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Stoves and fuel

Started by Old Forum, April 08, 2014, 06:50:01 AM

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Old Forum

Adrian Evans
   
Posted on Thursday, June 07, 2007 - 01:12 pm:      
I would be interested to hear what people use for cooking. The modern single burner stoves which take a non reuseable butane/propane cartridge seem popular.
(These seem to be referred to as 'spirit stoves' sometimes, although I have always thought that the term properly applied to methylated spirit burners, like the Trangia.)
Is it reasonable to assume these cartridge stoves are safer than the traditional refillable bottled butane/propane type? I know, that, bizarrely, the non refillable cartridges are considerably cheaper than refilling a bottle!

I am probably going to use my trusty camping primus stoves, and build a cooker box, possibly gimbled, and source some low odour paraffin for the occasions when I might use it in the cabin.

Does the deck vent give enough ventilation for cooking, or is it necessary to leave one of the washboards out of the companion way?

Does anyone use a carbon monoxide alarm?

Also, I found this cartridge fuelled portable heater, which might be of interest.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?TabID=1&ModuleNo=217710&C=Newsletter&U=07P06 -6T=-11219332

Not a woodburner, but there!

Old Forum


Adrian Evans
   
Posted on Thursday, June 07, 2007 - 01:18 pm:      
I believe you can also get heater adaptors for the cartridge type cooking stoves, but I've no idea how effective they are.

Old Forum

Julian Swindell
Username: Julian_swindell

Registered: 03-2007
   
Posted on Thursday, June 07, 2007 - 02:06 pm:      
Adrian,
I use the cartridge style cooker because it is just so simple and takes up so little room. It is also very stable and I've never had it slide out of position, let alone topple over. I keep the cartridges in a cockpit bag just outside the hatch and bring them inside when I need them. When partly empty on a cold day they need shaking and warming up inside my shirt (not pleasant) to have enough pressure. I have seen another, much more expensive heater than the one you show, which has built in ignition cut out for when the gas goes out. I would not recommend using any gas heater inside a closed cabin. Just not worth the risk. I would rather be cold than dead...
I have attached a photo of the cooker box/storage unit I built which holds everything including food for about five nights afloat. If you want to copy it you will have to paint your own pictures!

One good tip. I have a lap tray, one of those trays with a built in bean bag underneath. I bought it in a charity shop for a pound. It is perfect for use as a tray on a boat, but I also use it to hold up the cooker when Pelican is aground and leaning over at an angle at which everything would slide off. Works a treat. I use it every time I need a level surface, say for refilling oil lamps.

Old Forum


Adrian Evans
   
Posted on Thursday, June 07, 2007 - 02:48 pm:      
That's a great setup, Julian. And the beanbag tray is a brilliant idea. I shall have to do something smaller, sadly, as my box will need to be moveable to allow use of a full 2 adult v berth. This obviously precludes Rogers very convienient set up too. I hope I can do something which can stash under the central infill board at bed time, and I expect to use it in the cockpit most of the time, except for underway brews and very inclement weather. Really looking forward to getting stuck in though. Now, where am I going to find a model for those paintings...

Old Forum

Roger Parish
   
Posted on Thursday, June 07, 2007 - 08:07 pm:      
Spirit stoves are definately fuelled with alcohol or meths. I have a single burner Origo which is also sold as a double burner and can be gimballed. They hold up to one litre of fuel in a cartridge and as it is absorbed in some sort of fibre cannot be spilled. They are relatively expensive to buy but did get good reviews in PBO not long ago. You need to be careful sourcing supply of meths as it does vary in quality. Apparently if you dilute meths with up to 20per cent water it does reduce odour.
I replaced my gas stove when I bought my boat as it would have been impractical to have retained gas and obtained a boat safety certificate. However it has never been clear to me whether portable stoves would be subjected to the same rules as fixed gas installations. But the portable appliance could always be removed when the survey is carried out and I am sure this happens!
I certainly would not use a paraffin stove (Taylors) or a primus. Parrafin has to be pressurised and the burner preheated with meths to ignite. I have experienced paraffin escaping unvapourised and igniting the whole stove not something you would want on small boat. I have not heard of the Trangia.
I am not sure that gimbels are necessary as you are unlikely to be using it underway in heavy seas. Pan holders may be useful as an attachment

Old Forum

David Cawston
   
Posted on Thursday, June 07, 2007 - 10:59 pm:      
Yes people do remove the portable gas stove (in my case the EPI Twin (no longer made) as originally supplied as standard on WBs) for BSC inspections, although the examiner said he would still have issued a BSC for Markie as the stove was portable and not plumbed in. We find having the standard arrangement works well for us as at night we put the cooker and wooden rack out in the cockit under the boom tent and slide the cushions up from the quarter berth to cover the space vacated by the cooker. We sleep with our legs down the quarter berths as the Vee berth was (and will be again in the future)where the dog slept. The only problem with the EPI Twin is that the gas canisters cost over £5 each and do not last very long.

Old Forum

Adrian Evans
   
Posted on Friday, June 08, 2007 - 11:08 am:      
The Origo does look a good stove – I feel more comfortable with the wick based spirit stoves than the gravity feed. (The trangia is a small, simple and robust version of the wick based design , aimed principly at lightweight camping), and I think you are right, Roger, the gimbals are probably overkill just now. I can always make modifications if I feel a burning desire to cook up on long ocean passages! It looks like Julian has a Thermos there to provide under way cuppas, which had crossed my mind too. The clamps are a good plan.
The Taylors stoves are rather out of my price range, but I have always been very comfortable with the Primus though. It is a simple, robust, very powerful and very controllable stove. Hugely efficient, too – when camping, the primus probably does on average at least 3 fires a day, and I would reckon a 5 litre pack of paraffin lasts probably a month. I would definitely agree that it is quite 'techniquey': I could never get to like the Tilley lamp, despite working on the same principle.
The flaming of liquid paraffin can only occur when the stove is pressurised before the preheat tubes are up to temperature. I have only had this occur a couple of times when I use the flame from the preheat meths to ignite the paraffin, and, in trying to catch it before the meths goes out,I have pumped the stove too hard, too early, the tubes haven't warmed up enough, and presto- big yellow flame.This is, it has to be said, against proper primus protocol although I always do it, for convenience. The recommended technique is to wait until the meths goes out, pump a couple of gentle pumps and then light the vapourised paraffin with a match.
I have never had anything more alarming than a 6 inch oily yellow flame, either, never any burning liquid paraffin raining down, and just releasing the pressure kills it. I am a stickler for extinguishers and fire blankets, too!

Anyway, many thanks for everyone's interesting and helpful responses. I have a little list of prospective topics pending to pester you all with! The thoughts and advice are all very much appreciated.