Does your boat have a really shallow “locker” (using the term loosely) behind one or more of your settees? If so, use it to create a great can pantry!
This is another one of those “why didn’t I think of that?” ideas. Aboard their liveaboard sailboat, Ever After, Sami and Barry Shreve created the can pantry shown in the photo. The best thing about it, says Sami, “was being able to see and access cans at a glance.” Although she pulled the settee back down totally for the photo, in everyday use she could just tip it forward a bit, see what she wanted and grab it.
One thing that immediately struck me was that it removed one step from my whole “putting away the provisions” routine: labelling the can tops. Not a monstrous task, I’ll admit, but one that added a half hour or so to the chore when we did a big provisioning run.
And I love that you can totally see what you have! The close-up at right shows just how easy it is to find what you want, with all the cans in a single layer.
I kept my cans in a top-opening locker, with two layers. So if what I wanted wasn’t in the top layer, I’d have to start pulling cans out to look underneath them until I found what I wanted.
Sami and Barry liked the system so well that on their current boat, a trawler named Deja Vu, they’re going to build a similar pantry this summer.
If you find that your cans roll a bit particularly as you take a few cans out, you can toss a few rolls of toilet paper onto the shelves, as Sami did. Other options would be to glue foam to the settee back or putting a few rags between the cans and the back.
Many thanks to Sami for sending this in and letting me use their photos. In thanks, I sent her a “TBG” reusable shopping bag — send in your great tip and if I use it in an article, I’ll send you a bag, too!
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great idea, Thank You. . I am lucky enough to have a full pantry on the boat , it is next to the head. . .we have learned to multi-task.
I currently own the boat, “Ever After” with the can pantry. My husband and I bought her from Sami last April. This was a selling point that caught my eye. One can never have enough storage on board. I love this as we can provision enough to last 6 weeks or more without overcrowding. There is also a storage near the table that I can store several bottles of wine that ride great when under sail.
Great idea! This year we’ll be getting “Nirvana” ready for cruising, and this is something we’ll have to add to the list. Thanks!
Great idea!
That’s very cool. I have the perfect spot on my boat for a pantry. Thank You
Such a neat idea…love it!!
AWESOME, just awesome!!!
This is a fantastic idea! Thank you so very much for sharing. The only question is that we have a catamaran. These types of boats are typically so sensitive to weight. I wonder how this same concept could be applied to both hulls using lighter weight shelves… Your site offers so much along the lines of galley tips/tricks and well, common sense boating tips. Thank you – you’re doing an OUTSTANDING job!
Fabulous! Keep the ideas comingl you’re tips are invaluable!
not sure what happened to the rest of my comment. . I Love all of your ideas and can’t wait to put many to use this Sailing Season
Sometimes FB totally confounds me! Oh well . . . technology!
Love love LOVE this!!!! Definitely stealing this idea!! Thanks Carolyn!!
Great idea! Since I am refitting the boat now I am going build a pantry and use the shelfreliance can rotation system. But I may also use the system you show here. Thanks! …. http://www.shelfreliance.com/all-products/frs-food-rotation-systems/the-cansolidator-series.html
Ok, now it’s on the to do list! Great idea.
Wow! Love it! It’s on our wish list now!