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The Boat Galley

making boat life better

Buying & Using a Boat Refrigerator

Boat refrigerators just aren't like "land" refrigerators. Smaller, oddly shaped and often with little to no freezer space or organization.

Make your fridge work for you -- whether it's front- or top-loading, and no matter how tiny!

🎧Always Store These in Your Fridge

Published on February 25, 2022; last updated on May 25, 2023 by Carolyn Shearlock

Yes, space is precious in a boat fridge. But if you don’t store these two items there they’ll go bad before their time.  

Reduce What’s In The Refrigerator

Published on May 3, 2020; last updated on January 28, 2026 by Carolyn Shearlock

Condiment bottles organized in a small boat refrigerator door

Three ways to reduce what’s in the refrigerator — essential for living with a small refrigerator, whether in a boat, RV or off the grid.

Isotherm Cruise 130 Elegance Refrigerator

Published on January 8, 2019; last updated on January 28, 2026 by Carolyn Shearlock

Isotherm Cruise 130 Elegance interior

The Isotherm Cruise 130 Elegance uses less energy and needs defrosting less often than the Cruise 130 Classic. Learn all the improvements here.

🎧Cruising Hacks: Galley-Style

Published on March 27, 2018; last updated on December 13, 2023 by Nica Waters

Five great ideas that make living – and cooking – in a small space a lot easier.

Choosing Our New Refrigerator

Published on July 29, 2015; last updated on January 28, 2026 by Carolyn Shearlock

Isotherm Cruise 130 Elegance interior

There are a lot of boat refrigerators out there. How’d we come to choose the one we did?

What’s In The Refrigerator?

Published on July 1, 2015; last updated on January 28, 2026 by Carolyn Shearlock

A simple way to know what’s in the refrigerator and what needs to be eaten soon. Save money and don’t waste food with this easy solution.

Maintaining Gaskets and Weatherstripping on Boat Hatches

Published on November 17, 2014; last updated on January 24, 2023 by Carolyn Shearlock

A few minutes of maintenance can save a much bigger -- and more expensive -- repair.

A few minutes of maintenance can save a much bigger — and more expensive — repair.

Monitoring the Temperature in a Boat Refrigerator

Published on December 30, 2013; last updated on January 28, 2026 by Carolyn Shearlock

If you’re away from your boat, how do you know if the refrigerator is staying as cold as it should? Here’s an easy way to tell.

How’s the Boat Refrigerator Doing?

Published on August 2, 2013; last updated on January 28, 2026 by Carolyn Shearlock

An inexpensive indoor/outdoor thermometer could save hundreds of dollars of food by alerting you to a problem before the food is spoiled.

Adding Refrigerant to a Boat Refrigerator

Published on July 1, 2013; last updated on January 28, 2026 by Carolyn Shearlock

Isotherm Cruise 130 Elegance interior

Not a how-to — I’m not enough of an expert for that. But a few things that we learned along the way and weren’t in any how-to book we ever consulted!

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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

Adding or Changing a Boat Refrigerator

July 14, 2026

Four items to consider if you’re thinking of installing or changing your boat refrigerator to make sure you end up with a system that meets your needs.

Making Back Up Plans When Boating

July 10, 2026

We’ve learned to ALWAYS have back up plans. If we’re lucky, we don’t need them. But sometimes we do . . .

Sailboat

Having Meals When Underway on a Boat

July 7, 2026

Thirteen tips for planning and preparing meals to eat underway on a boat — whether just out for the day or on a longer passage.

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.

Master Life Aboard with
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11 courses covering every aspect of life afloat — from deciding if cruising is right for you, to moving aboard, provisioning, storage, tiny fridges, VHF radio, hurricane prep, cruising the Bahamas, boat dogs, and more.

$519  $199  SAVE 62%

See the All-Access Pass →

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