Provisioning : There and Back Again, or, how do you get the groceries onboard?

[MicHughV]

It's a chore.....but nonetheless...worth it...unloading groceries, etc, from the store....unpack everything in the dink...ie, removing anything that is in a box or any kind of container, out of the box and place on deck au natural. Stuff like cereal, if you eat cereal, can stay in the bag inside the box. Transfer these to a plastic container.

You're out cruising, with nothing else to do, so consider this a
shopping adventure.

It will take only one cockroach crawling over you at midnight to become a shopping purist.

[Buzzman]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

This is the same as ours, except mine is yellow . We also use backpacks.

I've considered getting a folding four-wheeled cart; something like this:


But so far I haven't had a need for the bigger wagon.

Do NOT get one of the 'garden wagons'. They tip over at the drop of a hat!

If they had the wheels turned 90 deg, then maybe this would work, being wide rather than long, but as built...???

Disaster in the making...

[s/v Jedi]

We simply stopped doling shopping runs and now bring everything we need for 6 months when we leave "our" marina in Florida. The marina helps us haul everything from our car to the boat with a golf cart, and we use a halyard to hoist it all straight into the pantry

Last year we went for 6 months provisioning, ran out of beer and wine within 3 months, but everything else turned out to be enough for 9 months.

we do a lot of home canning and pickling but also grow some fresh veggies aboard, which we're now trying to take to the next level (hydroponics)

[Buzzman]

I've seen people do the 'alfalfa sprouts' punnets, and mung bean sprouts, but full on hydroponics is interesting.
I giess you'd need a big enough boat, and large enough windows to enable light into the boat, as growing stuff on the decks or cockpti would probably nor work at sea?
What are you contemplating?
Genuinely curious....

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Buzzman

I've seen people do the 'alfalfa sprouts' punnets, and mung bean sprouts, but full on hydroponics is interesting.
I giess you'd need a big enough boat, and large enough windows to enable light into the boat, as growing stuff on the decks or cockpti would probably nor work at sea?
What are you contemplating?
Genuinely curious....

Need to do it outside for enough light. Currently experimenting with Kratky system made from schedule 40 PVC which would work om deck for us, but we’re getting blasted by millions of love bugs at the moment, plus it’s still too hot but we’ll be trying anyway.

Also, micro greens seem to work really well. Have to test indoors with a grow light because of the bugs, but this is hydroponics too.

I have a really cool growing method for Mung beans (to make Asian style taugé) which should be searchable on the forum.

[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by Grith

We actually drive our cruiser into the supermarket carparking lot and load the shopping trolly directly into our yacht.😂
I have posted a few times about the advantages of cruising a big trailer sailer rather than conventional yacht. Whilst the big one is no days on end of long watches and little sleep dealing with uncertain weather getting between cruising grounds another is the reprovisioning, refuelling and maintenance advantages.
Happy to sacrifice crossing oceans and a little extra room for 50knots upwind ( on trailer) and the huge choice of cruising grounds as I am happy to stay in my home country in these uncertain times.
Generally we can load enough supplies for many weeks cruising and on a trailer sailer this is often enough.🙂
PS No rowing the dingy in when you can park on the beach and step off the bow or park even side on to the shallow bank.

BYD

[Manateeman]

I hate to go there but Walmart has a zipper top insulated bag that will keep meat and chicken cold. You can add blue gel or ice in ziplocks if it’s a long trip.
Gorilla Four Wheel Drive (actually you pull it) cart will carry 50 frozen pizzas which last even my crew a few weeks. They roll the aluminum barrel along, no cart required.

[MSAdamMary2020]

Originally Posted by thesaltytar

I'm sure we've all done this.

Sometimes it feels like an epic journey worthy of those wide angle aerial shots of our stalwart ship's company trekking through the landscape with, in our case, a pet-carrier backpack (we use this for our cat when she travels with us) to go shopping.

The thought has occurred to me (not for the first time, in any event, and not limited to this topic, but that's a separate thread) maybe we're doing this wrong or perhaps there's a better way.

Don't get me wrong. I can use the exercise. I don't even mind a few mile walk after being cooped up on a boat for a couple days. It's the walk BACK when the pet-carrier backpack which, because of its hard bottom and sides, does a wonderful bang-up job of carrying all the tinned food, but it also gets rather heavy and the ballast tends to slow down my return leg journey.

