2017 & 2018: Gourmet Galley

Ongoing Saga: # 4

Tap Washers.  My US tap washers are really strange having two O rings each and, of course, they weren’t available in the EU.  Hopefully I can get replacements when I'm back in the US and will be able stop the odd leaking tap.

New Stove.  Our Force 10 stove was around 17 years old.  It expertly blackened the bottom of pans, had to be started using a lighter (silly AA battery self starter had never worked since we purchased the boat), the oven was super-slow to cook, and the Galley Slave (GS) was understandably Not Happy.  

So, I did some research, talked to fellow boaties in the yard, consulted GS when I had a short list and we decided on a Dometic three burner, with grill and oven.  It’s a bit smaller than the old Force 10 so easily fitted into the recess.  It is also wired to the boat’s electrical system rather than needing AA batteries so it's easy to start and came with a set of brackets to hold pans on the stove in a seaway.  

Being a European design, the gas fittings had to be modified a bit.  I retained the US flexible gas line, had a fitting soldered to the stove inlet fitting by Sopromar, and then used a ‘modified’ brass hose joiner to make the connection.  I also installed a gas detector at the bottom of the stove which is also hard wired into the boat’s electrical system.  Whenever I turn on the ‘gas’ at the switchboard the gas detector also activates.  The stove works a treat, no blackening and best of all, the oven works efficiently.  Happy GS and so even happier Captain.

All the bells & whistles for our Galley Slave

Barbecue Mounts.  The barbecue was sitting somewhat askew on the pushpit mounting and needed more support than the standard Magma fitting I had purchased and fitted years earlier.  The standard fitting to attach a barbecue to the horizontal pushpit railing was simply not up to the task because the barbecue is not light and needs substantial support.  I attached two upright struts to the base of the barbecue mount and then to a vertical piece of the pushpit utilizing standard 1” joiners for stainless tube.  The barbie now sits securely, looks much better and is better to cook on ie it's now horizontal and your sausages & chops don't roll overboard if the weather gets a bit rough.