New gas installation on boat / replacing a Taylors diesel cooker.

[Minerva]

I'm in the market for a new boat. An interesting proposition has came about that looks to fit my wants/needs not too far from me and in, or rather under budget. The boat in question was fitted out as a long distance cruiser - it's done an Atlantic (north and south Atlantic) lap and a few seasons in the Med etc. Had a fair chunk of money thrown at it (new teak decks) in recent years and now in want of a new home. on paper it's almost ideally suited for what I'm looking for for my aims over the next 10+ years.

When the boat was built, it was fitted with a Taylors diesel stove. I've never used one of these before, but they get at best, mixed reviews. Seem to be best if they run 24x7 when onboard. I'm pretty sure I'd get on better with a gas cooker, despite there being no gas fitted.

First thing I should point out, after seeing the the YM crash test boat series; I'm not planning a self install of the gas system.

First question, from where I am sitting just now, the "hardest" or most time consuming part of the install would be routing the gas pipe from a newly built gas locker to the cooker. Would a gas fitter be able to accept and sign off an install where they do all the connecting up of the parts, but I were to run the gas rated, copper pipe though all the cabinetry & lockers? Would doing this bit myself save much?

Second question, what sort of ball park figure should I budget for a tradesman to supply and fit a gas cooker plus all other needed ancillaries?

Third question - just how awkward are Taylors diesel cookers to live with as a (predominately for now) weekend + holidays cruiser?

Many thanks

 

[mrangry]

I had a gas safe engineer replace the cooker flexi pipe, regulator, electric solenoid on/off valve and 5 metres of 10mm copper pipe sleeved in plastic last season. I had an existing cooker and was charged £600 supply and fit. Looking back, I wish I had ran the pipe myself as that was the most time consuming part of the job and would have saved a fair bit off the bill.

 

[Tranona]

Personally I would keep the Taylors. My one regret with the Golden Hind I just bought is that it has perfectly good and well installed gas cooker. I can't justify the cost of a Taylors. Once you get used to them they are brilliant.

Other part of the question if you are on the mid S Coast then give Save at Apollo Gas 07921 509917 a call for advice. He did the inspection and some minor fixes for me after I bought the boat. On a previous boat which needed all the piping replacing and new cooker installed I did all the stripping out and the gas man (different one) ran the piping, connected everything up and tested it before I did the re-assembly.

This is the best person for things Taylors taylorsheatersandcookers.co.uk

 

[waynes world]

you will save a lot running it all yourself as there where the time is mainly. a large % of the fee as all they will do is connect as you want. ask about though as a local chap mite not do it so then if the plumber has to travel a distance then that could bump up the cost.. i find some folk want all the work to earn more money.

other question i cant answer as i do all the work myself and never used the Taylors myself.

 

[BabaYaga]

A bit unclear what you are replacing – heater or cooker? Taylor cookers run on paraffin, not diesel, at least the current models. Has there been a line of diesel cookers previously?

 

[Minerva]

A bit unclear what you are replacing – heater or cooker? Taylor cookers run on paraffin, not diesel, at least the current models. Has there been a line of diesel cookers previously?

the broker mentioned it was a Taylors diesel cooker….

 

[SY Amalie]

My boat had a gas cooker when I bought it, but I replaced it with a used Taylor A030 that installed myself. It takes a little time to get used to it, but I absolutely love it now. It is gorgeous to look at and just works really well. You have to maintain the burners, but it is easy enough.
My advice would be to try the Taylor for a month or two before ripping it out and installing a gas cooker, maybe you’ll like it too?

 

[dansaskip]

As others say more likely to be a paraffin cooker - what do brokers know huh!
I'd keep the Taylors cooker, I am biased as I have one on my boat and I was raised on Primus paraffin cookers from years of camping. Sure they take a bit of getting used to with the need to preheat the burners etc but they are brilliant stoves.
Some people find them hard to get on with but perserve and you will be rewarded.
Another point in their favour is that if you venture away from UK shores you will have no trouble getting fuel virtually anywhere in the world and a 5l canister of paraffin much easier to transport than a gas bottle. When I was on my travels I meet many cruisers having troubles with gas- wrong bottles - wrong connectors - couldn't get bottles refilled etc

 

[Minerva]

Personally I would keep the Taylors. My one regret with the Golden Hind I just bought is that it has perfectly good and well installed gas cooker. I can't justify the cost of a Taylors. Once you get used to them they are brilliant.

