Tips & Tricks & Ideas

A compilation of tips, tricks & ideas from boaters...  Have a tip or trick?  Please email us.

Cleaning Tips

Cleaning Brass

There are several home remedies that will remove heavy tarnish, stains and corrosion from brass.  First wash brass in hot, soapy water or a weak ammonia and water solution and rinse. 

1)  Dampen a soft cloth in hot vinegar, then dip the cloth in table salt and rub onto the brass. 

2)  You can also make a paste of flour, salt and vinegar.  You may need several applications. 

3)  You can also use catsup for cleaning brass. The combination of vinegar and salt in the catsup does the trick.

When the item is clean, wash in hot, soapy water, rinse and dry thoroughly, then polish with a cloth moistened with lemon oil. If you have corroded areas, dip a slice of fresh lemon into table salt and rub over the corroded area. Wash, rinse and dry carefully.  Always test on a hidden area when using any product before cleaning entire piece. 

Alternatives to Toxic Cleaning Products

Cleaning your veggies ...

Sanitize your veggies. 

1)  Fill one spray bottle with white or apple cider vinegar and another with 3% hydrogen peroxide (the same strength commonly available in drugstores).  Spray produce with the vinegar first. Its acidity kills the majority of organisms. Then spray with peroxide, which is a strong oxidizer that helps eliminate Listeria. Rinse well with water.

2)  Here in Guatemala we soak the veggies in bleach water and then rinse & dry well before storing. 

Drinking Water ...

We have never had a problem finding drinking water in the Western Caribbean, but here's what the Red Cross suggests if you need to:

• Boil it vigorously for at least five minutes, or...

• Add four drops of chlorine bleach to one quart of water, then let the mixture stand for at least 30 minutes prior to use, or

• Add five drops of 2% iodine solution to one quart of water. It should stand for at least a half-hour before consumption, or...

• Buy water-purification tablets from a marine, drug or sporting- goods store. Add one tablet to a quart container filled with water. Cap the container. After three minutes, shake thoroughly. Tighten the cap and allow the water to disinfect for 10 minutes. Follow the manufacturer's directions, however, for maximum effectiveness.

Eggs ...

1)  Is it Rotten?  You can tell if an egg has spoiled by placing it in a cup of fresh water.  If it floats at the top of the wataer it's gone bad, if it sinks, it's still good.  You should still break each egg into a separate bowl, rather than directly into the mixing bowl, just to be safe.

2)  When you leave the US, eggs are sold loose.  Keep any good Styrofoam cartons you can for storage when you re-provision or you can purchase a plastic egg carrier.  I found mine in the camping section at WalMart.  Eggs that have never been refrigerated will stay fresh for about 2 months if you turn the eggs over every other day.  Once eggs have been refrigerated, they must remain refrigerated. 

3)  Dropping an egg leaves a mess that is difficult to clean up.  If you sprinkle the egg with salt and leave it for a few minutes you will find that the egg can be easily mopped up with a paper towel.

4)  The Perfect Hard Boiled Egg:  Place eggs in the bottom of pot.  Cover with warm water & bring to a boil on high.  Once water has boiled, immediately remove from heat.  Cover the pot and allow eggs to sit for about 15 minutes.  Remove eggs from pot and allow to fully cool. Do not run under water or place in refrigerator. They must cool at room temperature.  After eggs have cooled, you will have the perfect hard boiled eggs that peel easily

make veggies last longer

1)  Cilantro:  will last up to two weeks - keep roots on if possible.  Wash and dry well.  Wrap tightly in a paper towel, then in cellophane wrap, keep refrigerated.  This will work for mint also.

2)  Limes:  Wash and dry well.  Wrap each individual lime in tin foil.

3)  Celery:  Wash & dry well, then wrap tightly in tin foil and then keep it in the fridge.  Re-crisp celery by standing it upright in a pitcher of cold, salted water.

Removing Fish Odors

To remove fish or onion odors from hands, wipe them with vinegar. Pour vinegar into the hot skillet after cooking fish or onions and simmer briefly.

old tube socks

Old socks are great for protecting bottles & jars.  Cut them off just above the heel, sew together & you've got a long tube that fits wine & liquor bottles perfectly.

