Propane is a viable solution.

If so, consider using propane torch bottles that you disconnect when
not in service.

Most expensive way to buy propane, but you don't use that much.


Hi Lew:

Interesting you should mention torch bottles today. Yesterday I was
sweating on some Cu 1/2" water supply pipe. My last bottle was near
empty so I went to my local Bi-Mart (Oregon) and got a new one. Pretty
blue it was. Put on the new bottle and went to work. When finished,
shut off the torch valve, and spun off the
botttle..............................

Hisssssssssss went the bottle. The valve in the bottle did not close !
**** ! Ran outside and tossed the damn thing.
Now, that had never happend to me in the 40 years Ive been using those
things. And Ive plumbed two houses with copper supply, heated hubs,
melted lead for all sorts of projects. Never had a failure.

HOWEVER BE ADVISED///

A highschool buddy of mine was camping in the late 70s. He used a scew
on propane bottle one burner cook stove when back packing. He ran out
of propane, started to swap out the empty but the bottle valve failed
to close. there was some flame left on the burner. That ignited the
bottle. Now picture this..... He has a blow toarch inside his NYLON
tent !. The tent went to flames, melted and fell on his upper body,
His down coat melted and burst into flames.............

3rd degree burns to face and sholders........ It really scared him up.

I always remember my friend Bob Hayes and his experince with spin-on
propance bottles...... And now mine!

I'm gonna stick to a built-in propane stove-locker-electric shut off
valve and then close the bottle valve system. Although diesel is my
first choice.
Bob

"Bob" wrote:

Interesting you should mention torch bottles today. snip a list of
bottle failures

HOWEVER BE ADVISED///

snip
A highschool buddy of mine was camping in the late 70s. snip his
sad tale

Those bottle manufacturers would have no difficulty providing data
that would show for every so many gazillion bottles made, they may
have one failure.

So be it, when you are dealing with a volatile gas, even one failure
can not be accepted.

SFWIW, I use a plumbers torch when sweating copper.

Costs a tad more the Home Depot version, so keep it connected to the
bottle to protect the threads and to use the shut off valve.

YMMV

Lew

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

Use Scotch. The single malts burn quite well, and if you don't need to cook,
you can drink the stuff! Cognac also burns well.

Dennis (from Scotland).

On Tue, 09 Oct 2007 15:34:55 -0700, Frogwatch
wrote:

Pressurized alchohol stoves are about the most dangerous thing I have
ever seen on boats.

The most dangerous thing I have seen on a boat were these little waxed
paper sticks that had 'dangerous' right on the label. Fishing tackle
my buddy called them. Fifty percent nitroglycerine they were, and in
use they were pretty noisy.

Casady

On Wed, 10 Oct 2007 08:08:14 GMT, "Dennis Pogson"
wrote:

Use Scotch. The single malts burn quite well, and if you don't need to cook,
you can drink the stuff! Cognac also burns well.

Moonshine straight from the still, is 80 to 90 percent ethanol. And
you can dilute it and drink it. Much better fuel than scotch which is
often only 35% alcohol. I as usual I deny everything.

Casady

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...

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:

And a propane explosion is a propane explosion, and it doesn't matter whose
fault it was when your boat is in pieces. And like propane explosions,
flares can be prevented.


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.

I had propane on my previous boat, and liked it a lot. Two tanks mounted in
the cockpit footwell, any leaks would drain overboard through the scuppers.
Solonoid regulated, sniffer mounted in the galley, the works. But I found it
to be a hassle having to take those tanks out for a walk when they needed a
refill. With alcohol or kerosene fueled stoves, all you need is a container.
Much easier. And kerosene will be available in places where propane is
impossible to find. But a diesel stove would be even better.

On Wed, 10 Oct 2007 08:28:33 -0500, "KLC Lewis"
wrote:

And kerosene will be available in places where propane is
impossible to find. But a diesel stove would be even better.

I would guess that a kerosene stove would burn diesel OK, but you can
get kerosene with a lower sulfur content, and you don't need a coating
sulfurous acid over everything in the boat. Dampen a piece of blue
litmus paper and hold it in the exhaust of a diesel and see for
yourself.
If the burner exhaust went over the side, that would be another thing,
but sailboats don't seem to have stoves with exhaust fans, unless
maybe they are big enough to be considered a tall ship. The right room
heater will be vented outside, and may even have a top hot enough to
keep a coffee pot warm, if not to cook with. I think a kerosene
camping stove set up in the cockpit, would be OK with diesel.
Five gallons of kerosene will last quite a while cooking for, say,
four people. I like the five gallon wide mouth plastic jugs the car
racers use. $15 at most car parts houses. They are nice and sturdy.

Casady

"Richard Casady" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 10 Oct 2007 08:28:33 -0500, "KLC Lewis"
wrote:

And kerosene will be available in places where propane is
impossible to find. But a diesel stove would be even better.

I would guess that a kerosene stove would burn diesel OK, but you can
get kerosene with a lower sulfur content, and you don't need a coating
sulfurous acid over everything in the boat. Dampen a piece of blue
litmus paper and hold it in the exhaust of a diesel and see for
yourself.
If the burner exhaust went over the side, that would be another thing,
but sailboats don't seem to have stoves with exhaust fans, unless
maybe they are big enough to be considered a tall ship. The right room
heater will be vented outside, and may even have a top hot enough to
keep a coffee pot warm, if not to cook with. I think a kerosene
camping stove set up in the cockpit, would be OK with diesel.
Five gallons of kerosene will last quite a while cooking for, say,
four people. I like the five gallon wide mouth plastic jugs the car
racers use. $15 at most car parts houses. They are nice and sturdy.

Casady

If I were to ever replace my pressure alcohol stove, I would probably go for
the Wallas diesel. No exposed flame, exhausts and intakes air from outside
the cabin, doubles as a cabin heater.

Somebody wrote:

And kerosene will be available in places where propane is
impossible to find.............

You have never tried to find kerosene in SoCal.

Lew

On Wed, 10 Oct 2007 09:50:03 -0500, "KLC Lewis"
wrote:

If I were to ever replace my pressure alcohol stove, I would probably go for
the Wallas diesel. No exposed flame, exhausts and intakes air from outside
the cabin, doubles as a cabin heater.

That sounds good. I wonder if they use them on motor homes. Of course
those don't have any trouble getting propane.

Casady