Stove/Oven - Kerosene vs Propane

[44'cruisingcat]

We had a kero stove on our old boat. The new one will definitely be propane.

[Snowshoe]

Is there any reason why a simple Coleman or similar camp stove using the small bottles of propane would not work? I never expect to leave the Great Lakes so availability is not an issue.

[Vasco]

I've only run into one sailboat with an electric stove. An older Morgan forty something. The couple complained that starting the generator every time they wanted a cup of tea was too much trouble. They were thinking of changing to propane.

[southernman]

Saw a yacht with an induction cooking hob which was pretty cool!! Go the LPG - efficient, quick, starts easily and available in pretty well every developing country! The romantic side of me still loves the Kero stove just for that smell!!

[Beausoleil]

We're going to move aboard Beausoleil full time in May, and take off cruising this fall. We were considering replacing the Origo alcohol stove and Panasonic microwave/convection oven with a single propane unit, but I think we'll wait.

The problem with propane on an aft-cockpit ketch like our Formosa 51 is - where do I install the darn tanks? On deck in a bolted-down locker? Fabricate a vented locker thru the deck just in front of the galley (we could hide it in a cabinet in the cabin ahead of the galley)? Or take up all the room in the cockpit lazerette and run a ~40' fuel line?

Deck-mounted tanks on a blue-water cruiser are not only unsightly but dangerous in heavy seas. Think of what a 25lb tank could do to pilothouse windows - even if they're 3/8" Lexan.

I also looked into diesel stoves to get around the tank storage problem. But with the location of our galley, the flue would be right where our headsail/staysail sheets and furler lines run. If the galley was in the pilothouse, at least the flue would be up and out of the way - lot's of Formosa's do have the galley in the pilothouse, but ours ain't one of 'em.

I think for now we'll stick with the non-pressurized Origo - it's way safer than the alcohol stove in our old Mariner. And in a pinch we can run the microwave off the inverter, but we'd have to time oven use for when the genset is charging the batteries (or is that vice versa?). We'll eventually have a wind generator on the mizzen mast and solar panels on the bimini to help keep genset runs to a minimum, but they certainly won't do for biscuits in the morning, I'll tell ya!

After we're on the water for a few months we'll see if it's working or if we should bite the bullet and go propane.

[rebel heart]

Here's me getting rid of my kerosene stove, and replacing with propane:

Rebel Heart - The boat and her crew - Eric's Blog - - Meet our new*stove!

Propane is dangerous, but so is cutting a hole in the boat, and I have seven of those. Just be careful. The safety concerns about propane have been debated at length, but nearly every modern boat has it and they work like a champ. Most people who think it's unsafe still have disposable bottles for their grills, and those disposables are *very* scary because of how quick they corrode, and the tendency for them to be left in lockers to rust.

Kerosene is dirty, the parts are hard to come by, it requires maintenance, and it stinks. It also takes longer to cook. I couldn't stand it, and neither could by fiancee. Putting in the propane stove, and upgrading to a Lavac head, were the two best quality of life improvements we put onboard.

I'm old school too; I think chart plotters are rediculous and might even dump by yankee furler for a hank on. But lose the propane? Hell no.

[Celestialsailor]

Ah...who needs a stove...I eat my biscuit & weavels raw...

[ausieman]

I ran a kerosene stove for 3 years on a previous boat with no problems at all. It was a safe fuel to carry and very economical. Having said that I now have propane (and a sniffer) and can't ever see myself using anything else. I also have one of the little camping stoves with the canisters of gas for just in case type emergencies but I keep the canisters in airtight ziplock plastic bags which thus far has kept them rust free.

[Eleven]

The latest diesel stoves and hotplates look very good. Ceramic hobs with a fan hood to provide some interior heating, posh ovens, and all fumes vented out. They seem to draw 6amps starting but then fractional so within solar panel + battery without engine running.
Depends on your cruise length and the state of your back. Lugging gas bottles is not everyones idea of a comfy life and there is always a risk. The diesel is there already in big quantities. Diesel heating now is two kilowatts at a quarter litre an hour.
Both at the 2008 Excel Boat Show at around 1200 sterling. My choice if my boat doesn't have modern gas already installed - diesel.

[Pelagic]

Propane or LPG (depending on whatevr they call it locally), is by far the cheapest and most readily available cooking fuel in 3rd world countries. We have 2 certified stainless tanks on board, properly installed with solenoid/snifter in outside vented locker. As a liveaboard we consume one tank about every 10-12 months. Last refill in the Philippines cost about USD$14.

Quick controllable heat with no radiated wastage which is a big thing in the Tropics. Only have a 4 burner stove top and prefer to use the microwave/convection oven or the outside BBQ kettle type for baking/roasting, again because of the heat factor.

Personally, would not consider anything else

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

Ah...who needs a stove...I eat my biscuit & weavels raw...

If there were a pair of weevils, which would you eat? - The small one, because you should always choose the lesser of two weevils.

[Eleven]

Saving the fat one for your captain?
But don't offer him the choice, he'll take them both.

[Viking May]

hi there, i'm a new commer to this forum, my partner and I have refitted our yacht on an extremely limited budget! nothing too pioneering about that! however we are in need of a kero stove at the right price....!!! preferrably 2 burner if any one has replaced upgraded or even has one stashed away and getting rusty and dusty??? I would apreciate any feedback cheers
demble.b@gmail.com
thanks crew!

[Viking May]

or a two burner metho stove with a gorilla!!!
either either
much apreciated
cheers

[Amfivena]

Here's a couple of Northerners putting in a vote for kerosene...

We split our time between Maine and Newfoundland. So, outside of a couple days in July, I'm really ignorant of this concept of 'excess heat'. Is that the heat you absorb while rubbing your hands over a steaming pot? <g>

IMO kerosene approaches the energy efficiency of propane without the risk of explosion. Our boat came fully rigged with propane stove and heat. It was nearly one of the first things to go. I think it exited the great ship Amfivena before the resident ant colony and after LORAN-C. Although I may have fried a few ants in the K1 flame....

We have Taylor's pressurized kerosene stove and heater. Love both of them. Yes you have to preheat, but neither of us minds 'ritual'. My wife is a TEA drinker, and most of the mystique is the brewing process. Excess heat is only a problem after the fourth of July and before the start of August.

North of Boston, Kerosene is available in at least half the gas stations. typically at rates comparable to gasoline or diesel. As an aside, most will only fill into a blue K1 can. We've pumped into yellow diesel cans a couple of times on the sly at self service stations. Attendants will insist on a properly colored can - makes me wonder what a can of spray-paint will do? <g>