What are essential foods to bring?

[FamilyVan]

The fuel isn't advertised in yachting stores, its found in the paint aisle at the hardware store. Its kept with the thinners and strippers. Its just alcohol, its not some fancy fuel product. Do you doubt availability of alcohol in remote parts of the world?

Because I've been able to purchase moonshine on the side of the trail in the Himalayas at 14000 ft above sea level from a man with a yack. I didn't ask, but I doubt he had a propane filling station.
I think the reason alcohol stoves of the 70's and 80's had a terrible and well earned reputation for being hard to use and dangerous.

This is an entirely different type of stove, but its lumped in with the bad old alcohol stoves.

The other down side is the fuel is expensive. Where i am from about $30 for a gallon of grain alcohol or $12 for a gallon of wood alcohol, both of which are purchased at my local automotive parts store. A gallon will last me several months, unless I'm heating with it.

But its $200 to buy the stove instead of $1200+ for a proper propane install. The $1000 difference leaves me enough money to purchase 30 gallons of fuel.

I think alcohol stoves are more suitable to smaller boats and simpler boats because there is one less entire system to take up place and maintain.

I think the ops boat would be a perfect candidate. He doesn't want to retrofit a 29' boat with a propane locker, gas detectors and solenoid shut offs. An origo stove you take out of the box, pour a litre of fuel into it, light it and 10 minutes later you have a pot of coffee- easy.

My boat was originally fitted with a kerosene, retrofitted with propane in 1989. It was time for a new cooking and heat system. I did the math, found out the Origo would cost me next to nothing in money or effort, so I bought it and absolutely love it. To the point a few weeks ago I ripped out the remnants of the old propane system, not going back.

If you like propane, cool, I know a lot of people do. But I also know a lot of people who own propane systems that were scared or hurt in an accident or incident with a propane stove fireball and wished they had a safer fuel option. Alcohol is a safer easier option.

I'm not saying its better, its just the option that works best for me and would likely be a good option for the op.

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[Don C L]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

nob:

I've just read through El Pinguino's and SWL's lists, and was thinking you must feel overwhelmed.

Let's start over, here, remembering you have an O'Day 28. Imagine that you're about to go from Seattle to SF, offshore route.

I could very well be going crazy, but I DID read this and thus I became confounded. In any case, with my smaller boat I am always looking for delicious exotic meals (not MREs) that don't take much fuel.

[oldragbaggers]

Originally Posted by Bulawayo

This is my doubt - I have not needed the fuel but did meet the Pardeys in Knysna many years ago and they carried a large fuel supply - I believe they used something similar ( however, I might be recollecting incorrectly ) - its just that I have never noted such fuel being advertised in the places that we travel. Also, in places like Malaysia or whilst sailing the Red Sea I wonder what the availability is? Or in smaller communities in the South Pacific? I have never noted it for sale anywhere in the Indian Ocean.

I am curious as to the actual real availability and viability. I really do not know enough about the subject. How economical is it and what is the measure of judging/evaluating economy? If its a question of carrying 50 litres of fuel then its no more weight than carrying 3x 12kg gas cylinders and it becomes a potential fuel source IF the availability is really available on a widespread basis.
My doubts include why are these stoves not more globally used if they are so good?
I'm not being critical or negative; I just would like to understand more. Thanks.

The Pardeys used a propane stove for cooking according to their books. For many years they used an RV type stove but finally bought a good propane cook stove for Taleisin because they got tired of dealing with the rust issues. They used kerosene for their lamps though and had a large gravity fed tank for that. That may be the fuel supply you are thinking of.

I have no idea where you heard that alcohol stoves are not used globally. I have been on a number of forums with primarily European members and they discuss these stoves frequently and extremely favorably. They call the fuel meths rather than alcohol, but it is the same thing. (By the way, supposedly the best quality and cheapest "stove meths" are to be found in France. " Alcool a Bruler 90," usually found in the grocery store. Just a little tidbit I learned on those forums.) Very simple open flame alcohol stoves are in widespread use in Asia. You are only talking about denatured alcohol. It doesn't have to say "stove fuel." You can buy it in any hardware store. There are no large tanks to lug anywhere to get refilled and no tank fittings to worry about. I read of one user that stores his in (2) 6-gallon tanks such as you would use for an outboard so carried 12 gallons aboard which can last for quite a long time. I would not want to have to fill my canisters from those large tanks, although I guess some kind of pump can be employed, but I could easily store that much fuel, or more, in my aft cockpit locker.

I am not trying to convert anyone who uses and loves a gas stove. I say to each his own. I love cooking on propane stoves myself and use one (outdoors) when we camp. We also have a Magma propane grill and I enjoy using that as well. I just don't happen to be comfortable with propane inside the boat, but that is just my nervous nature, which I understand many thousands of people don't share. I just don't like to see bad information being perpetuated about a really good product. And often the people who speak out most vehemently against them are actually those that have never used one so really aren't speaking from experience. (I see that a lot.....the composting head thread for instance would be another example.)

We have used alcohol and kerosene stoves extensively over the years, both pressurized and unpressurized. I would not want to go back to a pressurized stove. As FamilyVan said, these stoves are likely the reason alcohol stoves have a bad rep. They could be difficult to light and were prone to flare-ups if you didn't prime them correctly. They were also nearly impossible to use underway because the priming fuel would splash out of the cups. All in all a real pain in the butt. But the non-pressurized Origo is by far my favorite boat cook stove I have ever used and it was a no brainer for me which stove I was going to get once we had made the decision to remove the propane from our boat.

