Gas versus paraffin

As against that, you can be certain that paraffin will be messy, dirty and smelly. The only question is how dirty messy and smelly.

I don't find it dirty, messy or smelly. Fed it comforting:)
 
I have a Taylors setup,beautifully made and robust,attractive to the eye(when it gets polished), it works pretty well , on the whole, but on the occasions it has a tantrum it can be fairly horrible. I would be reluctant to get rid of it, no small project in itself, but just looking at the price of the Taylors spares which themselves are eye watering, I think that the gas route would certainly have the upper edge. As others have mentioned, it is a rigmarole for a quick brew, so we make up a flask or two for the day, which works.
 
Bilbo,

The boat from which you bought your wind vane has a taylors 029 wnd a wallas 1800. Both Paraffin and both great.

If you can deal with need to change a burner every year or twp then re build the old burners then paraffin is great. The kit is expensive, but the fuel cheap and much loved by those that use it.

The 029 in the hustler one one occasion burnt on a single burner for 4 days and 14 hours whilst sitting in a fog bank on the flemish cap...I was warm and happy. That I found out is how long a truly full tank will run a sing e burner for!
 
You also need to consider the availability, or otherwise of paraffin.
It depends where you sail, and your type of sailing. I remember trying to get paraffin on a certain Hebridean island, more than 40 years ago. The island had just recently got "the electric". In the shop, I was told, "Och, there is no-one on --------- would be using the paraffin". I could have got gas though.

To be fair, the old body in the shop pointed out a house where lived a man, whom she was sure, would have some paraffin. He did, and gave me some:)
 
Paraffin, not difficult to get in UK is almost unobtainable on the European continent - instead you'll be sold at vast expense and in minute quantities, purified lamp oil which doesn't smell.

For that reason I'd always go for LPG - apart from that a decent LPG stove with flame failure on all burners, 2 rings a grill and a thermostatic oven will cost about 25% of a Taylors' stove.
I have yet to find a satisfied (regular) user of a diesel stove and, in the past, I have cooked extensively on paraffin. Top-of-stove cooking is better, the oven is far inferior with paraffin to LPG.

I'd definitely go for LPG and don't think you'll eat gastronomically with a pressure paraffin stove - OK for tea...
 
I had a Taylors' paraffin stove on my Folkboat, indeed it was a major selling point so far as I was concerned. The current boat has gas and notwithstanding the safety issues I would not go back. We have a gas alarm in the bilge and an electric shut off valve, and the whole thing is subject to frequent slightly anxious inspection.
 
I recall that part of the success of the Coalition forces logistics in recent conflicts was an emphasis on "single-fuel" policy wherever possible.

Given that yr vessel is diesel powered, what about considering a small diesel stove ?

Tools of Coventry make diesel stoves for the military:

http://www.toc-ltd.co.uk/defencework.htm

but there are many other sources.
 
ghostlymoron said:
I'm not familiar with [origo stove] but have used a small meths burner in the past. How long do they take to boil a kettle? Do you have an oven?
Click to expand...
Alcohol stoves were popular in USA, as no safety requirements in boat construction, so cheapest for boatbuilders ;) Alcohol fumes can make people sea-sick. Problem with some...
So can gas, albeit less - remember time when I forgot and went down to make me a coffee with crew lying down below... what a traffic jam in companionway! :eek:

Alcohol has half the energy of paraffin (kerosene) - not much effective.
Paraffin - 135-140 k BTU/gal
Alcohol - 75 k
Propane - 92 k

Cooker is same basic construction as for kerosene. It was often converted for paraffin just by changing burners - probably the other way is possible as well. But don't know current models.
Heard of conversion to diesel burners also (diesel is even more effective than kerosene) but the burners are "roaring" type, noisy, also gasoline burners this type exist.
 
