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11 Must Have Products for your Sailboat Galley

sailawayblog
Oct 23, 2015
5 min read

Our favorite 11 products that make life aboard our 38 foot, 1979 Morgan sailboat, Wanderlust, much easier.

1. Wall Mount Knives ($50)

This wall mounted miniature knife block mounts to the galley wall to keep your knives secure, and keep you safe, but takes up very little space which is the most important thing in a sailboat galley kitchen.

A set will run you upwards of $50 (UPDATE Dec 2016: On sale for $42!!) but it is the best way to store your knives aboard. We love this set, from Sea Teak.

2. Stainless Steel Wine Glasses ($30)

Avoid broken glass, rust, and plastic all together - opt for this set of SS wine glasses. I'm in love! :)

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3. Over-the-Sink Dish Drying Rack ($25)

The double sink takes up a lot of space (about 1/3 of the galley), so it is important that the sink space be multi-use. I recommend this over the sink drying rack, which prevents the mildew-ey scent that sometimes comes with hand washing and drying dishes. Plus, you can cut the prongs with a hand saw or wire cutters to fit your sink size exactly.

You can get yourself a stainless steel foldable dish rack on amazon, for about $25.

4. Over-the-Sink Cutting Board ($20)

A great asset to add counter space is an over the sink cutting board, which really isn't used as a cutting board. Instead I mostly use ours as extra counter space when we don't need the sink well. Its really comes in handy when we have guests over and need the serving space for dinners, or when food prepping.

Thankfully ours was already here and made to fit the boat. If you can't make a custom one yourself, here's a one that is extendable to fit any sink.

5. Stainless oil dispenser ($22)

I love coconut oil for cooking because I like the taste, it has several health benefits, and the viscosity is always liquid in the tropics. However opening and closing the jar is a pain, and a mess for cooking aboard.

This stainless steel dispenser is rust resistant, easy to refill and clean, and never spills under tough seas. Plus it fits right into our galley storage cubbies.

6. Double Sink Caddy ($11)

Nothing is more irritating than a messy, cluttered countertop in an already too small space. Or, the WORST case scenario... a soap bottle rolling off the counter to explode on the floor while underway.

This in-sink caddy keeps things organized around the sink area, and helps the sponges to dry out fast, avoiding mildew.

7. French Press Coffee Maker ($22)

Coffee lover? Me too, but my cabinet is 3 inches wide, which means an electronic coffee maker is out of the question. I LOVED my Keurig back home, but we really couldn't spare the electricity or space to run one of those machines. Plus, I feel better about not using the plastic cups which create a ton of waste.

The best alternative is a French press coffee maker, which doesn't require filters. Just boil the water, pour over grounds into this contraption and press the grounds to the bottom. You can find one at most grocery stores, but I definitely recommend stainless steel. I have broken a glass one in the galley, full of hot coffee, and it was not fun!

The below model is double walled to keep your java hot for longer, and works wonderful for us aboard Wanderlust.

8. Wine Tote ($30)

I LOVE wine. But, a sailboat is no place for bottled wine. Obviously glass bottles are dangerous aboard, but also wine is supposed to be stored in a still, cool, dark space... which does NOT exist on my boat. There's no use buying expensive wines if I can't store them properly, and they go bad from heat and sun exposure. So, I opt usually for a box wine like Bota Box or Black Box.

We stock up big time on boxed wine while in the states, because we haven't found it as much abroad. But, the box is the first thing to go when the wines come aboard. The cardboard takes up space, and is known for carrying critters, like ants and roaches, as stowaways. Instead, we store the pouches of wine alone, stacked in a sloshy pile.

As a birthday gift, a friend got me this wine carrying bag, which is perfect for storing your wine on a sailboat, and literally has become my favorite posession! You remove your boxed wine from the cardboard box, and place the pouch inside the carrying bag. The nozzle sticks out the bottom... and now you've got the perfect mobile wine tap!

The pouch fits perfectly inside the small galley fridge and can be quickly lifted in and out with the handle. Plus, if you're feeling frisky, you can tote it around town, and nobody will be the wiser, since it looks just like a purse or a dry-bag. It is the absolute best for beach BBQs!

9. Airtight Food Containers ($60)

Again, it is best to avoid storing cardboard on a boat due to the critters it can harbor. When we bring our groceries home, the cardboard boxes from cereal, crackers, and other dry goods, are the first thing to go in the garbage... at the dock if possible.

I'm not a fan of storing food in plastic, but I am an even bigger opponent to roaches, weevils and ants! These plastic containers to store foods securely away from the weevils, ants or roaches. You can find containers like this at grocery stores, Kmart or Wal Mart or via the link at the image below. Pop a few bay leaves inside as further critter deterrent.

10. Environmentally friendly cleaning products

Everything you put down your galley sink will end up in the ocean, where you and the fishes swim, so it is important to be conscious of the products you use. A few of my favorite products for cleaning the galley on board are good old fashioned vinegar, baking soda, and castile soap. These products aren't toxic to humans or animals, leave little odor, and are safe for the environment. The best thing for removing stains from the countertops hasn't been bleach or heavy duty cleaners, but instead a little water and vinegar with a magic eraser!

My favorite product is Dr. Bronner's Peppermint castile soap, for everything from washing my hair, to the dishes, to the dog, to the teak!

11. Scrub Daddy Sponges ($11)

When it comes to dish sponges, it is important that it dries fast and doesn't retain food particles for the bugs to enjoy. Nobody likes a dirty, stinky, greasy dish sponge, unless you're a cockroach.

The best sponge I've found is the Scrub Daddy sponge... Yes, the invention from Shark Tank! It works like a charm! It never stays greasy, and food washes right out of it. Also good are the purple non-stick scrubbers from 3M, but they really don't compare to the Scrub Daddy. If you are lucky enough to find some of these at the grocery store, buy them out! :) Otherwise, click on the image below to order from Amazon.