When choosing equipment for my Galley, I absolutely LOVE silicone! Silicone trays and moulds for baking and freezing, silicone things for storage, silicone cooking utensils, collapsible silicone equipment and non-slip silicone mats. So much of my galley equipment is silicone or has a silicone element because it answers all of my “should I take it home with me” questions, positively.
Does it take up a lot of space or drain the battery power a lot?
NO. As silicone is so flexible, you can place different shapes inside each other and put them in strange shaped boat lockers, bending them around corners and not scratching your cupboard lining.
Is it absolutely necessary?
YES, If I want to bake my own bread, cakes & pies etc, I need baking trays and moulds. I want effective non-slip surfaces that are also protected from heat while on passage, that can easily be cleaned and put away.
Is it damaging to the environment or our health?
NO, silicone doesn’t leach harmful chemicals into its surrounding environment and doesn’t break down into micro-plastics. It is non-toxic and endlessly recyclable, but it would take around 500 years to biodegrade, so should never used as a single-use product.
Can it be used for more than just one purpose?
YES. Silicon can be used in the microwave, the regular oven, the fridge and the freezer seamlessly. You can bake a lasagne in the oven, store it in the fridge or freezer, then reheat it in the microwave without changing dishes. Silicon food covers can be used over and over again, where single use cling film can not. And non-slip matts do double duty as as heat protection for your counter tops.
Is it made of breakable material?
NO. Pyrex and ceramic for baking can always break, crack or chip, especially on a boat where the splinters can cut your bare feet or damage your woodwork. Silicone is kind to people and boats.
Does it enable you to do a job yourself without paying someone else to do it for you?
YES. I save a fortune on baking at home, freezing my own fruit popsicles, etc, when fruit is abundant or on the turn. Making ice in lidded trays and the non-slip grip on passage are unbeatable, especially where you don’t have fiddled edges on tables and worktops.
Will it last? Is it a quality product that won’t be damaged by the marine environment?
YES. I have had all of my silicon equipment on board Sea Pearl for at least seven years, where none of it has broken or let me down. Silicones are UV light stable. Sunlight does not have enough energy to cleave the SI-O silicon bond and therefore does not breakdown when exposed to the sun. Salt water or sea air doesn’t affect it at all.