Taylors ideal K

F

firstascent2002

Well-Known Member
Joined
12 Jan 2004
Messages
567
Location
Exeter
Visit site
Do I spent 250 making the gas installation on my new hustler safe and 250 in a year or so replacing the rusting stove of do I buy a little taylors. I'd love to hear of any first hand experiance. Do they smell? How often do they flare? any thoughts? The galley space is only 51 cm wide so my choice of stoves is pretty limited.

J
 
I dont think 51cm is wide enough. However if you can get one to fit dont be put off by scaremongering about Taylors hobs.
The trick is to put a kettle on the stove during the preheating process which takes 4 minutes. Let the flame go out and then light as if it were gas. Some people preheat with a blow torch but really the meths method works very well.
You will need space also for the fuel tank. Rolf fuel is odourless but was banned a few years ago by the EU who said it wasnt really paraffin. I have no idea if it is available again----I bought up as much as I could!
 
Totally agree about the scare-mongering. I had one on my last boat with no real problems. I didn't put anything on the stove while it was pre-heating though as I found it made the bottom of the kettle very sooty.
I used to use meths for pre-heating usually, but a gas torch is useful if you need to warm up an already slightly warm burner. Taylors themselves use a gas torch when they test their stoves before dispatch.
Flare-ups only occur you don't pre-heat properly - I found that a full tablespoon of meths was just right. If you do get a flare up, just turn off the control knob. I still have an unused fire blanket that I bought just in case.
All the spares (burners, washers, jets etc) are available from Blakes Lavac Taylors. If you find that a Taylors stove is too big, try www.base-camp.co.uk - there might be an Optimus that is suitable.
 
" I found it made the bottom of the kettle very sooty "

I use a quick boil kettle, this has a raised base so becoming sooty is not a problem.
 
When I bought Piota twenty years ago the first thing I did was to fling out the flimsy gas cooker and install a Taylors. It has given good service over 50K miles cruising and with one replacement hob it is as good as at one year old.
Here's a good trick for flare-free lighting. Light the meths with one match; protect from cooling draughts and have a second match ready. When the flame goes out, just touch the new match to the burner cap: if the match bursts into flame, turn the knob and the burner lights cleanly, every time.
But if the match won't ignite with just a touch, the burner isn't hot enough and would flare if you struck the match, so don't turn the knob! Let it cool and start again. Or light the other burner.
You soon learn exactly how much meths is needed for a ''first-time, every time'' light-up.
 
i have had my taylors for years. never used meths to light it as it always seemed such a faff. use a blow torch. once you got the knack its as easy as gas and probably safer
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top