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The Boat Galley

making boat life better

All Articles – Newest to Oldest

Canned Meat Meal Ideas

Published on March 4, 2026; last updated on March 14, 2026 by Carolyn Shearlock

Shrimp pasta made with canned shrimp, a quick no-refrigeration meal idea

Stuck in a canned-meat rut? These 54 ideas will get you cooking real meals again.

How to Get Past New Cruiser Fear?

Published on February 26, 2026; last updated on March 3, 2026 by Carolyn Shearlock

How do you fight nerves when doing something a little scary? Me? I just fake it . . .

Find a Fuel Problem on a Boat

Published on February 25, 2026; last updated on March 3, 2026 by Carolyn Shearlock

How to find the cause of a fuel problem on a boat. Symptoms and possible causes, plus step-by-step strategies for finding it.

The Secret to Cruising With Family

Published on February 23, 2026; last updated on March 3, 2026 by Carolyn Shearlock/Pamela Douglas

Man with airplane, boy, girl and woman on the bow of a sailboat - cruising with family

What’s the secret of avoiding conflict while cruising with family? Communicate better by treating each other like crew.

Creating and Leaving a Float Plan

Published on February 18, 2026; last updated on February 28, 2026 by Carolyn Shearlock

USCG Float Plan

A float plan is an important safety item for every boating trip. Learn more, including how to get around the apparent bug in saving the completed form.

8 Things to Know Before Sailing to the Bahamas

Published on February 16, 2026; last updated on March 22, 2026 by Carolyn Shearlock

Turquoise water and palm-lined beach on a sunny day in the Bahamas

Eight things most first-timers wish they’d known before sailing to the Bahamas — from surprise passages to weather to ciguatera.

Check Your Boat Refrigerator Seals

Published on February 12, 2026; last updated on February 11, 2026 by Carolyn Shearlock

Refrigerator (or ice box) seals help keep the cold air from seeping out the cracks around lids and doors. But are yours really doing the job?

New to Your Boat and Overwhelmed?

Published on February 11, 2026; last updated on February 10, 2026 by Carolyn Shearlock

Beginning cruising can be overwhelming — there are so many things to figure out. Where to start in figuring your new life out.

Better Hanging Locker Storage on a Boat

Published on February 9, 2026; last updated on February 15, 2026 by Carolyn Shearlock

DIY method for making better hanging locker storage on a boat. Here’s how we improved ours!

Small Fridge Organization: How to Go 3 Weeks Without a Grocery Run

Published on February 5, 2026; last updated on March 22, 2026 by Carolyn Shearlock

Condiment bottles organized in a small boat refrigerator door

A 3-cubic-foot fridge and no nearby store — here’s the system that made it work for 17 years.

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Welcome

Carolyn Shearlock

Hi! I'm Carolyn Shearlock. My husband and I have been living on a boat and cruising over 17 years and 13,000 miles, first on a Tayana 37 monohull and then on a 34' Gemini catamaran. Along the way, we sold pretty much everything we owned (twice!), gained a great boat dog, had a bunch of wonderful times and some adventures . . . and learned a ton about what does and doesn't work!

How Can We Help You?

I'm curious about the cruising life What is it, who does it, and what's it really like day to day?
I'm tempted — but is it realistic for my situation? My budget, my health, my partner, my life, my skills (or lack thereof)
I'm getting ready to go Buying a boat, getting insurance, planning to move aboard
I'm aboard and navigating the learning curve How do I make it the life I dreamed of?

Latest Articles

A pile of plastic, cardboard and cans, the kind of packaging waste to cut before it becomes trash on a boat

Reduce Trash On A Boat

June 21, 2026

Most of the trash that overwhelms a boat never needed to come aboard. Here are the changes that made the biggest difference for us.

How Do I Know If I’d Like Cruising?

June 19, 2026

The boats at anchor look so pretty. What would it be like to live on one? A dream or a nightmare? How to know if you’d like cruising and living on a boat.

Is Your Lifesling Ready For Use? Are you SURE?

June 17, 2026

Someday, your life or the life of someone you love may depend on a Lifesling. How to make sure it will deploy correctly.

Living on a boat

There's no shortage of sailing and navigation courses. But who teaches you how to provision, store everything, stay cool, prep for hurricanes, and actually live on a boat? We do.

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