On Thu, 14 Jun 2007 17:58:32 -0700, Gordon wrote:

Propane, Lpg, alcohol, diesel. What's the consensus of the sailing
community?

If you have a generator, electric is the only way to go, otherwise I'd
vote for propane.

Propane and LPG are the same thing; alcohol is expensive, dangerous
and has low cooking heat; diesel has an odor that many find
objectionable.

On a small boat, lightly used, counter-top butane cartridge burners
are convenient. Smaller offshore boats up to about 40 ft should have
a gimballed one burner "Sea Swing" type stove for backup in rough
conditions.

In article , Wayne.B says...

On Thu, 14 Jun 2007 17:58:32 -0700, Gordon wrote:

Propane, Lpg, alcohol, diesel. What's the consensus of the sailing
community?
....
Propane and LPG are the same thing; alcohol is expensive, dangerous
and has low cooking heat; diesel has an odor that many find
objectionable.

Gotta squawk at alcohol being dangerous comment. It is not a cheap fuel, though
for a weekend/couple of weeks cruiser as many are in northern climes, the delta
cost to another fuel is negligible.

My unpressurized Origo stove works just fine. And if I spill some fuel, I can
put it out with water, which dilutes the alcohol to the point where it will not
burn.

Not saying that alcohol is better than all others, but propane is at least as
hazardous, in its own way...

Happy Sailing
sdg

I'll second that about the Origo. With the burners filled in the cockpit, I
can't think of anything safer.

Expensive, yes. Two gallon bottles came with the boat so it was a real
shock when I finished them. I'm wondering if cheap Scotch would burn in it
as it should be much cheaper.

Anyone know if stove fuel alcohol is the same stuff used medically? Back
when I was flying, my vet flying buddy used to pour gallons of alcohol from
his animal clinic on the wings to deice them. At that price, this would be
cheap fuel. I'm sure there is a cheaper way to feed these stoves than the
stuff from a marine supply store.

Has anyone experimented with alternate fuels for the Origo?

--
Roger Long

"Roger Long" wrote in message
...
I'll second that about the Origo. With the burners filled in the cockpit,
I can't think of anything safer.

Expensive, yes. Two gallon bottles came with the boat so it was a real
shock when I finished them. I'm wondering if cheap Scotch would burn in
it as it should be much cheaper.

Anyone know if stove fuel alcohol is the same stuff used medically? Back
when I was flying, my vet flying buddy used to pour gallons of alcohol
from his animal clinic on the wings to deice them. At that price, this
would be cheap fuel. I'm sure there is a cheaper way to feed these stoves
than the stuff from a marine supply store.

Has anyone experimented with alternate fuels for the Origo?

--
Roger Long

Denatured alcohol from the hardware store is much cheaper and works just
fine for me. My only concern with alcohol is that I'm told it gets VERY
expensive outside of the US.

"Roger Long" wrote in message
...
I'll second that about the Origo. With the burners filled in the cockpit,
I can't think of anything safer.

Expensive, yes. Two gallon bottles came with the boat so it was a real
shock when I finished them. I'm wondering if cheap Scotch would burn in
it as it should be much cheaper.

Anyone know if stove fuel alcohol is the same stuff used medically? Back
when I was flying, my vet flying buddy used to pour gallons of alcohol
from his animal clinic on the wings to deice them. At that price, this
would be cheap fuel. I'm sure there is a cheaper way to feed these stoves
than the stuff from a marine supply store.

Has anyone experimented with alternate fuels for the Origo?

--
Roger Long



I have an Origo... haven't had a chance to try it yet, but it seems
bullet-proof.


--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

Hi Roger;

In article , Roger Long says...

Anyone know if stove fuel alcohol is the same stuff used medically? Back
when I was flying, my vet flying buddy used to pour gallons of alcohol from
his animal clinic on the wings to deice them. At that price, this would be
cheap fuel. I'm sure there is a cheaper way to feed these stoves than the
stuff from a marine supply store.

Has anyone experimented with alternate fuels for the Origo?

I use methyl hydrate that I buy at my local hardware store.

Some interesting comments about different fuels are
http://zenstoves.net/Stoves.htm scroll down to find the fuel section.

Your friend's alcohol is likely pure enough to work just fine.

Good Luck!
sdg Bayfield 29 "Discovery"

Thanks, great link.