Other part of the question if you are on the mid S Coast then give Save at Apollo Gas 07921 509917 a call for advice. He did the inspection and some minor fixes for me after I bought the boat. On a previous boat which needed all the piping replacing and new cooker installed I did all the stripping out and the gas man (different one) ran the piping, connected everything up and tested it before I did the re-assembly.

This is the best person for things Taylors taylorsheatersandcookers.co.uk

My boat had a gas cooker when I bought it, but I replaced it with a used Taylor A030 that installed myself. It takes a little time to get used to it, but I absolutely love it now. It is gorgeous to look at and just works really well. You have to maintain the burners, but it is easy enough.
My advice would be to try the Taylor for a month or two before ripping it out and installing a gas cooker, maybe you’ll like it too?

As others say more likely to be a paraffin cooker - what do brokers know huh!
I'd keep the Taylors cooker, I am biased as I have one on my boat and I was raised on Primus paraffin cookers from years of camping. Sure they take a bit of getting used to with the need to preheat the burners etc but they are brilliant stoves.
Some people find them hard to get on with but perserve and you will be rewarded.
Another point in their favour is that if you venture away from UK shores you will have no trouble getting fuel virtually anywhere in the world and a 5l canister of paraffin much easier to transport than a gas bottle. When I was on my travels I meet many cruisers having troubles with gas- wrong bottles - wrong connectors - couldn't get bottles refilled etc

That is all quite positive.
What hints/tricks do you recommend for getting it to work well? I’ve seen it written that using a kitchen blow torch to pre warm the burners is the way to do it. How long do you pre warm it for?
Thanks

 

[Tranona]

Keep the burners clean by periodic pricking. Toss up between meths and blow lamp for heating the burner.. When Taylors were owned by Seagull their workshop used exclusively blow torch. I used both - meths when stationary and torch underway as it is a bit more controllable. You have to experiment with your cooker to get the right timing with the torch as it depends on the torch and distance from the burner. With meths the full cup is a good guide. I found a bottle with a tube in the cap the most reliable method of filling the cup. Seem to remember Taylors sold them.

The things I liked about it are the ability to use the variable temperature across the hob and have a low temperature to keep a kettle going all the time. You probably have an 030 and the oven is great for slow cooking. I often used to put something like a casserole or baked potatoes in for the last couple of hours on passage ready for eating at anchor.

 

[dansaskip]

Use meths to prewar mine, I have plastic bootle with a tube and screw up nozzle like Tranona says. Use some "padding" in the bowl . You will soon know if it is hot enough - it it doesn't light with a nice blue flame its not hot enough, smoky yellow turn it off and warm some more.

 

[Malish]

Taylors stoves are a bit marmite, I loved mine and took it off my previous boat when selling. It is currently sitting in the garage because the crew found it fiddly to light and the new boat had gas (and no it is not for sale!).

 

[BabaYaga]

Toss up between meths and blow lamp for heating the burner..

A word of caution with regards to using a blow lamp for preheating – it is easy to over-do it....
I have an Optimus 155, which is equipped with the same type of burner as Taylors. The Optimus 155 has now been out of production for 20 years or so. Anyway, the model of the later years came with a type of integrated blowlamp a.k.a jet burner to each burner. This was an attempt to make the cooker more user friendly, as paraffin was then the only fuel needed.
However, it turned out that the burners of those days easily developed pin holes in the soldered joints, if the jet burner was lit for too long, leading to premature failure and exchange of burners. Many boat owners, including myself, went back to using methylated ethanol for preheating.
It is possible that the current Hansa burners are more robust in this respect, but meths may still be safer for long time reliability.

 

[Minerva]

A word of caution with regards to using a blow lamp for preheating – it is easy to over-do it....
I have an Optimus 155, which is equipped with the same type of burner as Taylors. The Optimus 155 has now been out of production for 20 years or so. Anyway, the model of the later years came with a type of integrated blowlamp a.k.a jet burner to each burner. This was an attempt to make the cooker more user friendly, as paraffin was then the only fuel needed.
However, it turned out that the burners of those days easily developed pin holes in the soldered joints, if the jet burner was lit for too long, leading to premature failure and exchange of burners. Many boat owners, including myself, went back to using methylated ethanol for preheating.
It is possible that the current Hansa burners are more robust in this respect, but meths may still be safer for long time reliability.

Useful to bear in mind, thanks

 

[penfold]

As other enthusiasts have said, if you can get the hang of it a paraffin stove is a decent bit of kit and they put out a lot of heat; no point in pretending it's as user-friendly as gas though.