Peconic,
I think you missed the point of the original post. They are looking to experiment with something they can use on the boat. All the extra gear you suggest doesn't work onboard. Besides, bread turns into a science experiment pretty fast if you buy in quantity to last a whole week or more.
I think a breadmaker would be a great item if you were aboard alot. I was initially surprise, reading Jean's blog, about the breadmaker but it makes a lot of sense. I'd try emailing Jean to see what she does for recipes or if she is using mixes.