Solid Fuel Heating and Cooking

[petercrook]

Coal stove or ....

We have always wanted to have a boat with a coal stove such as the Faversham. But now that we've got a boat that would suit one we're having cold feet. What about the mess, the space required for coal storage, the need to dispose of ashes ... Would we be better off with a paraffin heater such as the Taylors (we'll be using paraffin for cooking)? More expensive even than the Faversham, but clean, convenient and controllable. But no nice warm glow, no door to open to look at the flames, no kettle warming on top...

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[Mirelle]

Re: Coal stove or ....

Mess. Ancient advice from Francis B Cooke - keep the coal in paper bags. Keep the paper bags either in a purpose built coal locker (I'm pretty pleased with mine which has a stainless steel lining) or in a heavy duty plastic bag. Use a heavy duty rubber glove for handling it. Ashes are a pest but on a boat size stove they can be spooned out into a tin and chucked in the rubbish without too much trouble.

Yes, there is more mess, but with these sorts of tricks the mess can be kept within reasonable limits and I think it is worth it.

<hr width=100% size=1>Que scais-je?

 

[petercrook]

Re: Coal stove or ....

Just to be sure...
Do you mean: it's worth it to have a heater, or it's worth it to have a coal stove rather than a Taylor's paraffin heater?

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[Gordonmc]

...Stop press!

I received a private Email from Navigator... they are ready to order a production run if they can get 25 pre-orders. See below for the specs... a number of improvements on the original including bronze sea-rails and glass in the burner door.

I will be getting back to them for an indication of shipping costs and tax liability.

****


Specifications:

Materials: Cast Iron, Bronze, Stainless Steel, High Temp.Glass.
Size: 19.75” Wide x 15.625” Deep x 15.5” To top of cook surface with legs.
Legs are 3” High. / 18.5” to top of bronze sea rail.
Weight: 165 lbs./ 75 kg.
Fuel: coal / wood.
Pipe Size: 4”.
Approx. Output: 25-30,000 Btu’s.
Price: $2550
With Porcelain Upgrade: $3600

HALIBUT Platform Size Minimums:

26” Wide - Minimum. ( leaves 2” gap between stove & shielding)
18” Deep - Minimum. ( leaves 1” gap between stove & shielding)

NOTE: dimensions take L & R and Rear 1” shielding into consideration
plus an additional 2” each side to access turnbuckle hold-downs.



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[milltech]

Although I have not yet had one aboard a boat, I did have a rush of blood to the head a few years ago and bought a campervan built onto a 7.5 ton truck chassis. I installed a Morso Squirrel stove in it with two results.

1. I realised it was much too big for the truck, although in time I learned to keep tiny fires alight.
2. The cooking surface was really too small do do more than keep the third saucepan hot while the gas cooker did the main effort.

But still I could keep it alight on the road, shut down when burning wood it would keep in all night easily, and there was nothing, just nothing, so good as sitting in a blizzard in Braemar in front of an open log fire surrounded by wife, dogs and a good book. Heaven.

I would recommend one, but maybe not for cooking. Not so much fun having to light up to make tea during a July heatwave, remember them?


<hr width=100% size=1>John
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.allgadgets.co.uk>http://www.allgadgets.co.uk</A>

 

[gumshoe]

Re: Icy Crystal

I had a solid fuel burner on board my own boat, but unfortunately it rusted away and became dangerous to use. I replaced the burner with a Super Ser calor heater. Bad move. condensation was a big problem with this form of heating, also the thought of noxious fumes wasn't worth thinking about. In fact the heater almost killed a friend of mine who stayed aboard for three weeks during the winter of 2003. So that heater is on the way out. Thanks to you, I have located a solid fuel heater. I'm going to opt for the Barrel Cast Iron Stove from Machinemart. I have spent the last three days searching for a replacement heater, being thrown all over the place, your posting has saved me a lot of further time and a lot of money, as I was thinking of buying from the States.
Just out of interest I'm also moored on the Blackwater up at Heybridge.