Small tips

The following tips works for me:

Dirt trappers

Dirt trappers can get wet and with the rubber underneath made it non slippery. It is very handy at the outside of cockpit area and one in inside of saloon. We used it to put the outboard on when taking out of the engine room, before lifting onto the dingy.

Brooms and mops

Made the sticks shorter so that they can fit in the starboard locker. Cover the stick that has sharp edges with rubber ends.

Vacuum cleaner

Wet and dry vacuum cleaner from Verimark named Genesis. It can be used to get all the water out in engine rooms, as the 2 bilge pumps sets the alarm off with a little bit of water. Use the dry vacuum to clean the bathrooms and floors. After vacuuming, a damp cloth is all that is needed to wipe the floors. It is so much easier.

Deep fridge

200g meat per person per day is enough protein. Sealed the meat in 200g x person’s portions. In the small deep fridge I could get in 45 kg vacuum-sealed meat in 400 g packets. The space what was left was filled with small packets of frozen vegetables.

Table laying

Laying the table with a grip runner underneath the tablecloth

On top of the tablecloth and table runner I put grip table plates. Use whiskey glasses for wine because wineglasses do not work in rougher water. Candles are dangerous to use due to risk of fire. Instead I use tea candles that work with a battery. Could be ordered at Candle a light.

Crockery I use is of the make lumerick. It is strong and thin. 

Hooks

Hooks in the showers for wet clothing

Hooks at the back of doors for lighter jackets

Hooks at various places in every bedroom for extra hanging space for jackets and dress that did not fit in cupboard

Baskets

I have different size of baskets on the tables to organize the loose stuff. On the navigation table a basket for the pencils, ruler, calculator; a basket for all the stuff like headlamp torches, remotes; a basket for the sunglasses. I use the baskets everywhere to prevent everything to slide off the tables in rougher weather. I have also used them inside cupboards to group items together.

Emergency bottles

A second emergency bottle with extra things in like Passport copies, sunglasses, peak and hut, sun cream, extra emergency water, extra flares, foghorn, Vaseline, black bags, long sleeve shirts, swimming shorts, lip balm, biscuits and food that is carbs and not protein. If you do not have water, you must not eat protein. An excellent video on surviving is: I shouldn’t be Alive Episode 4, 76 days adrift.

Crew list and yacht registration paper

Crew list and yacht information in English, French and Portuguese. Printed and enough copies so that at customs you can supply the authorities with a copy of your crew list and yacht registration paper. 

A file that is used for entry and exit of countries

A file with copies of documents: crew list, yacht registration paper, info of yacht, medical insurance, copy of drug register, last port of call clearance paper, sketch of yacht.

Boat stamp, stamp of captain's details, letterhead, cards

Design a boat stamp with all the info as well as a stamp with the captain's details. Design a letterhead to use on official letters. Design visite cards with all the info and print a few to hand out to other yachties.

Waterproof bags and rain jacket and pants

With traveling in a dingy everything can get wet with water in the dingy. Waterproof bags to protect ipads, sel phones etc. A cheap rain jacket and pants that can be put over clothes when traveling in the dingy. We found a hard cool bag handy to transfer groceries that you do not want to get wet. 

Sewing machine

A sewing machine is handy for repairs of sails. Special thread and special needles is available for a normal sewing machine. It can also be used to make flags of countries. Take along calico cloth in different colors. The machine can also be used for normal needlework.

Vegetables, fruits and eggs

Potatoes, unions, carrots, pumpkin can be stored by using a vegetable basket but a hammock works even better. They will last for a month-long voyage provided that they are picked over regularly and suspect ones removed. Vegetables in fridge like tomatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, spring unions, snap peas, mushrooms, cucumber, cabbage, hold good. Green beans and ...do not last more than 2 weeks. Go through every 4^th day to pick out the vegies that are off. Fresh eggs will also last for a month without treatment, but not if they have been chilled at any time. Citrus fruit will keep for weeks but other fruit is less predictable. Green bananas will be inedible for several days and then all ripen at once. Eggs must be turned twice a week to prevent their shells from drying out and the yolks from settling. Eggs coating with Vaseline last for at least 6 weeks.

Drying of dishes and work bench

Dishcloth folded twice for beakers and glasses 

Work well when sea is rough and you make coffee /tea that the beakers stay on the workbench and do not slide around. 

For myself:

I have gel on my nails for the last 10 years. I have on board a full kit to do my own gel nails.