Hanging fruit baskets seem like such a great idea on a boat, yet in practice they have several problems.
I just love it when a reader sends in a way to really improve a piece of galley gear. Jackie Bartz of Lively Lady, currently in the Rio Dulce, Guatemala sent me information on what she calls her “cheap-y” fruit basket that she and her husband created.
What I immediately noticed was that her design solves all three of the problems I had with a wire basket. It won’t rust, there aren’t pressure lines on the fruit (causing rot) and it keeps bugs and flies (and, reports Jackie, fruit bats!) off the fruit.
I guess if you want it done right, you’ve got to do-it-yourself!
Luckily in this case, it’s a pretty easy DIY job.
Jackie got three colanders at the dollar store and her husband drilled three equidistant holes in the rim of each. Then they ran 1/8″ line through them, tying simple overhand knots in the line for the colanders to rest on (see close up below) and tying the lines together at the top to hang from a hook.
Jackie made the cover out of netting (you can get bridal veil netting almost everywhere and it’s fine enough to keep even the tiniest bugs out). She put a long zipper in one side, running from the top to the bottom. Then she folded over the top and bottom into casings and ran more thin line through them to be able to pull the netting tightly shut at the top and bottom.
A trick I learned on a charter we were once on: clip a bungee cord from the bottom to something below the baskets when underway to limit the swing. Using bungee or shock cord provides some give so that the produce isn’t tossed around by a hard stop!
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Carolyn Shearlock has lived aboard full-time for 17 years, splitting her time between a Tayana 37 monohull and a Gemini 105 catamaran. She’s cruised over 14,000 miles, from Pacific Mexico and Central America to Florida and the Bahamas, gaining firsthand experience with the joys and challenges of life on the water.
Through The Boat Galley, Carolyn has helped thousands of people explore, prepare for, and enjoy life afloat. She shares her expertise as an instructor at Cruisers University, in leading boating publications, and through her bestselling book, The Boat Galley Cookbook. She is passionate about helping others embark on their liveaboard journey—making life on the water simpler, safer, and more enjoyable.
Simplify meal prep on board with proven strategies for provisioning, maximizing fridge space, and cooking delicious meals aboard your boat.
Michelle Beatty on Facebook says
Brilliant!! love this
Candy Ann Williams on Facebook says
Great idea!! Thanks!!
Adina Greenwood says
I’ll be making one soon. Thanks for sharing.
Darlene Burnett Price says
Great idea. Thanks
Grace May says
What a fab idea, tks C I’m going to try it in my kitchen so long- galley is far from finished. tks
Janet Carr says
Love this post !!
Bart Trish Masker says
What simple and ingenious idea! Love it!
Sylvia Ekedahl Waldsmith says
For those of us who don’t sew….use fabric glue to close the bottom and sticky backed velcro for the opening! This is a GREAT idea!!! Thanks!
Anne Lalonde says
picked up my 3 colandars at the dollar store yesterday!
Monique Henault Henson says
I see your Heiney!!
The Boat Galley says
Essential to surviving the bottom paint scraping. 🙂
Monique Henault Henson says
And Sailor Jerry is always ready to help!
Terri Rowe says
That is brilliant!
C David Wrestler says
dollar store pool noodles may help prevent damage from swinginginto sides/back. just my 0.02 $ worth.
LaDonna Thomas says
Love it, can’t wait to see details so I can add it yo our project list’
The Boat Galley says
It’s really fast to do — once I had the supplies, it was literally only about a half hour. I was just starting as Dave went to the shower and done by the time he came back 🙂
Mike Paterson says
Good idea. And to keep things best, don’t put potatoes and onions in the same locker. Onions make the potatoes sprout and I’ve noticed onions rotting after prolonged partying with the taters.
Elizabeth Aristeguieta says
That looks really nice Carolyn.
LaDonna Thomas says
Kmart here has similar baskets so I really looking at this. Thanks as always for good ideas !
Renee Lindsay says
Sarah Finlayson
Sandy Falconer says
looks good.
Jenni Knight says
Kellie Knowles
Julie Anderson says
Charles looks like the baskets you made a few years ago.
Sami Bolton says
Well I wish I would have shared this years back when we are on the sail boat because we did the same thing. A little bit different version. Another thing that I did was keep anything that we had nearby facing towards it. That seemed to help
Lupari Sue says
What a great idea!
Sue says
A d it made me think of the large laundry bags that you put undies in. One of them and 1 collander would work in a smaller space.
Vanita VanFleet Fowden says
Will definitely be using this idea. Thanks.
Chris H says
Yes, we use similar. Stack the baskets and then use your drill and the holes shall be perfectly aligned. Remember for the cord to be long enough to allow a loop at the top for the hook.
Shawna says
Absolutely brilliant! This will work in the RV, too!
Caroline Kelly says
“tip of the iceberg” for storing vegetables. HAHA 😉 Don’t know if it was meant but it’s a good pun!
Kimberly Lancashire says
This is the article that inspired me to make mine out of woven baskets. So much better than a fruit hammock!
Skyler Hanson says
great idea,..and I love the bug netting
Dulcie Holland says
What are you using to attach the basket to the ceiling ?
Carolyn Shearlock says
Most people hang it from a hand rail or an eye hook screwed into a piece of wood trim.