Gas,Kero or Metho?????

[adelaidem]

Im in the process of buying a new 2 burner oven i have a kero oven oneon the ground under the boat which came with the boat when i brought it, but i see most people like gas, if anyone can give me some advice or good model types would be much appreciated.

 

[GilesC]

I've recently switched from Gas to spirit - I have an Origo 6000 two burner hob and oven (you can't get a grill with spirit burners to my knowledge). I don't know what the reg.s are like in Oz, but in the UK they're so tight for gas you end up needing a complicated system with fire resitant gas bottle locker, and keep it in good shape forever more (keeps the surveyors happy). But that's too much like hard work for me, very expensive and still leaves you with a volatile substance like gas onboard. Hence my decision to move to spirit.

My experience of the Origo has been very good. Its slightly slower to boil a kettle, though not enough to worry about, but I find it more controllable for cooking a decent fry-up in the morning. The oven takes about half an hour to get up to normal working temp., but having not had a gas oven, I don't know how that compares. Once it is up and running it works well, so you just need to be organised.

I'm told spririt works out more expensive than gas in the long run, but I don't use it enough to notice any difference. BUT, in the UK you can't get spirit fuel without additives (ie meths) which is expensive and smells pretty bad. But luckily I travel to France often enough to be able to stock up with 5 litre bottles of spirit which doesn't have the additive, smells OK and is pretty cheap.

The smell of spirit does take a little getting used to, but I quite like it (a sort of sweet alcohol smell). I wouldn't necessarily recommend it if you use it a lot (ie more than weekends and the odd week here or there), as you do have to re-fil the tanks quite regularly.

But, all in all, its a lot easier to install (and cheaper upfront without all the pipework and fittings), and you don't have the explosive risks of gas. So that's my take on it.

 

[VicS]

Gas has to be the most convenient by far, turn it on and light it and good thermostatic control of oven temperature. But leaks pose a big danger and UK regulations are now a pain in the butt.

Kerosene is the safest by far but a bit more fiddly to use and more smelly.

Alcohol (spirit) is safer than gas but is, nevertheless, a highly flammable liquid so care is still needed. I have never heard of a spirit oven or grill. I have seen it suggested that spirit stoves "use" nearly as much fuel when not in use as they do in use. That might be a valid point in a warm climate.

 

[roam]

we have a taylors kerosene cooker on board after changing from gas due to the fact that we needed a new cooker anyway. we made the change to kerosene primarily due to safety reasons.
since fitting it two seasons ago, we have been very happy with it. it burns hot, has a good oven although the grill in the 029 leaves alot to be desired.
it is true you have to prime the kero in order to light the cooker but we use a lighting collar from a tilley lamp soaked in alcohol and this is really easy, clean and removes the fiddly problem.
overall, i would recomend kerosene although i must say they (taylors) are not cheap to buy.

 

[Das_Boot]

I have kero taylors as well. I have allways been toying with the idea of changing to gas because of the ease of use. But everytime I think of gas in the bilges etc. it stops me. I have given the idea up now and have a small camping gas ring on a gimble which I stowe in the Bosuns locker. It is small enough so that if all of it leaks the volumes are not high enough to cause an explosion. I use it for making a quick cupa other than that the taylors is a great stove.

 

[KREW2]

Hi
Get kero or meths you can't drink gas

 

[simonfraser]

some folk sniff gas, which one gives the best high ???? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[simonfraser]

Das Boat, /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

now that is a good thought, not enough gas to cause a big bang, does any one know how much gas one can spill in the average boat before we join the pope ?

 

[trouville]

I was going to post a great Petrol cooker but for some reason the store has replaced my chosen two burner petrol cooker (easy to light) with a gas cooker with grill!! Isent gas dangerouse?
http://www.surplusandoutdoors.com/ishop/877/shopscr531.html

Im still looking for a cooker! I want a two burner to be able to leave my kettel and pressure cooker in the fiddels--saves space!

 

[pappaecho]

I dont know what regulations apply in your baileywick, but here there are all sorts of regulations about gas tight lockers and drain off to atmosphere on the outside of the hull etc, coupled with the requirement that the system has to be tested and certified.
The USA has long had a requirement for boats, caravans, Rvs and similar that the gas bottle must be kept outside the vehicle or boat. hence you will see boats with a pushpit mounted stainless gas botle container, inside which is stored the gas canister. The stainless container has no bottom, and so if the gas bottle or regulator leak, it leaks to air and hence there is no problem. I have had this both on a present boat and the previous one, and the advantage is that the on off valve is external in the cockpit, so when isolated, should leak occur, it vents straight to air. USA has very few problems with gas on boats etc, because of this regulation, and the idea of a sealed gas locker is in my opinion, not a smart option. Propane and butane are both heavier than air, and when mixed with air in limted amounts in bilges etc produces an explosive mix.
I like gas cooking, but think that by placing the gas bottle outside, the problem of leaking bottles. regulators etc is eliminated - prevention rather than cure.
I recently was talking to a DOT official who was worried by the possibility of a collision into my stern. I pointed out that the pushpit would act as a crumple zone, similar to that on a car, in that the gas bottle/container is extremely rigid, whilst the pushpit is stainless pipe, and in a collision situation, the bottle would be pushed aside, possibly breaking the rubber connection hose. But as the gas supply is turned off in the cockpit, and any gas escape would be again go to atmosphere, and that assumes that the reulator is switched on inside the container. Normally we only switch on the reulator, and in line tap when we are cooking, be in in harbour or on the move. the chances of us cooking and being rammed up the stern are pretty remote

 

[VicS]

Re: How much gas before we join the Pope

The lower explosive limit for butane is 1.5 volume % and 25 litres has a mass of 58 grams (approx at ambient temp and pressure).

So muliply the volume of your boat, in litres, by 0.015, divide by 25 and multiply by 58. There you have it, the point, in grams, above which one little spark will send you off to join His Holiness.

Personally I'm not R.C. so I will watch from a warmer place

 

[simonfraser]

Re: How much gas before we join the Pope

thank you /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

p.s. all the fun folk will be in the warmer place

 

[macca]

Rules for gas in Oz are also quite stringent. You have to comply with the Australian Gas Code (AG501) and get a certificate from a licensed gas fitter. The requirements include having the cylinders either out in the open or in a locker with a drain to outside, having a sticker on the locker "LP gas storage", having a shutoff valve near the stove, no combustibe material within 600mm of the stove, also the stove must shut off automatically if flame is lost etc. etc. Plus if you want to race cat 1 or 2 you need a gas detector. Metho sounds good if you don't need an oven.