Propane vs Alcohol
 

"BF" wrote:

Okay, I know what Propane is, C3H8
and I know what Methanol is, CH3OH

What's Alcohol?

Intoxicating?

Lew

Propane vs Alcohol
 

On Oct 9, 6:15 pm, "Lew Hodgett" wrote:
"BF" wrote:
Okay, I know what Propane is, C3H8
and I know what Methanol is, CH3OH

What's Alcohol?

Intoxicating?

Lew

Pressurized alchohol stoves are about the most dangerous thing I have
ever seen on boats. Unpressurized is supposed to be better. When I
got my boat, I gutted the old Origo pressurized stove and now I drop
cans of sterno down the burner wells to heat coffee. I keep thinking
about making an unpressurized drop-in replacement for the old
pressurized burners but by now ther prob are not enough of these old
units for it to sell well.
You can find designs for unpressurized home-made alchohol stoves for
backpacking. One is made from a coke can and some fiberglass
insulation and I think you could adapt this concept to your burner
wells.

Propane vs Alcohol
 

"Richard Casady" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 09 Oct 2007 11:59:17 -0600, Paul Cassel
wrote:

I find alcohol the least favorable fuel. It not only isn't very hot,

Not hot? Way hotter than red hot is what it is. If the cookware
doesn't absorb heat fast enough, it isn't the temperature, it is the
size of the fire. If you tell me that all available alcohol stoves
have insufficient output, OK. It is not a necessary characteristic of
the fuel. The exhaust system on my alcohol burning car runs yellow
hot. How hot do you need? They make these nice very wide mouth five
gallon plastic jugs, round and rectangular. About 15 bucks. Car racers
use them. Nice thick polyethylene, really sturdy. They are good for
water too. Many car parts stores sell them, you don't need a special
racer's shop, if there is such a thing. The methanol you can get from
a truck at the sprint car races. By far the cheapest source. Indy cars
also use it, so you can't say it is a wimpy fuel. 100 octane. So is
propane. There is a bumboat that sells stuff to the crews of the
Lakers. It sells propane. Ore boats use it for cooking. They don't
worry about a leak setting the taconite on fire. They do have their
large home size tanks out on deck, in the wind. They could easily have
an electric stove if they wanted one.. Crew size is 29, that much
cooking. I wish I had a propane stove, but whatever.

Casady

I have a pressure alcohol stove on Essie and I like it a lot. Fuel is
readily available throughout the States, a gallon lasts me about forever
since I don't really use it much (maybe a dozen times each summer), but when
I do it will boil a kettle of water in less than 10 minutes. Would propane
be hotter and boil that water faster? Possibly. But it would also cost about
$1500 to replace my working stove. That will buy about 750 gallons of
alcohol.

People complain about "flares" with pressure stoves. I've never had one that
wasn't entirely my fault, and not at all since I learned to use it properly.
I might consider converting the stove to pressure kerosene some day, but for
now, alcohol is just fine with me.

Propane vs Alcohol
 

On Tue, 09 Oct 2007 10:10:53 -0700, Gordon wrote:

My Pearson 365 ketch currently has a pressurized alcohol Kenyon cook
stove. This sucker has got to go!
Propane would probably be the best way to go but finding a place to
put the tank is a major PIA. I don't like hanging things on railings.
Looks crummy and tends to loosen stanchions. And I don't like extra
stuff on deck. Converting a space in a locker to meet all safety
requirements also seems like a PIA.
Also the cost. Tanks, solenoid. pressure regulator, hoses, sniffer,
installation of wiring and hoses, yada yada
Go, I'm also considering Origo alcohol stoves. Non pressurized, no
tank, no hoses or electrical. However, alcohol is expensive and can be
hard to find if doing extended cruising and you don't want to carry too
much on board. Also, alcohol doesn't have the BTU's of propane.
So, any good advice?
Gordon


I think that it really depends on how you use your boat. If your
"cruising" is mostly over night, harbor to harbor, with frequent stops
ashore for supper then almost anything will work for morning coffee
and luncheon soup.

On the other hand if you live aboard for extended periods and do any
extensive cooking then LPG/Propane is the only answer.

As how to store tanks, I built a bracket that mounts two 13 Kg. tanks
outboard of the stern pulpit, doesn't look any worse then a barbecue.
A commercial solenoid operated valve and associated wires and switches
is cheap enough and the plumbing is really pretty simple. I install
the solenoid valve after the regulators so it is a low pressure valve.