What does everyone else do?

Call a taxi?

Do you take bicycles for provisioning runs?

Folding carts with big off-road wheels?

Maybe (oh, brilliant!) an electrified folding cart?

Simply plan around large re-provisions at marinas that offer courtesy vehicles (bless them, bless all of them)?

Has anyone played with motorized folding bikes or those go-fast skateboard machines (an e-motorized skate board does sound like death waiting to happen but it also sounds fun)?

We are full time live aboard and do all-of-the-above depending on the location. We've walked with backpacks, we have folding e-bikes from Costco with an approx 15 mile range & backpacks, we've walked one way and taken an Uber the other, we've Ubered both ways, and we've had groceries delivered to or close to where we are anchored. Every location has it's challenges and best solutions. No one works the best at all. . Be versatile.

[shelbybob]

Originally Posted by CaptTom

Most supermarkets and Walmarts in the US deliver now. I still like to shop I person, but was wondering if anyone has had good luck with delivery. The one time we tried ordering ahead for pick up they forgot to bring out all the frozen goods. We didn't notice until we got back to the boat and our ride left. Oops.

Hey CaptTom,
Other than the ocassional out of stock items at the time of ordering from Walmart, I would have to rate them with a 95 out of 100. Sailing from Maine to Miami I was able to source provisions in mass quantity with delivery from Walmart.
Capt Robert

[NewMoon]

Originally Posted by thinwater

A cart. I've used different ones over time. Every cruiser has a cart. This one folds to the size of a briefcase, good for smaller boats.

Here's another plastic cart, maybe 50% greater capacity, and with bigger wheels. Had the above pictured blue one, and this is a good bit better.
I've used it to haul groceries for 6 summers on the Inside Passage so far. Not super rugged, but folds pretty small and used carefully can carry a full load of heavy items.


Olympia Tools Pack N Roll Portable Folding Cart

[goboatingnow]

I think these are brilliant , big wheels are better for rough surfaces

[CaptainRivet]

Originally Posted by thinwater

A cart. I've used different ones over time. Every cruiser has a cart. This one folds to the size of a briefcase, good for smaller boats.






Also suitcase/duffel with wheels. The trick is to link them like a train, as many as 3 or 4. I've done this sort of thing through immigration or agricultural inspections many times, when porters are not available. All you need is a short strap to link each one.

it's important that whatever vehicle you use for transport has big air filled wheels. uneven ground or sand or planks are a bitch and only big wheels makes it possible to go over them.
the worst thing is if you need to dig Jerry cans of fuel or diesel over miles from local gas station and big wheel trollies are a life saver here.

[CaptainRivet]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

I think these are brilliant , big wheels are better for rough surfaces

Attachment 264884

exactly

[Grith]

Used one of these successfully for many years. Folded up pretty small and could wank it up a gang plank.🙂 https://www.amazon.com.au/Relaxdays-Wheelbarrow-Polyester-Space-Saving-Gardening/dp/B01DBZ0YK6

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

It's a chore.....but nonetheless...worth it...unloading groceries, etc, from the store....unpack everything in the dink...ie, removing anything that is in a box or any kind of container, out of the box and place on deck au natural. Stuff like cereal, if you eat cereal, can stay in the bag inside the box. Transfer these to a plastic container.

You're out cruising, with nothing else to do, so consider this a
shopping adventure.

It will take only one cockroach crawling over you at midnight to become a shopping purist.

good Lord. I must tell a small story.

I was at the South Beach Anchorage. I went to the publics near the dinghy dock. Got some provisions. Not bad. I went to bed and had a reading light on.

I heard this big thing go crawling across the deck. Like you could hear the footsteps. I was like, what kind of bird or animal is that? So I went up to take a look and there was nothing. I even use the light. I couldn’t see anything.

so I went back down and continue reading and I heard it run across again and then I turned on the interior light and it was the biggest cockroach or palmetto bug I have ever seen in my life still to this date. And I lived in New York City.

This thing was so big that you could hear it clomping along. You could hear the footsteps as it ran across the ceiling upside down.

I spent the next 45 minutes catching it and then throwing it out.

definitely came from that Publix.