Cookers: Is the Nelson Spinflo a Drop in Replacement for Flavel Vanessa

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fiveflipflops

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Hi All

The old Flavel Vanessa cooker has how given up the ghost after many good years of service, rusted from inside.

After reading posts on the forum I have opted for Spinflo Nelson as a replacement.

Boat is a Westerly Typhoon.

I would like to know if the Nelson is a simple drop in replacement. Will I need to move gimbale support?. I take it the gas connection is the same size on both so if gas pipe is long enough is it a simple undo from old and fit to new.

Cheapest I have founds is £449.00 on ebay link below, anyone found cheaper.


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Nelson-Cooker...tEquipment_Accessories_SM?hash=item48393bc258

Many thanks for any help

David and Emma

S/y fiveflipflops
Chesapeake Bay
 

doug748

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Hi All

The old Flavel Vanessa cooker has how given up the ghost after many good years of service, rusted from inside.

After reading posts on the forum I have opted for Spinflo Nelson as a replacement.

I would like to know if the Nelson is a simple drop in replacement. Will I need to move gimbale support?. I take it the gas connection is the same size on both so if gas pipe is long enough is it a simple undo from old and fit to new.

I did this swap a good few years ago. There are no real problems but it was certainly not a "drop in" fit. From memory I think I had to mount a couple of small hardood blocks and fix the new gimbles to that, they simply screw on. On the photo you can see the cranked mounting bracket hanging down, you will need to remove the old Vanessa mounts.
I took the opportunity to refurbish the whole system including a new, longer flexi pipe; it was pretty inexpensive.
It is not really practical to fully plan the chageover till you have the new cooker. Careful with it, it is bulky and rather heavy to handle in a confined space. Most people will want to fit a positive lock lower down on the unit (a simple barrel bolt would do) you may have an existing one from the Vanessa that you can adapt.
The new cooker is less tall so you should find extra space below. I put in a low fiddle and use a mushroom tray there for foodstuffs.
The price sounds pretty good to me. Mine has been no problem at all.
 

PetiteFleur

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I did this swap a good few years ago. There are no real problems but it was certainly not a "drop in" fit. From memory I think I had to mount a couple of small hardood blocks and fix the new gimbles to that, they simply screw on. On the photo you can see the cranked mounting bracket hanging down, you will need to remove the old Vanessa mounts.
I took the opportunity to refurbish the whole system including a new, longer flexi pipe; it was pretty inexpensive.
It is not really practical to fully plan the chageover till you have the new cooker. Careful with it, it is bulky and rather heavy to handle in a confined space. Most people will want to fit a positive lock lower down on the unit (a simple barrel bolt would do) you may have an existing one from the Vanessa that you can adapt.
The new cooker is less tall so you should find extra space below. I put in a low fiddle and use a mushroom tray there for foodstuffs.
The price sounds pretty good to me. Mine has been no problem at all.

I also swopped my Vanessa for a Spinflo about 5 years ago. It is slightly wider, and I had to make slots in the teak trim around the top for the gimbals to get the correct width(check your width with the published width over the gimbals - 484mm?) . I also fitted a tap nearby with new gas hose. In my installation, I also had to drill a hole in the Perpex 'side screen' to accept the nut on the gimbal. It was a tight fit but well worth it for a much improved cooker. When fitted there is extra space underneath for which I made a drawer which is just deep enough for tins on their sides(but they do roll about) or for baking trays etc. I also bought mine off ebay but bid for it - it was brand new.
 
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rickf

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another possibility

Iswapped out my FV for a force10(model 63254). don't know if they are available
at a fair cost in the UK. I was in the states at the time. nice stove in stainless.
a friend with a MG swapped outfor a plastimo. Just some options for comparison.
rickf
 

samwise

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Good choice! We have had two, the first was a tight fit in our Sadler 29 but no real problem and we were so pleased with the Spinflo that we specified it as a replacement for the cooker in our Westerly Storm when we moved up a boat size, where it did need some packing shims to ensure a good fit for the gimbals. We fitted a simple hook and eye arrangement to lock the cooker in the gimbals when we didn't want it to swing.
 

ditchcrawler

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Replaced my Vanessa with a Spinflo on my Moody31 last April.The Gimball support pins which came with the Nelson needed cutting down a bit,otherwise it fitted a treat.Nice to have a thermostat on the oven.I used to cremate the pasties.
 

rowanloh

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Spinflo into Typhoon

Hi

I replaced the FV in my Typhoon this year with a spinflo. No problems at all with slotting it straight in but not using the existing FV cradle. I think I got the best fit by fitting the spinflo gimbal brackets to the side of the cooker upside down (i.e swap left for right) and it fit perfectly. I did then need to fabricate a simple block onto the base of the cooker to fix the barrel bolt that locks the cooker in place when not gimballing.

Good luck.
 

Rafiki

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Excellent choice. We did this on our Fulmar last winter. It wasn't a simple drop in change. But someone on this forum or the WOA one gave me a very good tip:

USE the existing Vanessa gimbals and supports - then it is almost a drop in replacement. In fact it is then a 1.5cms too wide and needs the lugs on the old vanessa support cut down a little to make it fit - or at least it did on my Fulmar.:eek:

To explain a bit more, simply remove old vanessa from boat. Then remove the gimbals from the Vanessa and use them on the Nelson. A couple of self tappers at the bottom of each side ( note s/steel is hard to drill !) plus a new hole drilled in the old gimbal support through which you put a bolt into the hole where the new gimbal arm bit is attched to The Nelson.

Obviously you can clean up aand repaint the old gimbals to look like new with silver Hammerite.

I know this may sound complicated but once you have both cookers standing side by side in your garage it will be pretty obvious. It is much easier and you get a much better result this way then trying to mount blocks to use the Nelson gimbals. As I said earlier it is a tightish fit
 

trevorr

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Typhoon Cooker

We also have the, so far, very reliable Nelson on our Typhoon. Been used every day for the last 5 years with no problems.

Fits perfectly in the gap but I didn't fit it so can't comment on cutting down bits.
 
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fiveflipflops

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Cookers thank you

Many thanks to all who posted replies.

Its OK to measure and believe it will fit, but its reassuring to hear its does fit and with only a small amount of adjustment. Also sounds like every one is happy with Nelson.

Cooker on order.

Thanks

David and Emma
fiveflipflops
 
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