Boat stove discussion

[Doc Bob]

CapnK
I've been using one of those stoves for two years (fresh water though). Mine isn't gimbled, though, I also use a gimbaled one burner for heating tea, coffee or soup while underway. I like my unit and plan on using it for the 3rd year in a row (I live on my boat during the summer here in Michigan) I think you will be happy with it.
"Doc" Bob

[CapnK]

Thanks, Doc! I'll be trying my own out soon, and will add to your report. :D

[psyche]

Joe Pyrat I enjoyed reading the reconstruction/remodal of your boat. I had James Baldwin do the same with my 8.7 Columbia. I would like to know more about you hot water heater and if you have a shower. If so where did you install the shower?
I gather your hot water heater works off of shore power only. Do you have a tank or is it a tankless? Dan

[Joe Pyrat]

Dan, the hot water heater works off of both shore power and the engine cooling system so hot water is available anytime after running the engine. 

The shower is in the cockpit.  If you look at the build info you will see a section on using a Radio Shack project box as a mold for the shower head recess.  I had initially acquired one of those cockpit shower fittings from a boat store but we decided it wasn't substantial enough for my projected use.  The shower fitting is also plumbed so it can be used as a saltwater wash down and the fresh water side of the system is capable of using both my onboard water or city water.

In this picture you can see the shower fitting in the recess on the left.

[s/v Faith]

Jeff,

  WRT stoves, Faith carries a Sea swing Sterno stove, the ubiquitous Magma BBQ (the kind that is also a stove), and the Butane stove with a fiddle mentioned earlier in this thread.

[GregX999]

I have a few boat-stove questions. I'm still looking for my first live-aboard, long-distance boat and from what I've read (here, other sites, books, etc) I'm pretty convinced I want to go with kerosene for cooking - both for safety reasons and because I'd plan to cruise about the globe and I've heard propane can be a hassle to buy/refill.

1. Can you get gimbal mounted, multi-burner (2 is fine) stoves that use kerosene?

2. Can you get the above with an oven? (Is there even such thing as a kerosene oven?) I know you "can" bake in a pressure cooker, but I also know it's not quite the same thing as "real" baking.

3. I love the Atom Stove (http://www.atomvoyages.com/projects/AtomStove.htm) in concept (looks very simple and quite handy), but I would think only having 1 burner would get old really fast (I do somewhat enjoy cooking). Does anyone agree or disagree?

4. If a boat already comes with a propane or alcohol stove that's in good condition, is it worth it to switch to kerosene or would you just stick with what it has and change in the future?

Thanks!
Greg (aka: Noob with lots of questions)

[Delezynski]

Greg,

We converted our boat to propane many years ago. We carry 4, 6 Lb tall bottles and that gives us about 4 to 6 months of service. We cruise full time for over 4 years and know it works for us. You can see our install on our web site under our prep pages.

BUT, if I was to do it over again, I might go with the Wallas units! They look like the best (NOT perfect) unit for our size boats. They can be a cook top, a heater and they do have an oven.

They were not available in the US when we outfitted Guenevere.

They do have a few drawbacks, but they have some very nice features. Take a look at the site at:
http://www.wallas.fi/default.asp?id=srj9evr8umg

Hope this helps.

Greg

[Bill NH]

1. Can you get gimbal mounted, multi-burner (2 is fine) stoves that use kerosene?

2. Can you get the above with an oven? (Is there even such thing as a kerosene oven?)

Check out the Taylors kero stoves and ovens, made in the UK. 

http://www.blakes-lavac-taylors.co.uk/prod02.htm

I used to had one on my Voyager 26.  They're pricey (mine came with the boat) but very nice!

[Captain Smollett]

4. If a boat already comes with a propane or alcohol stove that's in good condition, is it worth it to switch to kerosene or would you just stick with what it has and change in the future?

Greg,

This is our situation.  I'm a bigger fan of kerosene/diesel for cooking and heating fuel aboard than propane (just my personal preference).  This thread should perhaps be merged with this one.

But our current boat came with propane in the galley (and no heater), and we have chosen to stick with this for a time; the boat simply needs attention in other areas first.  I will change "some day," but I'm in no big hurry.  Waiting should give me time to save for the Taylors or similar setup I want.

Incidentally, just to add to the consumption stats, we have a single 10 lb propane tank, and we typically get 3 months per tank.  That's a family of four cooking at least one hot meal per day, plus heating water for dishes (and/or occasional hot drinks) at least once per day.  In our current location, 10 lb of propane costs $10, so we are looking at about $3.50 ish per month.