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KenMcCulloch said:
I had a Taylors' paraffin stove on my Folkboat, indeed it was a major selling point so far as I was concerned. The current boat has gas and notwithstanding the safety issues I would not go back. We have a gas alarm in the bilge and an electric shut off valve, and the whole thing is subject to frequent slightly anxious inspection.
Click to expand...

Funny thing is that I was wondering today about the idea of an electric shut-off valve. My idea was for this to be activated from the galley to cut the gas off at the bottle. Is this what you mean, and/or what sort is it?
 
Good reason is paraffin takes 1/4 space of gas (and safety), also other uses of paraffin, even as paint thinner and wood preservative :) but nowadays not much important.
Babylon said:
Funny thing is that I was wondering today about the idea of an electric shut-off valve. My idea was for this to be activated from the galley to cut the gas off at the bottle. Is this what you mean, and/or what sort is it?
Click to expand...
Yes, shut-off valve should be on bottle or close, in gas locker, before the line enters the boat interior.
Other way is that gas line enters boat through manual valve - in my case valve on cabin aft bulkhead (gas locker is on other side in cocpit) - manual is in fact safer as electrics at sea can fail. Choose good electric valve, meant for marine environment.
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=201457
 
Babylon said:
Funny thing is that I was wondering today about the idea of an electric shut-off valve. My idea was for this to be activated from the galley to cut the gas off at the bottle. Is this what you mean, and/or what sort is it?
Click to expand...

Yes you can fit an electric valve. They only fit, afaik, in the lp sytem so not a substitute for shutting the bottle valve.
They can be linked to a gas alarm too so that the gas is shut off if a leak is detected.

http://www.bes.co.uk/products/070.asp#6898

Some valves only draw a small current to hold the valve open.

http://www.socal.co.uk/toolbox/inst...12v-remote-gas-switch-solenoid-gas-valve.html
 
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I have a Taylors on Amulet. Now that I've developed a relationship with it I like it fine. I recognise all the pros and cons listed above. I got it partly because of the simplicity of installation by comparison with the difficulty of a proper gas installation on a tiny traditional boat. I think that if my boat already had a proper gas installation, which I understand yours has, I'd stick with it.

Secret of success with the Taylors - if it is burning well don't mess with it. Do not dismantle it or clean it. It'll keep going for ever.

Lighting - keep a syringe (no needle) for putting meths in the cups. 20 ml in the syringe should be the only meths near the stove if an adjacent ring is on, which means that even if you spill it it's not a disaster. Also had some success using solid fuel tablets instead of meths in heavy weather.
 
I live on board and do all my cooking with an Optimus primus. The time it takes to light isn't an issue as you can put the kettle/pans on the hob when the meths is heating it up and once it is lit it will generally burn things quicker than a gas cooker can.

Having seen what is left of boats that have had gas explosions I have to admit to being quite scared of it. But as has been pointed out, it is generally very safe and the odds of it going wrong are almost negligible. That said, it only has to go wrong once.

If I was going to change from a primus I'd switch to an Origo meths cooker.
 
A legal gas set up is an expensive assembly of solenoids test kit warning devices drains lockers and spare( region specific) cannisters.
It is very easy to carry months and months worth of paraffin and lighting fluid conversely .
With a thermos or two as well, my preference from relatively extended live aboard is paraffin until the tropics then a simple one burner-on-gaz907 set up and simple electric in marinas.. So three systems on board would be my re ommendation cruising but, essentially, keep the Optimus as the main, installed one for uk damp inclement summers. ( and an earthenware flowerpot upturned for heat):)
Having wrote that I currently have a camping gas-free gas locker and a couple of very large cost effective propane cylinders strapped on the ' well ventilated' aft deck. Simples but less weekend style yachting.
 
Numerous interesting points to ponder at leisure. I wonder what the IMOCA Open 60s use?

As for availability of paraffin, I'm reminded that everywhere that has a runway will have lots of Jet A-1 or similar, and that 'samples' are taken every time a hairyplane is refuelled. Those 'samples' need to be recycled sensitively, and where better than.... ;)
 
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