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Sailboat Galley Secrets for Cruising Under Sail

If you are anything like me, most sailboat galleys seem to have been designed for use at the dock or in the slip, but not underway! How can you make your galley sink, stove and oven safer for sailing or cruising in any weather?

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What simple modifications could make this sailboat galley safer for sailing or cruising?

A full gale was blowing the morning Turkey Day arrived, or Thanksgiving, as us landlubbers call it. But, onboard the US Coast Guard cutter Vigorous, no one was much up to eating. We had both Morse controls ahead full bore and were headed for another vessel in distress off the coast of New England.

Seas pounded the bow as we rammed into wall after wall of white water, then fell into the trough like a sledgehammer hitting concrete. Or, a bathtub dropped into a swimming pool from ten to twelve feet. The ship shuddered as her hull plates vibrated along her backbone from stem to stern.

All of a sudden, we took a roll to port as a rogue wave hit us broadside. Not a big one, but a rogue, nonetheless. It was enough to spill coffee mugs, navigation gear, publications and books onto the deck. We heard an intense scream of anger coming up from the belly of the ship below in the galley. Followed by a stream of curses that'd make the sea-devil himself run for cover.

I knew the cooks had been up since the wee hours, prepping this and that for the feast about to be served. At the moment we took the wave midships, those giant ovens were filled to the brim with turkey and all the trimmings. And the drippings. The chief cook arrived on the bridge, and commenced to dress down the "boot" ensign deck watch officer, whom he blamed for the disaster below.

Seems the galley deck now looked like carnage from a video battle game. Turkeys and grease rolling on the deck from side to side, cooks skimming across the deck as if on ice skates. A layer of grease from the drippings turned the deck into a sea-going skating rink. Turkey day was done for, at least the traditional fare.

So, the galley crew put together a buffet of sandwich meat and white bread. Your choice of processed turkey, bologna, or ham and all-American processed cheese. Along with a few survivors of the Turkey Day Disaster, fresh baked pumpkin and pecan pies. All in all, a lesson learned we might transfer to smaller vessels.

Could extra strong latches, installed on each oven door, have saved the day? Take a look at your own sailboat galley, from the stove to the oven, cabinets, and sink. What modifications might make galley work safer and easier for you and your sailing crew?

Stoves and Ovens

Galley stoves and ovens should be gimbaled, but also have a means of locking the unit in place. Gimbals should allow the unit to swing without making contact with the bulkhead. Use strong braces, called "fiddles", to hold pots and pans in place on the stovetop.

Dogs mounted to each side of a cover or oven door. Twist to dog down; twist again to open. Simple and effective.

Latch everything! Oven doors must have a secure latch that can keep heavy contents inside, even in a knockdown. As the opening sea-story demonstrates, stormy weather will reveal any weakness in a latch or lashing.

You can make a robust "dog" latch with a piece of wood, mounted near the edge of a hatch or door. Be sure that the dog can turn through ninety degrees. Drill a hole in the middle of the wood and insert a screw. Simple and effective.

Sinks

Galley sinks should be an absolute minimum of eight inches deep. If you have two sinks, both should be this deep. Nigel Calder suggests placing galley sinks as close to the centerline as possible so that the sink drains on both tacks.

I believe galley sink hand-pumps are as ludicrous on a sailboat as an umbrella. Foot pumps are the only way to go. It frees up both hands so that you can wash your hands, rinse pots and pans, fill a kettle or pot. As stated earlier, make sure you have a deep-enough sink to do all of those tasks without splattering deck and galley with water.

Two foot pumps may work on larger vessels; one to draw salt water for washing and the other for fresh water for rinsing or drinking. Just make sure to color code the foot pumps and spigots. Smaller sailboats can use a large-mouth, deep bucket for salt water washing. Reserve the sink spigot for fresh water.

Handrails

In my mind, you cannot have enough line aboard a boat. The same goes for vertical and horizontal handrails. Often, you need one hand to hold a pot or pan or piece of sailing gear and the other to grab the handrail. Anatomy dictates that the strongest grip comes at about chest height.

Try it yourself. Hold your arms down by your side. Stick them out at about waist height. Try gripping onto something. Lean back a bit. Now, repeat the same experiment, but this time, stick your arms out at chest height and grip something. Lean back slightly. Which feels more secure?

This will help you install handrails at the correct height, instead of just here and there as you often see them. Note the handrail cutout in the photo to the port side of the oven. This would not offer much support because of the awkward grip necessary.

This often-forgotten feature also comes into play in heads and showers. If you sit down on the head, you need a brace at chest height. When you stand up at the head, you need another brace at about chest height. Look for other areas below where you can modify handrails to make them safer for sea.

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Follow these sea-tested tips to make your galley ready for coastal or offshore sailing. Keep your crew safe and sound this season, wherever you choose to sail or cruise.

Captain John was a navigator, ship driver, search and rescue skipper, and master training specialist in the US Coast Guard. He later directed the chart navigation and seamanship departments at the Chapman School of Seamanship in Florida. He is the author of Seamanship Secrets from International Marine and the three-book series Captain John's Sailing Skills and has written twenty other eBooks on seamanship topics, including sailing, docking, and navigation.

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