[skylark]

I think the ideal combination is to have a 2 burner propane stove with a kerosene Sea Swing system.

If you have alcohol, you should plan on changing to something else.  If it is pressure alcohol, you can change out the burner jets to kerosene for a fairly easy conversion.  If it is nonpressure alcohol, you will need a new stove.

[GregX999]

Check out the Taylors kero stoves and ovens, made in the UK. 

http://www.blakes-lavac-taylors.co.uk/prod02.htm

I used to had one on my Voyager 26.  They're pricey (mine came with the boat) but very nice!

Yeah, that's what I'm looking for. They look like works of art too! :)

Looks like about $2000 for the basic 2 burner stove-top w/ no oven. Yeah... a wee bit pricey. But I would bet they're worth it (if you have the spare $2k). And only about $3500 for the one with the oven...  :'(

[CharlieJ]

We use a single burner SeaCook, modified to kerosene aboard Tehani. The SeaCoook is quite different from the SeaSwing, and we much prefer it. We carry an entire  second stove as a backup.
Stoves and parts are available from England, at this site-

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

As far as using a single burner, Laura  did our Thanksgiving dinner on ours- Ham, baked sweet potatos, steamed broccoli with cheese, black-eyed peas and heated rolls. All on the one burner. We bought the pumpkin pie ready made.

If it works, here's a pic from the Tehani showing the stove

[GregX999]

As far as using a single burner, Laura  did our Thanksgiving dinner on ours- Ham, baked sweet potatos, steamed broccoli with cheese, black-eyed peas and heated rolls. All on the one burner. We bought the pumpkin pie ready made.

What?!?! Are you kidding me? I think she needs to write a book! :)

Seriously, I'd LOVE to know how to manage something like that. I can't imagine how you could keep cooked things hot while cooking the other things. Or where you'd put them - your "galley" is pretty dang small.

At the very least... how did she bake the sweet potatoes? I LOVE sweet potatoes!!

[CharlieJ]

ROFL- the sweet potatos were baked in the pressure cooker. Once baked, the rolls were placed on top to get and stay hot. Then the broccoli was cooked, then the  peas.

Pretty simple, at least from where I was sitting- watching ;D

We had a picture, but it was loaded to the netbook and I'm on the  laptop.

Laura bakes bread, biscuits, cakes, the potatos ( both kinds) and many other things in that pressure cooker. Can also can meats in it. Every boat should have one.

[j d]

Hi Paul, I have the original Kenyon pressurized alcohol stove and would like to do as you suggested. maybe a dumb question but where would I  start looking for parts?

[skylark]

Go here:

http://www.base-camp.co.uk/stove_in.htm#Pressure%20stoves

and look through the exploded diagrams to find a burner similar to your burner. 

It might be this one:

http://www.base-camp.co.uk/exploded%20views/Optimus/207%20burner.htm

The part you want is the nipple.  You may have to make a wrench to get it out, access is not very good.  It doesn't take a lot of power to unscrew it, its just hard to get to.

[j d]

Thanks Paul, It sure looks like it. I dug through my papers for the kenyon book that the P O's have kept for the last 27 years and it has an exploded view. Looks identical. I'll get on it.
Thanks again.   
John

[skylark]

With the right nipple, you should be able to use kerosene (mineral spirits) with no other changes.

[geneWj]

They are on sale at Cabalas now for $199.  You only need to gimbal a stove if U'r crazy enough to put it on one side of the boat or the other.
Sailors who know better setup their stoves athwartships then no gimbals are necessary and if the food spills it spills across, not towards the cook.
When I am able to return to cruising on a weekly basis, on my small boat, First Born. I will order one. already have space allocated.  I love to bake fresh bread!
genewj

[phil416]

      I used a Force 10 Seaswing with the 1lb. Coleman style fuel bottles.  A 1.5 liter Hawkins pressure cooker prepared the brown rice I love so much.  Brass caps from Cabelas, assured no leakage from the bottles.  Anhydrous Lanolin kept the threads as new.  The bottles were refilled from a twenty lb. tank via an adaptor from Harbor freight.  The 20lb tank lasts about about 1 year.  The Bottles are stored in 4" pvc pipe attatched to the stern pulpit.  These bottles require constant attention to prevent rust.  Unfortunately these stoves are no longer available.  When the gas control valve on mine failed The Kuuma people would not even answer my equiries.  A little machine work soon adopted a new Sears stove mechanism to my sea swing stove.  This system worked very well.   Phil