Camping cooker on board?

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Highndry

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My new (30 years young) Hunter Medina has a spirit stove which, I am assured by the previous owners, stinks to high heaven when fired up. Something to do with the dye in UK Meths?
I'm sure there's a reason why I shouldn't replace it with a two burner camping stove (like the one that Aldi are going to be selling from tomorrow http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/special_buys3_24844.htm) but can someone please explain it to me? :confused:
 
The problem with this stove is that it does not appear to have any flame-failure shut off. If this is the case, then it would be possibly dangerous in an enclosed space like a yacht cabin.
 
CreakyDecks said:
I hope you noticed that the Aldi stove is LPG. It will probably cost more for a bottle than the stove costs.
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I realise that but the bottle (and a regulator) will also last much longer than a £24.99 cooker. They'd be part of a long-term change, the cooker would be temporary. Also, my sailing, for this year at least, is going to be on fresh water so salt damage isn't going to be an issue.
My question was more about the practical and safety differences between a £170 Spinflo (which is stainless steel) and a £25 cheapie which isn't stainless.
 
Yep, flame-failure device is about the only real reason not to use a camping stove. And my cooker does blow out from time to time (and shut off, as it should) so the risk of filling the boat with gas if you're in the cockpit and don't know it's gone out is a real one rather than a remote possibility.

Pete
 
Highndry said:
And that's the sort of answer/advice I was hoping for. ;)
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When I said "bottle" I should really have said bottle and associated plumbing (including somewhere to keep the bottle!) I have a little propane stove (camping type) that takes small bottles that I can unscrew and render pretty much perfectly safe. It also discourages me from using it unless the boat is stationary, so the stove blowing out isn't really an issue.
 
Well... I will probably be shot down in flames :p but we use something similar on board. Its basically a Gelert camping cooking with a grill.
gelert-double-burner-with-grill-camping-stove-1.jpg

No flame-failure but nobody ever leaves the stove unattended. I do have a gas detector on board.
 
Cobra said:
As has been mentioned here many times before, a partial cure to the pong of Meths burning is to add about 10% by volume plain water. For some odd reason the smell all but goes! Well...it has worked on the last three boats I have had all with Origo 3000's!
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Unexpected bonus answer!! That's the first thing I'll be trying. :)
 
Highndry said:
And that's the sort of answer/advice I was hoping for. ;)
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Why not just see how you get on with the spirit stove. Most of us who use them speak very highly of the Origo, just a small minority seem to find the smell unacceptable. They are a lot safer than anything that is pressurised as long as you follow the simple instructions for refilling the flying saucers with spirit/meths.

I'm not trying to be rude but to me the premise of the question is a long way from being justified until you've given it a go and made your own mind up. Origos really are very good, but not perfect.

Good luck with the Medina. My facebook photo is a Parker 235 at sunset on Rutland water which I took during the annual RNLI night sail a few years back. I also attended a certain skool close by you :D:D

Tim
 
Agree with Alfie on this, don't condemn the spirit stove until you've actually tried it

And then if the smell bothers you try the water trick (haven't tried it myself as the smell of the stove doesn't bother us)
 
Look at the Aldi one by all means.

Product_detail_Wk22T_14.jpg
!

Id not want a folding one with open sides and a lid fixed to it.

You might be able to take the lid and the folding mechanism off and rebuild it with fixed sides and back.

It wont have flame failure devices on the burners .. but I dont think any camping ones will and it has no fiddle rails.

I replaced my old cooker about 3 years ago. I could not find a marine one with flame failure that would fit my galley so ended up with a camping one which I modified. (More complicated to do than it looks)

I wanted a grill so that rued out an Origo.

New cooker as bought
​

Ready to fit
​

Fitted
.. Still no fiddle rails​

You will of course need a gas cylinder, a locker for that, regulator and associted pipework. A bubble leak dector would be advisable and due to there being no flame failure devices a gas detctor in the cabin.

See Section 7 of the "Boat Safety Scheme for the details of the gas installation http://www.boatsafetyscheme.com/downloads/BSS_Guide_chap7.pdf
 
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The camping cookers in cases with integrated bottle don't have safety devices either but are standard kit on new small yachts. As for longevity in a marine environment, any yacht cooker should be immediately coated in bacon fat which will serve to stop any rust from forming :D
 
Perhaps there's also the risk of being tempted to store the gas for the camping stove in a location which doesn't vent over the side - so if something failed - unlikely as it may be...

But anyway...

We had an Origo and ran it on ordinary purple meths, with no water, and wondered what all the fuss (about smell) was about.
 
If you decide to sell the spirit stove, I may be interested as I'm looking to fit one in my Skipper 17. I've also got a Sunncamp 2-burner gas stove with regulator and camping gaz cylinder which I'd swop.
Nigel
 
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