The OP already has a galley space that was designed around the Origo 4100, he has the cutout to just drop one in and go. It would be the logical and cost effective choice for him to restore his galley to a fully functioning state without a complicated and expensive propane installation and from my many years of experience with alcohol stoves I can reassure him that they work just fine.

[FamilyVan]

I'm cooking my lunch on my Origo 5100 as I write this post. I figured I'd snap a pick for any body unfamiliar with them. As you can see, they are very simple stoves, just alcohol and a whick. Contrary to popular belief they are HOT too.

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[oldragbaggers]

Duplicate post.

[oldragbaggers]

northoceanbeach, here are a few pics of our CD-28 with the Origo 4100 installed. If your galley configuration is the same then that is probabay the stove that was there previously, although I guess it could have been an old Kenyon, but the hole would still work with some tweaking. As you can see it is a very tidy installation, costs you no space on top of the counter, and only a few inches, 6" I think, lost in the storage locker below. We still had plenty of space for our pans and whatnot.

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by Bulawayo

I am curious as to the actual real availability and viability. I really do not know enough about the subject. How economical is it and what is the measure of judging/evaluating economy? If its a question of carrying 50 litres of fuel then its no more weight than carrying 3x 12kg gas cylinders and it becomes a potential fuel source IF the availability is really available on a widespread basis.
My doubts include why are these stoves not more globally used if they are so good?
I'm not being critical or negative; I just would like to understand more. Thanks.

I think the main reason there aren't more ORIGO stoves in use is the price. The 4100 costs $500 canadian here.

As for fuel, anyplace that sells PAINT will have methyl dydrate, as its a paint thinner/cleaner. Also, any garage would have methyl hydrate for eliminating water from gasoline. Likely people don't notice it for sale because its not specifically a "boat" item, just a general hardware item.
The more you buy, the cheaper is costs. A 4 litre jug here costs just a little more than a 1 litre container.

A half litre of fuel burns on full for about 7 hours. I use my stove all summer. A 4 litre jug lasts me 2 years. Jessica Watson used a "meth stove" on her famous voyage. When she got back, she said she had enough leftover "meth" to "go around again".

I use SIGG bottles to safely store my alcohol supply on board. Very safe. The fuel also comes in handy for first aid, cleaning, getting water out of gasoline.

[oldragbaggers]

Originally Posted by hamburking

I think the main reason there aren't more ORIGO stove in use is the price. The $4100 costs $500 canadian here.

$500 is a bargain compared to a proper propane installation, and a good propane stove isn't cheap either. Origos are also very frequently listed on eBay for half that cost and since there is very little that can go wrong with them, unless they have missing parts generally the most they will need is a good cleaning. There is one listed right now for $199.95

Origo 4000 Two Burner Alcohol Stove Marine RV Contoure Cookmate Range Hob Tiny | eBay

Or if a one-burner would suffice he could cover up the cutout in the counter and set the Origo 1500 on top. You can get a brand new one on eBay for $179.

Dometic Origo 1500 Alcohol Stove 1 Burner | eBay

[Mithril Bham]

I have put together a lot of menus for week-long charters both taken out personally and managed for other captains. A huge topic. Food is very important to the enjoying a cruise, in my opinion. I could write pages but one thing I do is prepare soups and sauces ashore. One of my favorites is Bouillabaisse. We have a lot of seafood up here. Heat up the stock, add seafood (either caught or purchased) and you have a meal in minutes using one pot and burner. Add bread and salad and great food with little effort.
Enjoyed reading other. I eat a lot of salami so appreciated that input.

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by oldragbaggers

$500 is a bargain compared to a proper propane installation, and a good propane stove isn't cheap either.

I agree, the origo is cheap compared to a propane system.

But the origo still costs a lot more than the old camping stove in his parents basement (free).

I bought a 1500 on ebay for $90 (new). Was sold with the boat.

I bought a used 1500 locally for $40. Works great.

Origo was standard equipment on Hunter yachts for many years.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by Bulawayo

Huh? ...... not heard of all of these. Some can be translated like Té being tea and Herina SR as self raising flour, I presume - but others............ Damasco 6?

Ignore the numbers...was just a rough cut and paste from a spreadsheet.

I tend to write on the sheet what it says on the can......

Fruit Juice

Damasco = Apricot
Durazno = Peach

Manzana = Apple
Naranja = Orange

Q elsewhere re Chinese whispers?
'Send reinforcements , were going to advance'

becomes

'Send three and fourpence, we're going to a dance'

[onestepcsy37]

Originally Posted by hamburking

Origo was standard equipment on Hunter yachts for many years.

Friend has a hunter 34 with an origo. He uses an old 10lb propane tank to store alcohol fuel. Probably could hold 2 gallons.

[northoceanbeach]

That 4000 on ebay looks good, is it the same dimensions as the 4100? I want one that will fit my hole, let me know, I will make them an offer on it right now.

[northoceanbeach]

This thread is helping immensely. Not only am I learning what foods to bring, I'm learning things that are obvious to most of you but not to me, like I need a proper cooking setup if I'm going to enjoy cooking.

I was already complaining about hating cooking on the boat. Maybe is I started by getting a proper setup it would be better. Although admittedly I haven't used the magna grill yet.

[Bulawayo]

Originally Posted by northoceanbeach

This thread is helping immensely. Not only am I learning what foods to bring, I'm learning things that are obvious to most of you but not to me, like I need a proper cooking setup if I'm going to enjoy cooking.

I was already complaining about hating cooking on the boat. Maybe is I started by getting a proper setup it would be better. Although admittedly I haven't used the magna grill yet.

You'll love the Magma - they are a great way to cook as long as the wind is not too strong. We use ours every day, at sea and at anchor.