Propane/Alcohol stove for longhaul

[nickrj]

Hi - My boat currently has a propane stove in it, which I think is probably going to have to go in the bin, and be replaced with alcohol. Has anyone an opinion on the matter? It seems to me having to carry several propane bottles, and refilling at every dock could be a hassle. Alcohol just seems a lot easier...

I have no experience with alcohol stoves, and it seems I keep coming across 'marine alcohol' - Is this just nicely labelled for the consumer, or will I need to carry a special hard to find fuel anyway? thanks, n

[ccscott49]

I would stick with the propane, alcohol is not easy to find, "Long haul" and it's fairly easy to find propane/butane. Mind you depends how much cooking you are going to do and how far "Long haul" is.

[charles_reed]

You'd bitterly regret the action.

My experience is that alcohol is expensive (about x80 the price of LPG for equivalent heat output).
It's hard to find in most countries.
IMHO it's an appallingly poor method of cooking (I once had an Origo stove and thankfully converted it to LPG). It promotes seasickness in those condemned to light it in a seaway. It's been the subject of more near-miss conflagrations than even a Coleman/Primus.

Propane and Butane are interchangeable and probably, next to diesel, the easiest fuel to find world-wide.

[stingo]

The vast majority of boats use either propane or butane. There must be good reason for that.

Whatever you do, don't go down the diesel cooker route. You'll stay hungry.

[nickrj]

Popularity doesn't necessarily mean it's good, and the vast majority of boats also don't sail in one direction for months on end... So I am trying to work out the best solution to the problem. But if you think it is propane, then maybe I won't need to go to the additional expense.

[Robih]

Why is diesel so bad?

[charles_reed]

Great in theory but of the 3 I know who've had them disapproval is unanimous.

Contras:-
1. Devilish expensive to buy and fit.
2. Burners only operate within a very narrow heat output.
3. Plates are too cold for majority of top-of-stove cooking
4. Smell
5. Slow heat-up.

Pros:-
1. Fuel easy to source
2. Low fire/explosion risk
3. Quite good ovens

[Abigail]

We have a deisel cooker and after 3 years, no we wouldn´t have one again.

It cooks well, particularly the oven, and you get used to the timing. Plates are only too cold if the fuel line isn´t feeding properly (a not uncommon problem). Very safe of course.

BUT - v v expensive, support network not good, even in Britain, repaid bills horrendous, too fiuddly and complicated a bit of kit for an ocean going yacht. We still have it, but I doubt it will stay with us for years and years.

We wish Blakes could sort out their problems with supplying a gas cooker. Wonderful solid bit of kit.

[Paw Paw]

I never found anywhere in the world where I could not get propane or butane or sometimes a mixture of both! Everybody on land has to cook.
I did have to buy a 'local' type bottle in the USA and in Australia other than that Camping Gaz was available everywhere or people would 'fill' the bottles for me.

It is so easy to use and to obtain - not messy or troublesome to light. Why go for anything else?

Michael

[KellysEye]

Propane is the only way to go if you're going outside Europe (butane is difficult/impossible to get). We have a dual propane/butane stove that works fine with Propane but Butane doesn't work well, something to do with calorific value and pressure I think.