New To Us Grill

Griddle master

Last year we used our Magma BBQ quite a bit.  Even though I altered the cover to add extra protection, the inside components still seem to last only one year.  We are not the only one.  ALL the cruisers we have talked to have the same issue – replacing parts annually because they aren’t made to last.  The rub is that these annual parts are EXPENSIVE!  And the grills themselves are not cheap so buying a new grill annually is not an option either.  We try to watch ebay, Amazon or stops at Sailorman (In Ft Lauderdale) to get discount parts but it is frustrating.  This year, we were looking at well over $100 to get it up and running again.  I suggested we have the parts custom made in Trini so the quality would be better and last longer but we never got around to it.

One morning on the local VHF net, a cruiser offered up their Australia BBQ under the Treasures of the Bilge section.  “Tom – an Aussie BBQ.  They build those things like tanks.  Go see what that is all about.”  Tom did.  It’s a Southern Stainless grill.  *I know, Southern & Aussie = odd.  But they ARE southern as in southern hemisphere. 

Anyway, Tom did some pondering.  It is slightly bigger than our round Magma but not too big.  He would need to configure a mount for the rail.  And it is actually a griddle vs grill.  It runs on propane but instead of a grate and flame, it has a flat cooktop.  $200.00.  What the heck.  We are going to have to put close to that into parts for another season with the old Magma.  Sold! 

It is actually bigger than we thought but still manageable, barely.  Tom cleaned it up like new.  We did our first test out on the dock.  It was Willie’s birthday so Tom cooked up a big batch of birthday bacon because who doesn’t like bacon for the bday and anyone can do cake!  Success.  Okay, I guess we need to figure out a mount.  Mitchell was still working on our stainless bow pulpit, Tom had him fashion two rail mounts for the BBQ.  The first was crooked.  Mitchell fixed it.

Side project – Our favorite cheese slicer finally broke at the wooden handle.  I have been searching for a new one for over a year because I knew it was going to break.  No luck.  Tom took it to Mitchell and he welded up a new handle out of all stainless steel.  Beefy.  This cheese slicer was a gift from my Norwegian AFS family so I am extra happy that it now has a second life.   Plus we love this style cheese slicer.  The wire ones are rubbish!  

Cooking Gas

One of the 10 lbs tanks

We took advantage of Trinidad and Tobago's low fuel costs to refill one of our propane i.e. cooking gas bottles.  This is not always an easy task as a cruiser.  More often than not it involves a tax ride and or hike to an actual commercial LP gas plant.  Sometimes there are services that do this for cruisers for a fee of course.  Costs vary widely.  The most we have paid is in BVI's - $30 US for a refill on a 10 lbs bottle that wasn't even empty.  Antigua was expensive as well.  The cheapest has been Tobago.  We walked a couple of miles to the NP commercial gas facility at the SW corner of the airport.  Unlike Trinidad, no need for a rental car or special dress.  The plant in Trinidad requires you to wear long pants and closed toe shoes to even get past the security gate.  Here in Tobago, they took the bottle and directed us to the administration building.  By the time the lady in window one filled out the triplicate form and gave it to Tom and he took it to window three to pay, our bottle was filled and delivered back to us.  Cost was $10.50 TT or approximately $1.50 US.  

We have two 10 lbs bottles that we rotate thus always having gas.  We also have one 5 lbs we use for our grill and two of the green gas camping bottles for the grill as well.  One 10 lbs bottle will last us approximately 45 days.  Tom marks the newly filled bottle with a piece of tape showing the date we filled and where so we can track it.  In general, cooking gas is used for coffee, eggs or oatmeal in the morning and at least one pressure cooker meal a day and sometimes two.  These are usual 15-20 mins total.  Afternoon snack of popcorn is often in the mix as well but quick on the stove using very little gas.  We don't use the oven much - maybe two or three times a season.  Too hot otherwise.  Plus many islands we are able to find really good local bakeries.  The longest use of the cooking gas is for our stove top smoker. That generally smokes for 25-30 mins.  

We have been told that Trinidad & Tobago cooking gas is a mix in of propane with a little butane.  I guess butane burns at a lower rate and thus lasts longer.  Today's receipt says "70% 30% mix."  Not sure what the that means.  Maybe 70% propane and 30% butane.  Hum?  

5 lbs for the grill

We have American style aluminum propane bottles.  These are easy to get filled in the Caribbean.  No special fitting needed.  This won't always be the case as we travel further afield.  We shall have to see what the options when we run into that challenge.  One option is various fittings that allow for fills in other parts of the world.  Or perhaps just buying a local propane bottle for say a new continent.  

Life on the Hard - Grilling For The Week

November 8th, 2014

Cooking while up On the Hard is a pain.  It's hot, you are dirty from yard dust and projects, refrigeration is down to a ice box and cooler  with ice, and clean up is a pain.  James and Patty from s/v La Adventura are seasoned cruisers with more than their fair share of time logged on the hard in various boat yards around the world.  They came up with a simple and efficient solution.  They grill once a week at the Friday night boat yard pot luck and then they eat on those already cooked/ grilled up meats with a simple salad throughout the week.  They come to the potluck organized and focused with extra containers to put the week's cooked/grilled up meats into.  The boat yard grill is much bigger than any magma (boat grill).  James waits to put their weekly grillables on at the end so there is plenty of room and hot coals.  Terrific solution that we will be using in the future.  Thanks James and Patty.