Cooking in a boat, without gas or electricity
Anyone who has never found themselves on board a boat with an empty gas bottle, unable to finish cooking the crew's meal, should come forward! The question of energy is crucial on a boat and cooking can quickly consume a lot of it. Modern, well-equipped pleasure boats are increasingly using electric hotplates or ovens, even if it means using a generator. Most boaters take gas bottles on board to feed the gas stoves and ovens. But their storage can quickly become cumbersome.
The sun provides free and inexhaustible energy. Why not use it to cook the crew's food. With this in mind, the crew of Nomade des mers tested a series of solar oven models. Whatever the method, the principle is to concentrate the sun's rays and its energy to raise the temperature of the cooking area. The method, efficient, allows to enjoy a good cake or a cooked dish, without opening the gas bottle.
An isolated fireplace with mushroom foam
The first model, the simplest and most economical of all, consists of a black painted box, the top of which is closed by double glazing. The box is insulated on its periphery to keep the heat in. In the case of Nomade des mers, the insulation is made of mushroom mycelium, molded to the desired shape. A mirror on the top cover focuses the rays on the glass. The model can reach a cooking temperature of 100°C.
A folding solar oven
The second model, whose inspiration came to the crew of Nomade des mers in Mexico, the folding solar oven has the advantage of taking up little space when not in use. A notable advantage on a boat. A series of panels reflect the light and concentrate it where the dish is placed. Its geometry is optimized for the place of use according to the height of the sun. It can also reach 100°C.
A solar oven that heats like a home
Made from a solar water heater tube, it requires a slightly larger budget. It is also more fragile. A double-walled glass tube, with an air gap inside for insulation, encloses a black film on the outside to recover heat and shiny inside to diffuse it well. Mirrors around it concentrate the rays on the tube. The dish is inserted by one end. The temperature can reach 200°C, enough to cook everything on the boat, as at home.
Easy to install technology on the boat
The installation on board could be frightening and seem unusable at sea. And yet the crew of Nomade des mers testifies to its viability, confirms Corentin de Chatelperron: "The solar oven, installed on the rear skirt of the catamaran, was able to be used without any problem during the transatlantic race
