The Boat Galley

Burns and cuts can happen anytime you’re cooking. Add in the movement of a boat — even in a calm anchorage, let alone at sea — and the chance of an accident increases. Carolyn Shearlock, author of The Boat Galley Cookbook, offers nine specific tips that can help you avoid injuries. Sponsor: boataffair.com Coupon code: BoatGalley18 – 5% off Music: "Slow Down" by Yvet

Nica Waters has been cruising and sailing on her family’s 28’ sailboat since 1992. She shares some insights about life on board, particularly what she means when she encourages you to be Fit 2 Sail. Sponsor: www.boataffair.com Music: “Slow Down” by Yvette Craig  

Living on the boat while working on it can be tough. But a motel may not be practical . . . or in the budget. Sponsor: Marmara Imports. Turkish towels and other fine hand-loomed, fair trade textiles from Turkey. Soft and luxurious, yet tiny to store and fast drying. View their selection at marmaraimports.com and use the code TAKE10 at checkout through June 30 for a $10.00 discount on any bath size product (39" x 70"). Music: "Slow Down" by Yvette Craig

It’s so easy to get trapped in the mindset of doing “just a couple more things” before heading out on an extended cruise. In ten years of cruising, Carolyn Shearlock has fought the urge to just keep getting ready many times . . . and had some great times as a result. Here, she gives you tips to get you out living the dream and not just preparing for it. Sponsor: Fastseas.com Music: “Slow Down” by Yvette Craig

When you’re living on a boat away from a dock, the dinghy is your car. Most trips are short and it's easy to assume you'll get where you're going. But problems can arise and it’s important to have some basic safety and communication gear aboard. Carolyn Shearlock has had a motor quit more than once. Here, she lists the items that are vitally important to always carry. Sponsor: Storing Food without Refrigeration ebook Coupon code: PODCAST - $1 off Music: "Slow Down" by Yvette Craig

Nica Waters has cruised extensively aboard her 28’ boat, sometimes just with her husband, Jeremy, and sometimes with her 2 kids. Her perspective urging you to consider all the comforts of life aboard is based on solid experience, and it might make you rethink your answer to the question, “How big a boat do I need to go cruising?” Sponsor: www.fastseas.com Music: “Slow Down” by Yvette Craig

Until you do it, it’s tough to imagine what full-time cruising will be like. You may have done a bareboat charter before, but is that really what it’s like when it’s your full-time life? Or it is really just a series of “fixing your boat in exotic places?” Carolyn Shearlock admits that no two days are alike. Here, she tells of a fairly typical day at anchor in the Bahamas. Sponsor: BoatAffair Coupon code: BoatGalley18 – 5% off Music: "Slow Down" by Yvette Craig

Thinking of cruising further afield, where you'll have to do an overnight passage? Wonder what it will be like and how in the world you'll manage sleep and being on watch and everything else? As with so much in cruising, preparation is key. Listen in to what I've learned over the years. Music: “Slow Down” by Yvette Craig

Even amongst retired cruisers, Dave Shearlock is a bit of a rarity. At 76, he and his wife Carolyn bought their second cruising boat. They've been aboard Barefoot Gal over three years now; a year and a half ago, they logged over 1,100 miles in the Bahamas. YES, you can cruise even as an older retiree. It's not just for the young folks. Carolyn explains how they're doing it and what they think are the keys to success. Music: "Slow Down" by Yvette Craig

Personal trainer and wellness motivation coach Nica Waters has been sailing and cruising her 28’ cutter since 1992. She’s passionate about helping people understand the health aspects of the cruising lifestyle – and how exercise can help it be even better. SPONSOR: www.boataffair.com Music: "Slow Down" by Yvette Craig

Living on your boat in summer — tropical or otherwise — can be brutally hot. You don't have to install air conditioning and stay in marinas. Simply improving your boat’s ventilation will do a lot to cool it off -- and costs less than one month’s stay in most marinas. Carolyn Shearlock, who has spent ten summer in the Florida Keys, Bahamas, El Salvador and Sea of Cortez, presents five ways to make hot weather cruising in the tropics possible. Music: "Slow Down" by Yvette Craig

Laundry rooms are a way of life when you're cruising for more than a few days. But space and machines are usually limited and everyone wants to get in and out as quickly as possible. There tend to be some generally accepted "laundry room etiquette" practices. Here, experienced cruiser Carolyn Shearlock lays out what you should and shouldn't do to make it as painless as possible for everyone! Sponsor: Fastseas.com Music: “Slow Down” by Yvette Craig

There are tons of features to look at and think about when you’re buying a boat. Some are personal preference and some are major safety considerations. Some can be changed, some would be almost impossible. Carolyn Shearlock, author of The Boat Galley Cookbook, details three things to evaluate carefully in the galley design. Sponsor: Storing Food without Refrigeration ebook Coupon code: PODCAST - $1 off  Music: “Slow Down” by Yvette Craig

Nica’s cruised for years on her 28’ cutter, with as many as 4 people living aboard full-time. She’s learned some tricks about provisioning along the way, some of which can be put into practice long before you move aboard. You don’t have to live aboard to get ready to cruise! SPONSOR: www.fastseas.com Music: "Slow Down" by Yvette Craig

What’s this? A business card for the boat? We’re trying to get away from all that! It’s a great way to easily exchange info. What should you put on yours? Having seen thousands of boat cards in ten years of cruising, Carolyn Shearlock will answer your questions and provide a few tips. Sponsor: SeaTech Systems, offering cruiser-tested solutions for weather and communications. Coupon Code: Free shipping through July 2018 with GALLEY2018 at checkout. Music: “Slow Down” by Yvette Craig