Cruising Basics - Washing Dishes While Afloat

[PNW_Wesley]

This may sound like a silly question, but it’s something that multi-day cruisers contend with, and the answers will be helpful for my upcoming trip planning.

After enjoying a meal onboard, it’s time to wash the pans and dishes. On a 19-footer, there is no sink, and no practical way to store “used” dishwater.

Do you bring a bucket of seawater on board, then wash, then rinse with potable water?

What type and brand of dish soap do you use?

One would obviously ensure that most of the food residue is off the plates and pans before washing, but what about the small amount of grease left on the pan after frying bacon? Will dumping dishwater result in a visible sheen on the water?

When you are moored in a pristine bay, with other boats around, is it socially and environmentally acceptable to pour your bucket of dishwater overboard? Or will your neighbors give you heck for doing so?

[Micahbigsur@msn.com]

Wesley & Karen, on our bigger boats our sinks drain overboard so does our dishwater, Dana uses Myers soap, no sheen. (I cook and wash at home but Dana won't let me in her nurse clean galley). We also use a foot pump in the sink for seawater washing so we can save tank water, Dana uses a small plastic box in the sink for soaking small stuff while we are eating.Our sink is small so we wash big things in the cockpit with seawater. We soak up all the bacon grease with paper towels before washing and the table scraps go in the trash bag.

[PaulNBriannaLynn]

Boats with living quarters have all sorts of things pouring overboard when moored from my experience. I never know if its bilge water, someone is taking a shower, washing dishes or what. But its commonplace.

We sometimes wash in the saltwater from the cockpit, but usually just in our sink with some lemon dawn and a sponge. I've thrown bacon grease overboard, but learned my lesson when the grease stuck to my hull. Now I do whats mentioned above and paper town the grease and throw it in my trash bucket. We use a French press for coffee, and throw the grounds overboard. ive often wondered what effect my spent coffee grounds has on the marine life below the boat. Anyway, our boat has significantly less impact than most of the other cruisers around.

[thataway]

What our source of water is depends on where we are, and potential water supply. We carry and extra 6 gallons beyond the built in tank on the 25. If the local water is potentially contaminated, we use water from the fresh water boat tanks. If clean, we bring it to a boil, and then use it for both washing and rinsing. Salt water, we often use the salt water and then use fresh to rinse-takes little.

We use one of the hospital type of rectangular pans--which fit perfectly in the C Dory sinks, We use this for washing, then rinse over the open sink, and finally either put in a rack, on a pad or use a towel to dry. We have a double 1/8" spectra line just under the ceiling about 4' long to hand dish towels on to dry. Also a "hand rail/crash bar" in front of the galley counter as a hand hold or for towels.

[Marco Flamingo]

On a CD 16, I don't have a sink. I have a collapsible bucket which I usually place on the fish cleaning table over the splash well. Hot water is heated on the induction stove, the fastest and safest cook surface, IMHO. I use Dr. Bronner's soap because it seems to work for everything. Dishes, showers, windows with just one squirt bottle. And it claims to be one of the eco friendly ones. It doesn't lather in salt water, but seems to do the trick.

My only twist on dish washing is that I always have a bottle of iodine based sanitizer on board. My bottle has an eye dropper. Before and after I clean a fish, the cleaning board gets doused with water and sanitizer. The final rinse of dishes gets the appropriate amount of sanitizer in the bucket. Even questionable produce can get an iodine rinse. I take my bottle with me if I use a public fish cleaning station.

There are "specialty" iodine products for brewing, counter tops, vegetable washing, etc., but I've found that a jug from a wholesale restaurant supply house is the same price as the little specialty bottles. You will have to find a medicine dropper bottle, as only a drop or two is required for some things.

It isn't likely that it is the fresh oyster or sushi that gets you, it is the food preparation tools and counter top.

Mark

[Foggy]

Sea water is the KISS way to wash dishes while aboard.

Place all used food smeared dishes, pots, pans in a nylon mesh bag.
Tie a lanyard to close it and the other end to a deck cleat.
Toss it overboard overnight.
Let the fish nibble, clean and enjoy your dished scraps until the AM.
Then, haul it in and dry with a clean towel.

If you worry about sea water not being clean enough, you're cruising
in the wrong area.

Otherwise, it is not a big deal.

Aye.

[ssobol]

Paper plates and cups solve a lot of dishwashing problems. They can be disposed of in the fire on the beach.

[tsturm]

[Marco Flamingo]

[cmetzenberg]

Tortillas. No plates needed.

[hardee]

I don't use much in the way of dishes. A knife, spoon or fork mostly. Occasional cans, or a bowl, but mostly sandwich type meals. Clean up is with a small dose of Dawn, rinse with fresh water. I do use a generous amount of Clorox wipes, and my fresh water has a fair dose of bleach to keep it from growing ANYTHING I carry drinking water in 3 or 4 gallon jugs and refill when I refuel. I use a quart size peanut butter jar for washing socks & shorts with a splash of the Dawn.

I have done some paper disposal at a beach fire a few times.

Harvey
SleepyC