Boat Bread Recipe

White: innocent and untainted.

I have had a few requests for my boat bread recipe. Well would you believe one request. They asked me to put it on the blog.

Its not really my recipe, I got it out of a book called "Dough" given to me by good friends Gerti and Dave.

Nothing better than when your'e in a remote anchorage, and you bake your own fresh bread. Not only does it make the boat smell great, its very tasty and easy to make! My advice is make two loaves because the 1st one is always eaten in about 10 minutes especially by my hungry crew!!!!!

Flour, water, salt and yeast Thats all!

10g yeast, I just use the powdered instant dried yeast "Bowen" brand. It stores well on a boat.

500g white flour. Try and get strong white bread flour, but not bread mix stuff. White plain flour works well.

10g salt.

350g water, or 350ml. You can use a measuring jug but weighing is more accurate.

Method.

Using a mixing bowl, rub yeast into the flour using your hands, make sure the yeast and flour are well mixed, before mixing in the salt then finally water. Hold bowl with one hand and mix the ingredients with a rounded scraper for 2 to 3 minutes until the dough starts to form.

Begin to work the dough: Forget the way you have been previously taught to to knead the dough by pummelling it with heel of your hand and rotating it.

The idea is to stretch it and get as much air into it as possible. Slide your fingers underneath it like a pair of forks with your thumbs on top, swing it upwards and then slap it back down to your work surface. Keep stretching the dough up and over, still stretching it forwards and sidewards and tucking and tucking it in around the edges keep repeating this sequence until the dough starts to come together and feel elastic like in your hands. Keep on working it till it comes cleanly away from the surface and begins to look silky and feel smooth. This whole process will take about 10 mins.

Then form dough into a ball, rotating the ball as you go. Turn the ball over and stretch and tuck the edges over. Put into a lightly floured bowl, cover with tea towel and store in a warm draught free place for about an hour or till dough doubles in size.While dough is resting it's a good idea to pre heat the oven to about 250 degrees C.

When doubled in size shape into loaf and put in loaf tin. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or when loaf looks golden brown.

Love to hear your feedback on how your bread tastes and looks. I hope my explanation is clear.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Work, work, work it's not over yet!

Final boat jobs and maintenance.

The weekend is here, and the countdown is on for our departure. We were to leave on the weekend of the 25th May, but I have been asked to work an extra week! So departure has been put back until the 1st week of June. I guess that it won't matter, as the plan is to be in Cairns by mid to late September, we can head off to the Louisiade Archipelago (but really there is no plan) Our whole philosophy is not to rush and enjoy our slow boat to China, its not the destination but the journey that counts (no were not going to China). So Jen please stop me if I start imposing deadlines on myself.

This morning I awoke with renewed enthusiasm for the boat jobs that have to be completed before we leave. 1st up I set the the revitalised staysail to make sure it was all good, next Jen measured said sail for a new "turtle bag"( a bag for the staysail,so its on the deck ready for deployment at anytime. Jen worked hard all day measuring, cutting, sewing, remeasuring, cutting and sewing etc:

Jen proudly fits the new sail bag, and as you can see the result speaks for itself! I think its the best sail bag I've ever seen, Jen is a genius with the scissors and sewing machine. Now not to be outdone, I bravely took on my least favourite job! Greasing the winches, now you dirt dwellers might not think that's such a challenge, but any seasoned sea salty will tell you it takes a lot of courage and patience to disassemble a winch, the easy part! Its putting it back together again is when it becomes quite confusing. Jen says it's the mariners Rubic Cube. Now those that know me well, understand my limitations with all things mechanical. So here is a picture of the winch, before I got to it!

Looks nice doesn't it! I'll let you guess what the following picture is...................................................

If anyone has a Barlow Winch maintenance manual, can you email it to me? I will need it before the 1st week in June. I sent this pic to a helpful irish mate, now he wondered where the paint brush fitted. Stick to irish BBQ's Dave.

Mothers Day tomorrow, so family day for us and a day off from boat jobs.

Happy Mothers Day!

 

Posted with Blogsy

Welcome to trekkingthesea

Introducing Sea Trek III

Jen and I are about to embark on another sailing journey on our new yacht Sea Trek III, a Savage 46 commonly known as an Oceanic 46. This this time we are heading north to the tropics, in other words a left turn out of Sydney Harbour, I'll double check that with Jen, as last time we went north we ended up landing in Hobart, perhaps I installed the chart-plotter upside down!

Jack Savage Oceanic Yachts Melbourne.

Renowned Port Phillip Bay boat builder Jack Savage designed & built the Savage 46 for his own cruising and club racing…..The result, a robust performance cruiser proven by multitudes of successful ocean cruises.

The protected centre cockpit not only gives reassurance at sea but also gives the ultimate cruising layout below featuring a large private owners aft cabin with ‘ensuite’ enclosed toilet.

There were 53 x 42 ft and 16 x 46 ft Oceanic hulls built (now that shows the popularity back in the 80’s and early 90’s) and we know of several Oceanic's that have completed circumnavigations. Sea Trek III built in 1987 has completed trips to PNG, Louisiades and Solomon Islands. ( both dream destinations for both Jen & I)

All the cruising must – haves are ticked……centre cockpit, hard dodger, 2 x private cabins and bathrooms, L-shaped galley, full nav station, full access diesel, and Jen's favourite a workshop! Huge 8 – 10 person dinette for the ‘sundowners’, jam sessions, one night has seen 13 people in the salon including a wide assortment of musical instruments.

Jen and I flew to Brisbane in December 2011 to inspect Sea Trek III, I fell in love with her at 1st sight, Jen took a little more convincing! To cut a long story short, the negotiations were undertaken followed by a sucessful survey, Sea Trek III (I wonder if I just type ST3 in future?) was ours. Next problem, how do I get a 46 ft yacht from Brisbane to Sydney? Mates that's how! Dumb mates at that......

Then began the longest delivery trip in history from Brisbane to Sydney. Maybe in the back of my mind I knew it was destined to take an eternity, as I quit my job to bring her back. I won't go into the nitty gritty of the trip here, thats a story to save for grandchildren. Needless to say the weather gods played havoc, and there were lenghty stays in both Coffs Harbour and Camden Haven. We finally arrived in Sydney 6 weeks after the Brisbane departure.

This video just about sums the whole trip in a minute or two.

Now I never did thank you my delivery crew of Skippers all 5 of you! Alan, Bruce, Dave, John and Johnny. Thinking back on the trip I don't think I'll thank you now, maybe later............

 

Posted with Blogsy