Boat stove discussion

[carl762]

Nice.  Phil, I have one of those stoves and I love it.  By sheer luck, I found another mounting bracket, so I can move it to either side of the boat.  This was very important to me.  Think I'll get the adapter from HF and start filling my own propane bottles.   I'll look up the brass caps and get a few for my needs and make a PVC pipe container to store them.  Thanks for your post.  Shame they don't make those stoves anymore.

And, I'm going to start using my Presto 1.5 liter pressure cooker on the boat. I upgraded to an all-electric one at home and use it lots.  Getting that pressure cooker flavor down on the boat will be awesome. 

[wolfenzee]

It's been a while since I looked at alternatives. Right now I have the cheap 2 burner propane stove from WalMart, but I mostly just use 1 of the burners, so it takes up more space than needed, thus I keep looking... :)

Here are some interesting finds from this morning, some are recaps, some are, I think, 'new' to the discussion...

I think I am going to get this one, and give away my cheapo 2 burner, or if possible, chop it up for spare burners:



I've long looked at this one, because I like the small oven/broiler, but it's larger than it needs to be for me, and space is at a premium. It's on sale, $20 off of what its cost has been for the last several years:



Here's a new-to-me product (a propane oven) that seems like a good idea, but is a bit pricey. More specs here, it is pretty large. Still, it runs off of my fuel, so...



Anyone used or seen this one yet?



A stovetop hot-water heater that some may find of interest...



Maybe this could be modified into a small, stovetop oven?



And this thing looks like a way to make hot beverage/cooking water with a minimum of fuel. At its price, it would take a while to recover the costs, but at sea, minimal fuel usage and max efficiency would be nice:



Last, heres a stove which can use propane, gas, or kero - giving maximum flexibility in fuels. Sorry, no pic, the site owners claim copyright on the pic (for no good reason)...  ::) ??? :P

I have the one pictured as the "outback" two burner w/oven, it is actually made by and sold as the "Camp Chef". There was a thread concerning this stove, I and several people on boats where I live have one, they are terrific, two big burners and a small oven that gets up to 450F (no thermastat, just thermometer so you have to watch it untill it gets where you want then turn it all the way down)

[ntica]

Need some help (again ;))...
Have a Taylor Kerosene stove... needs preheating and pumping. I Think I do right but... When turned on Hugh scaring flames will come, scares me a bit when out to sea. Will it need more pre heating purhapse?  What do I do wrong?

[CharlieJ]

Sounds like not enough pre heat. That stove should give you a nice blue flame when properly pre heated.

Also make sure the orifice is clean. Should have a self pricking needle that cleans when you turn all the way on. Do that once in a while before lighting.

I've used kero stoves since the 70's with little to no problems.

[ntica]

Hi, And thanks charlie. Will try to clean it out. For how long and with what do you pre heat it with?

[CharlieJ]

Rubbing alcohol works, as long as it's 70 % or more. I prefer the 90% (red label here) Anything under 70% doesn't want to burn.

Or denatured, but it smells worse and is more costly.

As to how long- each stove is a bit different. I fill the pre heat cup almost to the rim  and then light. May be more than needed, but it's surer that way. Start like that and cut back if you want. I just like to be sure.

Oh- and here's a great site for all parts

http://www.base-camp.co.uk/

[ntica]

Yes Charlie, Now I think I got the grip of it. I have done wrong from the begining. Thanks to you!
1) Make sure the air screw is loose to release any existing pressure.
2) Unscrew filler cap and ensure there is sufficient paraffin,(kerosene), in the tank, approx. 3/4 full, replace cap.
3) Fill the preheater cup with methylated spirit, (alcohol) and light. Ensure stove is sheltered from the wind or fit the windshield.
4) LEAVE THE STOVE ALONE!!, don't fiddle!, when the spirit is almost burned out close the air screw and give a few strokes on the pump, the stove should light at the top of the burner. Have a match or lighter ready in case the stove does not light immediately.
5) Should the flame burn unevenly around the burner the jet may be blocked.Wire cleaning needles or 'prickers' are used to reach into the flame and clean the jet. Use the correct diameter 'pricker' for the stove, 0.2mm - 0.3mm, bent pieces of wire etc. will damage the fine jet.
6) If the stove flares release the pressure by opening the air screw and allow to burn down. Before re-lighting the stove always loosen the air screw to release any pressure present.
7) To adjust the hight of the flame at the burner loosen the air screw gradually, this releases some pressure and the flame will go down. To increase the flame again increase pressure by gentle pumping, do not over-pump or the tank can be damaged.
With practice it will take less time to light your stove than read these instructions!.

[CharlieJ]

Aha- you have a "roarer" burner :D

I have (had) one of those also. I changed it out for an adjustable one. Same drill though,except you don't need to bleed off the pressure.

Stove and spares went with Tehani

[geneWj]

Well on Clara we had alochol, on our fish boats, diesel, on TPIII propane stove and oven.  On First Born,since cooking will be in the cockpit, I've chosen a 2 burner white gas and unleaded gs stove with a Coleman oven on top.  That way its a one fuel boat.
Only crazy people try to cook underway in a 19' boat.
olesalts view geneWj

[DarrenC]

Carita came with an original pressurized 2-burner alcohol stove which I don't think has ever been used. 

Although I knew I would never on principle alone allow myself to pay the $20.00/litre West Marine wants for denatured alcohol, the stainles stove was too god of quality and such a nice job was done building it into the galley counter that it seemed a shame not to utilize it.

