Keeping fresh vegetables on board
As any sailor who has ever sailed for more than a few days knows, keeping a balanced diet on a boat can be difficult. Although vegetables do not need a refrigerator, they generally do not like to be kept for too long after harvesting and the humid and poorly ventilated atmosphere of a ship often causes damage, not to mention the shocks associated with the ship's movements. However, without going as far as the scurvy problems encountered on the ships of the great ancients, the absence of fresh produce quickly damages the dynamism and morale of the crew. Making a classic vegetable garden seems difficult, but the example of hydroponics led by Nomade des mers opens perspectives for long-distance sailors in search of healthy food.
Corentin de Chatelperron, initiator of the project confirms it: "We were able to eat freshly picked produce throughout the transatlantic race!"
A roof transformed into a greenhouse
When you enter the saloon of Nomade des mers' catamaran, a Kennex 445, you could think you were in a greenhouse. The culture is done on a large scale, on each side, well lit by the portholes. The plantations are made in trays with clay balls. The varieties are numerous and from a distance, one could say the neighbor's vegetable garden.
"Leafy plants are the most interesting, because it's the best ratio in terms of the amount of plant to eat. When you put vines in, it doesn't take up much space. They invade the porthole and we can then adapt the choices to the size of the boat" explains Corentin de Chatelperron.
Fertilizer made by the crew
To feed these plants, the principle of hydroponics is to regularly water the plants with a liquid mixture loaded with nutrients that compensates for the absence of soil. On Nomade des mers, this is water mixed with the droppings of the crickets raised on board. The dilution can also be done with the crew's urine. A pump regularly circulates the water in the tanks. Although the consumption is very low, it is also possible to water by hand on a boat with a smaller garden.
For the yachtsman who is not much on board, the installation may be cumbersome, but on a sailing boat or during long summer cruises, hydroponics on board is worth considering, for the pleasure of a fresh salad at sea!
