The Stove. What’s good and what are you using?

Erm...surely with the budget constraints it's a case of see what crops up on Y&YBFS on facebook, here, and eBay? Been plenty kicking around for a song.
 
We all seem to be hanging on the Neptune type. both 4500 and 5000 seem quite good. how's the quality from the gimble and the knobs and clamps? Anything to look out for?
the burner number is an interesting question and every time I look at the 2 burner, this little voice in the back of my mind goes (choose the 3 choose the 3) its only about £50 diff
 
Iain C said:
Erm...surely with the budget constraints it's a case of see what crops up on Y&YBFS on facebook, here, and eBay? Been plenty kicking around for a song.
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Haaa, well, no. NOT on the Stove. Good food happy sailor. Broken stove = very unhappy sailor. Stove needs new. What is life at sea or otherwise without the joys of good food but without the need for a pair of pliers and screwdrivers for getting a broken stove to work. The engine can fail, the sails can tear. The Stove must NOT ever give a hint of a failure. (When that happens the inner Kraken of the wife’s sailor emerges from the depths of tranquillity and embraces the unwary sailor in tentacles of despair.)
 
This is going to break your budget, but GN Espace ( despite the name, a small british outfit) make the best stoves by far. If you are blue water sailing you will want to make bread, pizzas, and have an oven capable of searing meat. The GN can do this with ease. Its a proper insulated oven, and the unit uses less gas because of that. It is built to be maintained, and the guys at GN are a delight to deal with. It also makes very good cheese on toast and toast, because it has a proper grill. Start saving for one now, you wont regret it.
 
stevepick said:
This is going to break your budget, but GN Espace ( despite the name, a small british outfit) make the best stoves by far. If you are blue water sailing you will want to make bread, pizzas, and have an oven capable of searing meat. The GN can do this with ease. Its a proper insulated oven, and the unit uses less gas because of that. It is built to be maintained, and the guys at GN are a delight to deal with. It also makes very good cheese on toast and toast, because it has a proper grill. Start saving for one now, you wont regret it.
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Trouble is that it will account for 10% of his budget to build a WHOLE 33' boat from a bare hull and deck!
 
Tranona said:
Trouble is that it will account for 10% of his budget to build a WHOLE 33' boat from a bare hull and deck!
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+1

Yeah I would like one, having said that, it comes down to can I pay for it and where we are willing to compromise. Stove is doable new, sadly it tops out at £500 on our current budget. we do have a plan B and have bought a lucky dip.
 
GregOddity said:
+1

Yeah I would like one, having said that, it comes down to can I pay for it and where we are willing to compromise. Stove is doable new, sadly it tops out at £500 on our current budget. we do have a plan B and have bought a lucky dip.
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Don't forget the installation costs which will add another 100 or 2 depending on whether you have a proper gas locker built in or not.
 
My worry with a caravan stove would be whether it had flame failure devices. A gas leak on a caravan needn't be anything like as bad as on a boat, because you often have vents in the floor.

Btw I have an Optimus paraffin stove, as had been said an acquired taste but it was far cheaper and easier than fitting a gas system (I did find the stove secondhand which helped)
 
GregOddity said:
We all seem to be hanging on the Neptune type. both 4500 and 5000 seem quite good. how's the quality from the gimble and the knobs and clamps? Anything to look out for?
the burner number is an interesting question and every time I look at the 2 burner, this little voice in the back of my mind goes (choose the 3 choose the 3) its only about £50 diff
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3 burners would be great if there was space to use them but they're crowded into the same space as a 2 burner one and using 3 sensible sized pans at the same time isn't an option. Another vote for Neptune, quite good grill and the oven cooks joints well, spares readily available.
 
Graham376 said:
3 burners would be great if there was space to use them but they're crowded into the same space as a 2 burner one and using 3 sensible sized pans at the same time isn't an option. Another vote for Neptune, quite good grill and the oven cooks joints well, spares readily available.
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I've been considering that for a while. 3 pots seem a bit too crowded on the same surface. I will have to see it up close to decide, but it does seem the better option if you actually do some cooking on a somewhat smallish stove.
 
http://www.force10.com/gas_gimballed_3burner.html

I have the 4 x burner model. It works well, side wall around the burners and fiddles, although I would modify the side wall to be higher for deep sea. Oven is good, bakes bread, slowly, grill is good. Usual features flame failure shut off, electric ignition. They are very robust.
 
BlowingOldBoots said:
http://www.force10.com/gas_gimballed_3burner.html

I have the 4 x burner model. It works well, side wall around the burners and fiddles, although I would modify the side wall to be higher for deep sea. Oven is good, bakes bread, slowly, grill is good. Usual features flame failure shut off, electric ignition. They are very robust.
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How about the size of pans you can fit at the same time? At sea I like to use deeper pans to avoid spillage of any sizzling and boiling bits of gourmet Stocks and broils on my beautiful peach skin, if possible. I’ve seen some where you could not fit anything bigger than a small pot besides each other. I do like the opportunity of a somewhat calmer moment to use a 3L to get some chow for 2 meals if possible. I think the 3L are 24 cm base. In that sense I rather fit 2 of those then 3 smaller ones. Reason why i'm asking.
 
Look at the dimensions and check. I fit 4 large pans on with no issues.
 
I have an older Force 10 in my workshop for refurbishment. I just took this picture, that is 2 x 23 cm pans on the front two burners, as you see there is plenty of room. The same size could be fitted on the back 2 burners simultaneously.

Untitled by Rival Sailor, on Flickr
 
BlowingOldBoots said:
I have an older Force 10 in my workshop for refurbishment. I just took this picture, that is 2 x 23 cm pans on the front two burners, as you see there is plenty of room. The same size could be fitted on the back 2 burners simultaneously.

Untitled by Rival Sailor, on Flickr
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Cool, that’s exactly what I was wondering. Thanks for that. Last one I tried to use to cook for 5 people on board was a funny gimpy thing that was horrible. If more then one then only small pans at the same time. Don’t remember the brand or the model but left me rather unimpressed with the all contraption. Cooking was a nightmare on that thing. Ended up giving up on cooking and just warming ready made meals on the oven.
Appreciate the pic. Thanks.
 
I am a full time liveaboard. I have a 4 burner Force 10 that gets used every day. The top burners are excellent. The oven is excellent The grille gets a 5 / 10. It works for one slice of toast at a time and goes from light brown to on fire in a few seconds. I do not use it to grille meat.

After 8 years a flame failure sensor failed and needed replacing this involves removing all the burners. The local expert said buy all new burners and studs and screws because they will be seized. [ They were ] Force 10 in Canada are good with spares even on the older stuff.

They are not cheap but are well made and reliable. [ Except for the spark igniters use a barbecue sparker instead ]

I would buy another.
 
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