new purchases at the back or bottom of deep storage. I've delivered boats with food stored all over so I can see the need for an inventory list. On my boat deep storage is all together so if I'm out of canned peas for example I'm out - they aren't lost somewhere else. *grin*

Originally Posted by a64pilot

planning of course to be in a place where provisioning is both easy and inexpensive and then binge again?

Except plans change.

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Plastic is plastic, I have adopted a policy of trying to avoid it whenever possible, however I will buy rum etc in a plastic bottle when available and also condiments like catsup and mustard etc., just based on breakage.

We use a lot of glass and don't see much breakage. I've had some on deliveries so I conclude that due care is a personal variable.

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I also will buy plastic garbage bags and plastic buckets, so I’m not pure, just try to cut out as much of it as I can.

There is hardly any substitute for plastic garbage bags.

Originally Posted by a64pilot

What I see is sinful is go to a fast food establishment like McDonald’s and everything is served in plastic.

Agreed. "Don't go to McDonalds" is an easy cop-out. I see styrofoam food containers all over, including quite remote places. Clearly the economics support them. I'm not quite at the point of bringing my own plates but I've thought about it.

[Olddan1943]

When I leave the boat for a couple of months, I give about 90% of the staples to the guys working the dock.