--
Roger Long

On 15 Jun 2007 05:53:45 -0700, wrote:

Gotta squawk at alcohol being dangerous comment. It is not a cheap fuel, though
for a weekend/couple of weeks cruiser as many are in northern climes, the delta
cost to another fuel is negligible.

There are several issues with alcohol but the biggest is the fact that
it burns with a nearly invisible flame. Folks run out in the middle
of cooking their meal, add more fuel, spill some, and next thing you
know the curtains or boat are on fire. It used to happen all the time
when alcohol was more popular.

My unpressurized Origo stove works just fine. And if I spill some fuel, I can
put it out with water, which dilutes the alcohol to the point where it will not
burn.

Unpressurized alcohol is safer, no question. There are still the
issues of spillage, invisible flame, low heat content and high cost
however. If you look at serious cruising boats, i.e., many thousands
of miles under the keel, most of them are using propane. Larger power
boats are mostly electric.

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On 15 Jun 2007 05:53:45 -0700, wrote:

Gotta squawk at alcohol being dangerous comment. It is not a cheap fuel,
though
for a weekend/couple of weeks cruiser as many are in northern climes, the
delta
cost to another fuel is negligible.

There are several issues with alcohol but the biggest is the fact that
it burns with a nearly invisible flame. Folks run out in the middle
of cooking their meal, add more fuel, spill some, and next thing you
know the curtains or boat are on fire. It used to happen all the time
when alcohol was more popular.

My unpressurized Origo stove works just fine. And if I spill some fuel, I
can
put it out with water, which dilutes the alcohol to the point where it
will not
burn.

Unpressurized alcohol is safer, no question. There are still the
issues of spillage, invisible flame, low heat content and high cost
however. If you look at serious cruising boats, i.e., many thousands
of miles under the keel, most of them are using propane. Larger power
boats are mostly electric.


I have a pressurized alcohol stove on Essie at this time, and I have to take
issue with the idea that the flame is "invisible" (or nearly so). The flame
is blue, perhaps a bit dimmer than propane, but hardly invisible. The tank
is located in the head -- filling it cannot result in flames all over the
stove. Nor would I attempt to fill it while the stove is burning anyway, as
that would result in a loss of pressure and the stove going out.

If your non-pressure alcohol stove runs out of fuel mid-meal-prep, it's the
result of poor planning. That aside, following proper stove usage procedures
(allow the stove to cool before adding fuel) provides a perfectly safe
cooking experience. "Safe" in the sense that we're playing with fire, of
course.

KLC Lewis wrote:
"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...

On 15 Jun 2007 05:53:45 -0700, wrote:


Gotta squawk at alcohol being dangerous comment. It is not a cheap fuel,
though
for a weekend/couple of weeks cruiser as many are in northern climes, the
delta
cost to another fuel is negligible.


There are several issues with alcohol but the biggest is the fact that
it burns with a nearly invisible flame. Folks run out in the middle
of cooking their meal, add more fuel, spill some, and next thing you
know the curtains or boat are on fire. It used to happen all the time
when alcohol was more popular.


My unpressurized Origo stove works just fine. And if I spill some fuel, I
can
put it out with water, which dilutes the alcohol to the point where it
will not
burn.

Unpressurized alcohol is safer, no question. There are still the
issues of spillage, invisible flame, low heat content and high cost
however. If you look at serious cruising boats, i.e., many thousands
of miles under the keel, most of them are using propane. Larger power
boats are mostly electric.



I have a pressurized alcohol stove on Essie at this time, and I have to take
issue with the idea that the flame is "invisible" (or nearly so). The flame
is blue, perhaps a bit dimmer than propane, but hardly invisible. The tank
is located in the head -- filling it cannot result in flames all over the
stove. Nor would I attempt to fill it while the stove is burning anyway, as
that would result in a loss of pressure and the stove going out.

If your non-pressure alcohol stove runs out of fuel mid-meal-prep, it's the
result of poor planning. That aside, following proper stove usage procedures
(allow the stove to cool before adding fuel) provides a perfectly safe
cooking experience. "Safe" in the sense that we're playing with fire, of
course.



Hi KC,

The flames show up better because the stove is pressurized.

But a spill won't burn the same way and will indeed be less visible.

Careful!

Richard