wedding gift list for a cruising newbie couple(mostly for her)

[Alan Wheeler]

A pot with a good thick copper bottom is best. Propane and such heat sources are not always the best at fmae coverage on most boat cooktops. Any "cheap" pot will cause easy burning of the food. Plus, as fuel is precouse on boats, getting the fastest and most evenly distributed heat source is paramount. A good copper bottom pot is expensive, but will pay for itself by being the most efficient at heating the contents. Plus, because of it's supperior heat transference, the heat from a flame is distributed very quickly and evenly out over the bottom area of the pot, which stops localised heating directly above the flame, and thus no burn't food.
Yep they are expensive, but I believe they are well worth the money in the long run as they save you time and fuel.

[Boracay]

I've forgotten. tell me again how aluminium causes Alzheimer's.

[Alan Wheeler]

Hi Chris, I see you are a new poster here. Welcome!
Right, now where am I again? I just came here for the food. Where's the food?!?

[CaptainK]

I think it would be interesting to know what is the basis behind what lead to aluminium cooking wear causing Alzheimer's desease?

Gord you orginially posted that fact. Do you have anything covering that factoid that started back in the 1970's?

We're just curious!!

[Weyalan]

FWIW, back in the 80's I went out with a girl who was doing her Masters (Environmental Chemistry) on alzheimers / cooking, etc. There is a known link between aluminium and alzheimers. However, normal use of aluminium pots for cooking does not pose any risk. It takes more than your normal cooking processes to leech any significant amount of aluminium.

My observation about aluminium pots not being ideal for on board use was more the fact that aluminium and salt water are not, in my experience, the best of companions. I tend to rinse my pots and pans with salt water prior to washing up (it makes the hot, soapy water go further if the worst of the gunk has been cleaned beforehand). I have found that aluminium pots tend to get that pitted, slightly corroded look rather quickly.

I just don't like the way they cook. hey are hard to clean, and I have never been able to keep stuff from burning with them. A close friend of mine (Who coincidentally died with Altzheimers) swore by them. He tried repeatedly to teach my wife to cook with them, but neither of us ever mastered it. I will stick with stainless and well seasoned cast iron (wich holds up fine on the boat).

[Alan Wheeler]

Well interestingly, ANY metal has possible negative issue with us humans. One interesting one at the moment is SST. We have the stuff everywhere in our lives when it comes to food. Pots/pans, cuttlery and the benchtops. Of course, it has some fairly seriouse metals in SST. Chromium being a really bad one adn other metals like Nickel are not so hot either. It has been only very recent that SST has been brought up in scientific/medical circle and no one has any ideas on if it is OK or not.

On the subject of Aluminium, I thought they were still on that track of it being a cause of Altzhiemers. I dunno. but an interesting dicusion I heard today, Medical researchers are noting that there is definatly a link with people losing motor control and a later onset of altzhimers.
I just hope that has no link to not being able to spell or put letters in the ritgh odrer.

[Weyalan]

I think the point is, Wheels, that Aluminium is definitely a contributing cause for Alzheimer's, but that using aluminium pots does not actually increase your aluminium intake, so is not a contributing factor.

[Alan Wheeler]

Arrr right gotcha. One very interesting point was brought up by one scientist dude, that Coke in a can was probably a very contributing factor. The Phosphoric acid in the coke was enough to dilute some Ally into the stuff. Don't know if it has been experimented on. I'm not much into that sort of thing.

[Sunspot Baby]

At the risk of ignoring the Aluminum Pot thread, I offer some gift ideas. I am not sure if this is a couple with a well equipped boat and/or if they will be live aboard at the dock or cruising. Assuming cruising some ideas:

A compact, flat, DVD player.
A nice combo game set, Backgammon, chess, checker, etc.
Towels thick enough to dry you but thin enough to dry quickly after baths.
An EPRIB.
Nautical theme sheets or other bedding that will fit their berths.
A non-electric coffee maker (French press?)
Binoculars
Insulated cups with a wide baste (hard to top).
Charts of areas they plan to cruise.
Chapmans.

Sunspot Baby

[Boracay]

How about night vision binoculars.
Too expensive for normal use but a nice present?

[AdamY]

I'm a first mate cruising in Mexico right now. Here are a few things that I have really enjoyed having:

- 6 quart pressure cooker
- Food Saver vaccum sealer
- Henkels knives
- 1-liter stainless steel french press (sailorssolutions.com)
- stainless steel stovetop toaster (sailorssolutions.com)
- tall skinny modular tupperware
- stanchion-mounted solor powered LED deck lights (sailorssolutions.com)
- Magma rocker-stopper (essential for anchoring)
- Windscoop

[Hiracer]

Originally Posted by Weyalan

I think the point is, Wheels, that Aluminium is definitely a contributing cause for Alzheimer's, but that using aluminium pots does not actually increase your aluminium intake, so is not a contributing factor.

My understanding from the Berkley Wellness newsletter and other sources is that people with Alzheimer's disease have more aluminum in their brain, but it appears that the aluminum retention is a symptom of and not a cause of the disease. Ergo, aluminum pots pose no risks to healthy people.

I would think that any alumium pot in a marine environment will eventually pit, given the cloride in the salt air. Anodizing will delay this, but seems to me that eventually the anodization scratches off and the pitting starts.

About pressure cookers. Avoid the brands that have aluminum components. Our Fagor release valve corroded shut after leaving it on the boat during a long Alaska winter. We now have this brand: Marine Quality Pressure Cookers for Cruisers but haven't actually used in on the boat, as it has become indispensable at home.

[Ex-Calif]

Great list and very practical. How about sharing some things that aren't so useful but you thought they might be when you got them...

Originally Posted by AdamY

I'm a first mate cruising in Mexico right now. Here are a few things that I have really enjoyed having:

- 6 quart pressure cooker
- Food Saver vaccum sealer
- Henkels knives
- 1-liter stainless steel french press (sailorssolutions.com)
- stainless steel stovetop toaster (sailorssolutions.com)
- tall skinny modular tupperware
- stanchion-mounted solor powered LED deck lights (sailorssolutions.com)
- Magma rocker-stopper (essential for anchoring)
- Windscoop

[Sandero]

Wall mount clock and barometer set.

jef
sv shiva