Splash-Free Pouring

To avoid messy splashes when transferring things like tomato sauce or soup from a pot to a storage container, place the backside of a large wooden or metal spoon under the pouring stream to deflect the liquid into the container.

finding the beginning of a roll of plastic wrap

Hold a clean toothbrush or veggie brush against the plastic wrap and rotate the roll, rubbing the bristle along the surface of the plastic until the hidden edge loosens and the plastic can be unwrapped.

Health & Beauty

It's sometimes hard to find good beauty products while traveling in some of the out-of-the-way places that we cruise.  Here's a few all natural beauty products...

Exfoliation

Ground up chick peas make a great exfoliate.  Drain canned chick peas, mash & rub on your face or body, then rinse well.

facial cleanser

Mix 1/2 cup oatmeal or cornmeal and plain yogurt (add enough yogurt to form a paste).  Smooth over entire face avoiding eye area.  Wash off with warm water.

facial masks

Normal, combination or oily skin:  mix one egg white, 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal, a tsp. olive oil and couple drops of lemon juice until smooth.  Spread on face & neck.  Leave on for 15-30 minutes then rinse with warm water.

Dry skin:  mix one egg yolk, 1 tsp. honey and 1 tsp. olive oil along with some vitamin E oil.  Or:  mix ground dry oatmeal, honey and plain yogurt into a paste.  Spread on face & neck.  Leave on for 15-30 minutes then rinse with warm water.   

Laundry Tips

Fabric Softener

Dryer sheets are hard to come by when you are not in the US.  Instead use an old towel, pour a couple of capfuls of fabric softener on it and throw it in the dryer with your clothes.  Add more fabric softener every 15 loads or whenever you notice a little static.  Use a towel that is distinct from your other laundry so it is easy to pull out and save for the next wash day.

fading colors

Turn dark clothes inside out when washing and hanging in the sun to dry.

grease stains

Sprinkle a generous amount of cornstarch or baby powder over the grease stain, allow it to sit for a couple of minutes, then brush the powder off. The powder absorbs the grease and it brushes off with the powder.

Laundry Basket Freshener

Place a fabric softener sheet in the bottom of your laundry basket or sprinkle some baking soda in the bottom of your basket and that will help absorb the odors as well.

Mildew Stains

Shake or brush the item to remove any loose growth. Presoak in cold water then wash in hot water with heavy duty detergent. For whites, add 1/2 cup bleach. If colored, use color-safe bleach. If stain remains on white items, repeat washing before drying.  Dry thoroughly; heat and sun kill mildew.

Maintenance

Preparing to Leave on Your Journey

boat documentation

If you are cruising to a foreign country, don't forget to check your boat's documentation for the expiration date & be sure to bring it with you. 

custom's User Fee Decal Program

If you are a US citizen who will be cruising to a foreign country and your boat is 30 feet or more in length, you will need to purchase a User Fee decal to return to the US.  The cost is $25.  You can purchase your decal before you leave the states online from the Customs and Border Protection at: www.cbp.gov.  Click on the "travel" tab, then select "User Fee Decal Program." You can also call 317-298-1200, ext. 1245 between 8 and 4:30 EST. Email any questions to: decals@customs.treas.gov.

Money

When cruising, carry both a MasterCard and a Visa card along with your ATM debit card.  We've found that sometimes one is accepted and not the other.  Check the expiration dates on all cards before you leave and make sure that you have a way to receive a new card if you have one that will expire while you are cruising.

Only take currency that is in good shape.  If it has a tear or has been marked on in any way, almost all banks outside of the United States will not accept the bill.  We have found Guatemala to be the most stringent about this.

shopping

Looking for just the right gadgets for your boat? Most large truck stops carry 12 volt appliances --- coffee pots, small microwaves, small sauce pans & more.

Safety

Storage & Organization Tips

Hanging Lockers or Shelves? 

Putting shelves in your hanging lockers can double or even triple the amount of storage in the lockers.   It will also eliminate the chafing that hanging clothes endure with the motion of the boat.

Board Game & puzzle Storage

Store the game board flat in the bottom of a drawer or shelf.  Take all playing pieces and put in a Ziploc bag along with the directions on how to play.  For puzzles cut off a small picture from the box (so you know what the puzzle should look like) and store it along with the puzzle pieces in a Ziploc bag.  Throw all of the unnecessary packaging out. This saves a lot of space, not to mention no cardboard on the boat please.  

Miscellaneous Tips

make that fishing lure sparkle

No need to toss out worn out looking lures, just give them fresh sparkle by applying a coat of gold or silver glitter nail polish.