Jim Conlin wrote in message ...
The $18 solution is appealing. Is butane heavier than air?

JAXAshby wrote:

on most 20' boats, the very best is a butane chafing stove, available often
under $18 (close out store), and nearly as often for $85 (chandleries) and in
between (department stores). An okay second is an Origo 1500 non-pressurized
alcohol stove

everything else is something else, and not a hell of a lot better than a coffe
can filled with sand and some gasoline set on fire (I have cooked on such).

What are the pros and cons of these two types of stoves for a small boat
(20')?

It is my opinion that alchohol stoves are the most dangerous item on
most boats. The pressurized ones require priming with fuel whose
flame is hard to see insuring that eventually you will attempt to
prime a stove that is already (or still) aflame from a previous
attempt. Similar situations have arisen with unpressurized alchohol
stoves where they have been refueled while still burning because they
seemed to be out.
I think the alchohol stoves are so dangerous that I took one out of my
boat and simply put cans of sterno down into the empty burner wells
and this works as well as alchohol and is safer.
For real cooking, I favor a Coleman propane stove used in the cockpit
only while at the dock or maybe at anchor if it is very calm. I store
the cylinders in a net bag hung off the stern below coaming level.
Thanks, Grainger