On Tue, 12 Feb 2008 19:21:37 -0800, ohara5.0 wrote:

For those who still have old pressurized alcohol stoves, they might
consider the following. Remove the stoves innards from the burner
wells.
Now, get on the web and google "Beer can stove" and you will find
several "designs" for unpressurized alcohol backpacking stoves made from
two halves of a beer can nested in such a way that the alcohol wicks up
between them. One could make such from a wider can and put it down in
the burner wells. The advantage is the unpressurized aspect, no more
priming where you nearly set the boat on fire because you thought the
original prime was out before you poured on more alcohol or otherwise
having pressurized alcohol spraying over the inside of your boat. It
will burn cooler though so you wont prepare a 6 course meal. I want to
nest more burners inside the first one but haven done so yet.

Or you could just look for backpack stoves. It amazes me that I can buy
an ultralight, machined, finely crafted backpack stove that burns
anything from white gas to diesel for $140, and that includes the burner,
fuel tank, pump, and everything - yet virtually the same thing for a boat
costs $1,000.... The only difference is some more steel/iron, a
gimbal, and pot holders. Heck, I can buy a Primus stove for $140 -
that's the same Primus that makes marine stove burners....

It's all in the marketing. Google for Optimus Hiker 111c and tell me if
it's any different from the liquid fuel stoves for boats - except for the
case and gimbals. I've seriously thought of buying an old defunct stove
and sticking the guts of 111c in it. For less than $200 I can have a
nice reliable stove that will last 20 years. (I have a 111b that I got
in the 70s and has seen some serious use.....)

(Slightly frustrated ATM looking for a stove - can you tell? :-) )