Trystan Grace walks us through a Kraken 50 galley
They say ‘the way to a sailors heart is through his or her stomach’!
So, galley design, especially on a world cruising yacht is very important. It needs to be functional, safe, light, airy and easy to clean. Each Kraken follows this design brief, providing an enjoyable place to cook at anchor or underway. The cook, like the helmsman, should be able to stand in one place and reach everything without the necessity of moving around much. It’s critical that you can brace yourself with your feet and butt, leaving both hands free to work. If you have to hold on with one hand, the design has failed.
The positioning of the galley in the most centralised location provides mid-point stability, this combined with the ZERO Keel and overall displacement offers a smooth sailing motion, eliminating jerky movements, always unwelcome for the sea-chef.
Cabinet corners are radiused, and handholds are placed throughout, and, easy-to-clean HI-MAC counters include moulded fiddle rails. Ample storage is provided throughout for food perishables dry goods and tinned supplies required for extended periods offshore, and dedicated draws and cupboards are designed to store all the crockery, cutlery, pots, pans, storage boxes, toasters, and coffee and bread makers. You will need a considerable amount of storage. Oh, and of course a wine rack!
The heart of any galley is the cooker, and the Kraken 50 includes, as standard, a fully gimballed electric cooktop and pot clamps with electric combi oven.
The choice of electric over traditional gas was a decision based on two factors, the first being the obvious safety benefits of removing the potential explosion risk of propane gas. The second is eliminating the need to refill or buy new gas bottles.
When visiting the more remote parts of the world, gas bottles may either be not available or will not be exchanged because the bottles differ or may require different regulators from those you already have.
An air conditioning handler is located above the cooker. An option to install an induction cooktop further improves safety with ‘cold to touch’ hobs.
Built into the inner countertop are dual-purpose garbage bins alongside each other to enable the disposal of biodegradable waste overboard and a deep bin for non-biodegradable shore- side waste. A wooden chopping board that slots in above the sink is designed so food can be prepared and washed whilst keeping countertops clear.
It’s all in the detail!
An opening hatch to the cockpit directly above the inner countertop allows cups, plates and bowls, to be handed directly out to the helm and crew thus eliminating the need to negotiate the companionway in pitching seas.
As standard, the galley includes two refrigeration units; a double drawer fridge unit with 144L of usable capacity and a single freezer drawer with 75L of capacity. Freezer size can be upgraded to give more freezer storage.
Fridges with front opening doors are not a proper solution on a blue water cruiser as, if the door is opened when heeled, you’ll be wearing the contents!
When discussing and advising boat owners on their galley options, we always recommend the inclusion of the Quooker boiling water tap. This energy-efficient tap sits alongside the main galley tap and constantly provides boiling water. In rough conditions, a loose kettle is a potential danger aboard a yacht. Due to the design of the insulated tank acting as a vacuum flask, the Quooker only requires 10 watts of energy to keep the water ready for use, so unlike a kettle, you don’t waste energy heating water to go cold again.
