More Myths Debunked...

Galley myths

Myth 1: Fish are there for the catching at any time.
Actuality: Only when the freezer is full.

Myth 2: Carrots will last forever if they have not been previously refrigerated.
Actuality: One week is all I got—is it because I put them with the beets?? I have learned to separate potatoes and onions—is it the same for beets and carrots??

Myth 3: Green bananas will ripen slowly and if you refrigerate them they will be fine.
Actuality: They all ripen at once and go mushy in the fridge—banana bread again!!

Myth 4: Limes will last forever in a cool dark place.
Actuality: Where is a cool place in the tropics?? How did Captain Cook manage??
General Actualities: All produce will ripen (much quicker than anticipated—see actuality 2, 3 and 4) and go rotten on the same day—refrigerated or not. You are left having a mega veggie meal and are facing canned vegs starting tomorrow (today’s actuality)

Myth 5: If you make yoghurt from a culture you will only need to remake it every 4 or 5 days.
Actuality: You need to do it at least every second day and even then I have “killed” 4 different lots of culture—I am getting too embarrassed to ask for new culture from my cruising friends.

Myth 6: Sauces and condiments need refrigerating.
Actuality: Most will last forever not refrigerated—that is the North American sterile myth

Myth 7: Vacuum packing will prolong life of food and keep out weevils.
Actuality: Vacuum packing will crunch up cookies and pasta into many pieces at the same time as it punctures the bag and negates the seal. Flour will go hard and need sieving—woops when was the last time anyone saw a flour sieve?

Myth 8: Crackers if put in an airtight container will stay crisp.
Actuality: Crackers will not stay crisp in the time it takes you to put them in an airtight container.
Still to be tested---eggs if rotated regularly last for weeks. Bimbo bread lasts forever.


Mechanical myths

Myth 1: If you have lots of “spares” you will be able to fix everything.
Actuality: The rule of “spares” is that whichever part you need it is not one of the huge numbers of “spares” you do have. Short of towing a “spare” boat you cannot have enough “spares”.. Besides you need to bring the mechanic, electrician and plumber in the “spare boat” as well.

Myth 2: If you get the boat all fixed and ready before you leave you will have no problems.
Actuality: You would never leave if you waited for everything to be fixed and if by some miracle you feel you have accomplished myth 2 it only holds true until 30 feet off the dock.

Myth 3: If you can’t fix it yourself you shouldn’t have it on your boat.
Actuality: We would have to have a canoe.

Myth 4: Electronics make your life easier.
Actuality: Electronics are evil.

Myth 5: Computer navigation makes your life easier.
Actuality: You still need paper charts as back up and the computer reminds you every minute that you are sailing too far south and the current is against you. If you project our current heading we will hit NZ next, miss the Marquesas totally and if we miss NZ will probably stop at the Antarctic.

Myth 6: Single side band radio is obsolete
Actuality: The value of the single side band is that you can feel better when you hear that the boat in front of you lost his autohelm, the other one had a propeller come off and the others have no engine or transmission and all that you have is a blocked toilet. (We have actually heard all of the above and more)

Common misconception---we do NOT anchor each night and take turns "watching" 24 hours a day.