In keeping with my simple and pragmatic (read: tightwad) nature, I removed the burners and replaced them with Swedish all-brass Trangia nonpressurized spirit stoves I purchased from a backpacking store for $18.00 each.  Although incredibly basic, I now have a solid and reliable no-moving-parts cook system which burns cheap ($8.00/gallon) methyl hydrate and will last forever without failing.

For the foreseable future we arent going to be making any passges long enough to worry about cooking underway - my Admiral's famous antipasto platters serve that calling just fine!

[CharlieJ]

Welcome aboard to both of you.

Yep- alcohol is THE most expensive fuel going for long term use. but for weekending, not a big deal.

I can't figure how you won't be at least using the stove for coffee out anchored somewhere. Sipping that first cup  while sitting out in the cockpit as the sun comes up, is really superb ;)

[DarrenC]

Hi Chalie and thanks for the welcome.

I'm in complete agreement with the morning coffee ritual - The first thing we moved on to the boat was our kettle and French Press from our canoe camping gear.

Cooking at anchor, mooring or dock is no problem at all, however what I was getting at is the open design of the Trangia burners would make things a little...ummmm....dramatic if fired up while underway and heeled.

Amazing photos of Tehani BTW - I'm sure you've heard it all before but Wow!

[CharlieJ]

Thank you Darren. She's quite a boat. Not bad for 52 yrs old eh?

Of course, sometimes I DO cook underway. When you are offshore for several days, you must ;)

Pic adjusted so stove and coffee pot were vertical-

[DarrenC]

Great setup!

I'm also liking the look of the KISS hanging single burner earlier in this thread utilizing the milk pail.  I've made a couple of different hobo stove designs for camping in the past.  I'm sure I can come up with an appropriately tightwad solution when the time comes that I need something gimballed.

[s/v Faith]

Darren,

  Emerald Tide gets by with regular old propane, nice and convenient... But I do like Faith's system...

Butane for the main stove, sterno (in a sea swing) for the second burner, and propane in the 1# bottles for the grill / oven... 

  Like the sound of your set up, would you mind posting a picture?  Would like to know where you got he parts for the conversion too....

  Again, welcome aboard!

[DarrenC]

I will be happy to post a picture as soon as this Canadian winter finally lets up and I can dig my way back inside...

There are really no parts to speak of.  Trangias are the simplest burner you can imagine - just a heavy duty double walled brass canister - sort of a permanent sterno or fondue burner on steroids.  Can burn them wide open for a roaring boil or add a ring with an adjustable butterfly flap for simmering.  Fir installation all I did was remove the old burner assembiles, tubes etc. and wedge the Trangias in the holes that were left behind.

Like I said - extremely basic but solid and won't fail.  The Trangias can be found in hiking/backpacking type stores.

[Kettlewell]

A few random thoughts on stoves. My wife and I have always felt that without an oven you are camping, and we want to be able to cook as good as home so we like to have the oven. Even when in the hot Caribbean we were frequently baking bread, fish we had caught, chicken, muffins, pies, cakes, you name it. Second, no matter what anybody tells you, kerosene creates some odor, even when working perfectly. Many, many times I have been invited to someone's boat and I know they cook with kero before I even get onboard--I can smell it from the dinghy. It permeates your clothing, everything in the cabin, and even your food. Some people seem to get used to it, but I could not, and I consider myself an expert on running a kero stove, which I did for many years, both camping and on boats. Third, I just don't see kero many places I have been, including the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean, and other places, where propane is available virtually everywhere. Forget alcohol--unavailable outside most developed countries in my experience. I suppose with careful planning and some research you might be able to carry a very large supply of alcohol so you only need to purchase it maybe every six months or so, but I think it would be a pain in the long run. The small camping cylinders of propane or butane corrode through very easily, and should never be stored below or anywhere the gas wouldn't drain overboard if they leak. With a family of four onboard full-time we find that two 20-lb cyclinders of propane usually last us at least 3 months, which is my desired "range" on cooking fuel--I don't want to have to fill up more often than that, because some places it is very hard to find any fuel. We do a lot of baking onboard and eat something hot for almost every meal.

[CharlieJ]

Just a point- I don't ever use kerosene. Nowadays it just isn't as refined as it once was. Instead I use 100% Mineral Spirits, and have for nearly 40 years, both in stoves and in kero lamps. Burns FAR cleaner than todays kero and costs about the same.

And I use a pressure cooker as an oven, baking bread, biscuits, potatoes, cakes, etc. Just have to get used to round loves :D

If I HAD to change, I'd go propane for sure though.

[Kettlewell]

Mineral spirits might be the way to go, but how readily available is it outside the USA and other developed countries? I do have some kero lamps onboard and we usually spring for ridiculously expensive lamp fuel as it does call itself "odorless" but I can still smell it somewhat--not too bad though. Kero lamps make nice offshore night lights and keep the night chill out of the cabin. In places like Maine we find they provide enough heat many nights to keep things quite comfy below. I'll have to try mineral spirits in them. We used to lug around a pressure cooker, and have tried baking in them, but never really got the hang of them. Much easier and nicer, IMHO, to have a real oven that can cook anything you might cook at home in an oven. A grill on the stern is also a necessity for us--keeps a lot of cooking heat out of the boat in hot climates, and is the nicest way to grill meats of all sorts.

[CharlieJ]

Never had any trouble finding Mineral Spirits in the Bahamas or Mexico. It's used as a paint thinner, and every body everywhere paints. Regular stuff labeled "paint thinner' works well also- both burn far cleaner than kerosene available now.

Careful on the "odorless" mineral spirits- some of that is labeled non flamable- sure would mess up a lamp wick >:(

Denatured alcohol in the Bahamas, was $30 a gallon last I saw. Sure glad I didn't need THAT!!

Use the pressure cooker to can things also :)