Bruce in Bangkok
(brucepaigeATgmailDOTcom)

Propane vs Alcohol
 

On Oct 9, 12:10 pm, Gordon wrote:
My Pearson 365 ketch currently has a pressurized alcohol Kenyon cook
stove. This sucker has got to go!
Propane would probably be the best way to go but finding a place to
put the tank is a major PIA. I don't like hanging things on railings.
Looks crummy and tends to loosen stanchions. And I don't like extra
stuff on deck. Converting a space in a locker to meet all safety
requirements also seems like a PIA.
Also the cost. Tanks, solenoid. pressure regulator, hoses, sniffer,
installation of wiring and hoses, yada yada
Go, I'm also considering Origo alcohol stoves. Non pressurized, no
tank, no hoses or electrical. However, alcohol is expensive and can be
hard to find if doing extended cruising and you don't want to carry too
much on board. Also, alcohol doesn't have the BTU's of propane.
So, any good advice?
Gordon

I am a proponent of propane from way back. I would suggest installing
the tank in an approved locker under the helmsman's seat. Don't know
the layout of the cockpit on your P365, but that is where the propane
tank sits on our P323.

Peter
P323 "Now or Never!"

Propane vs Alcohol
 

On 2007-10-09 13:10:53 -0400, Gordon said:

My Pearson 365 ketch currently has a pressurized alcohol Kenyon cook
stove. This sucker has got to go!

Propane would probably be the best way to go but finding a place to put
the tank is a major PIA. I don't like hanging things on railings. Looks
crummy and tends to loosen stanchions. And I don't like extra stuff on
deck. Converting a space in a locker to meet all safety requirements
also seems like a PIA.

Also the cost. Tanks, solenoid. pressure regulator, hoses, sniffer,
installation of wiring and hoses, yada yada

Go, I'm also considering Origo alcohol stoves. Non pressurized, no
tank, no hoses or electrical. However, alcohol is expensive and can be
hard to find if doing extended cruising and you don't want to carry too
much on board. Also, alcohol doesn't have the BTU's of propane.

I think you answered your own question: the Origo. It won't be as hot
as a properly-adjusted pressure alcohol or propane stove, but will
suffice for light work.

Personally, we do most of our cooking on the propane grill, getting the
heat out of the cabin. The Magma serves as a high-output single-burner
stove.

--
Jere Lull
Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD
Xan's new pages: http://web.mac.com/jerelull/iWeb/Xan/
Our BVI pages: http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

Propane vs Alcohol
 

On Tue, 9 Oct 2007 18:06:18 -0500, "KLC Lewis"
wrote:

People complain about "flares" with pressure stoves. I've never had one that
wasn't entirely my fault, and not at all since I learned to use it properly.
I might consider converting the stove to pressure kerosene some day, but for
now, alcohol is just fine with me.

A "flare" is a "flare", it doesn't matter who's fault it is when your
boat cabin is on fire. They happen all too frequently with pressure
stoves. That's why they have fallen out of favor. My recommendations
for what they are worth:

Smaller sailboat, occasional use - Origo

Larger sailboat or frequent use - propane

Power boat with generator - electric

If you take a look at the sailboats that are actually out there doing
serious cruising, the vast majority use propane.

Propane vs Alcohol
 

"Jere Lull" wrote:


Personally, we do most of our cooking on the propane grill, getting
the
heat out of the cabin. The Magma serves as a high-output
single-burner
stove.

Somebody as finally found a use for that POS.

As a grill. it is useless.

Lew

Propane vs Alcohol
 

Subject

A quick and dirty solution that is safe is a fold up, two (2) burner,
propane stove with a torch bottle of propane.

Use in in the cockpit.

When finished and cool, fold up and stowe in a locker

I still remember buying one at Sears in 1979 for $15.

Think maybe $45 would do it today?

Lew

Propane vs Alcohol
 

On 2007-10-10 00:51:39 -0400, "Lew Hodgett" said:

"Jere Lull" wrote:

The Magma serves as a high-output single-burner stove.

Somebody as finally found a use for that POS.

As a grill. it is useless.

Shame you didn't have a good experience. Used our first one for 14-15
seasons and replaced it with the larger version when it came out. Made
a lot of great meals, even some light baking.

--
Jere Lull
Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD
Xan's new pages: http://web.mac.com/jerelull/iWeb/Xan/
Our BVI pages: http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/