Diesel-fuelled cookers

peterb

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One of our club members has said that the RNLI have recommended that diesel-fuelled cookers be used on yachts, instead of gas cookers.

Does anyone know anything about the recommendation?

Are diesel-powered cookers available? With hob, grill and oven?

Has anyone any experience of their use?

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Sailed on a 16,000 ton tanker 30-odd years ago which had a diesel fired galley. Had its own little compressor to supply enough air to get the diesel to burn properly.

I suspect that obtaining good clean combustion on a small yacht cooker might be a problem, but I could be wrong. Don't think I would have one, though.

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Like Jimmy I sailed with them on merchant ships years ago. The diesel had a pre-heater & fan and if the Chinese cook didn't get it right when lighting the thing (Flashing up, as it was known, for very good reason!!) the resulting "Whooompff!!!" would send all the cast iron hotplates into orbit round the galley!! Definitely not for me Gunga Din!

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Bill and Laurel Cooper, in "Sellup and Sail", discuss the merits of "single fuel systems". Clearly, if you could use diesel for everything, it would be ever so simple and elegant. But they comment that, on small boats, diesel cooking isn't really an option.

They do, however, mention the existance of small diesel cooker - a Canadian stove called The Dickenson, that also supplies hot water and heating. Never come across one, though...

Ruthie

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I have seen ads for diesel powered cookers in the yachting press. They look like conventional marine cookers and are designed for small boats. Not sure of the make though.

<hr width=100% size=1>Life's too short- do it now./forums/images/icons/wink.gif
 
There used to be a very good option called the "Perkins Gallipak", this heated the hot plates very quickly, also did the hot water and the wet central heating, but unfortunately it's not made anymore.

The Dickinson and Sigmar cookers are really excellent, but I don't think very well suited to hot weather use as the drip feed method is slow to heat up and works best like an Aga, always on. Nice dry heat though, good for winter sailing.

I don't like gas aboard and I've had diesel cookers before and like them a lot. When the coffers are up to it I'm going to make a proper investigation of the Wallas ones to check the heat up time and the cost. For all of the above go and look at http://www.kuranda.co.uk/

<hr width=100% size=1>John
http://www.on-line-marine.com
 
Just posted to the PBO forum on this topic (deisel vs gas) is the heading as we have invested in a the full deisel kit. Some teething problems but we are very pleased with it. Expensive.

If people want to know more, then do PM

<hr width=100% size=1>Sarah & Pip

www.greatlittleboats.com
UK & Ireland distributors of Swifgig
 
If you want a diesel cooker then get a Wallas----from Kuranda Marine. I didnt because there's a mass of electronics controlling it---I went for a Taylors paraffin job which is great. However a friend fiited a Wallas to his caravan and its great, even has a special lid which turns it into a fan heater.,

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Personal taste......

Having had the delights of sailing on a coaster some years ago with diesel fed galley .... I NEVER EVER want to be subjected to it again.

Every single piece of food was tainted with that diesel fragrance. Even when we had Christmas Dinner .....

We tried serviceing, called in the engineers etc. etc. No change.

Most likely more modern apparatus doesn't do this - but I'm now one that will not tempt fate ......

Calor does me fine.


<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ... and of course Yahoo groups :
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gps-navigator/
 
Re: Personal taste......

Made this mistake abt 25 years ago - steak grilled on a barbeque that had (eventually) ben started using a very small bit of diesel - totally inedible!

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Re: Personal taste......

There must have been a leak in the oven walling. I've had two diesel cookers now and both were absolutely fantastic. There is nothing like a Winters evening aboard with your back to an Aga (Gallipak), and with a radiator system around the boat and constant hot water it was pure magic.

<hr width=100% size=1>John
http://www.on-line-marine.com
 
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