Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. Advertise Here
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 20-11-2019, 12:43   #1
Registered User

Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: cape coral
Boat: Pearson 424
Posts: 109
alcohol vs propane

if cruising , is it better to have an alcohol stove or a propane stove. have read that propane is not available everywhere
shadowdancer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20-11-2019, 13:30   #2
Registered User

Join Date: May 2008
Boat: FP Lipari, 11.95 metres
Posts: 97
Re: alcohol vs propane

In over 20 years cruising in Europe, Caribbean and SW Pacific we have never had a problem obtaining propane/ butane
On the other hand, alcohol is a controlled substance in some countries.
Takamoana is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20-11-2019, 13:44   #3
Moderator
 
Pete7's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Solent, England
Boat: Moody 31
Posts: 18,427
Images: 22
Re: alcohol vs propane

Were are you thinking of cruising to?

Pete
Pete7 is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 20-11-2019, 13:46   #4
Registered User
 
Santiano's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: San Francisco, USA
Boat: Pearson 323
Posts: 61
Re: alcohol vs propane

I've had the same thoughts, and have decided on keeping my pressurized alcohol stove, but bringing an electric hotplate (single burner, easy stowage), fold-up solar oven, and cockpit rail-mounted propane grill/stove. It's a lot for a 32-footer, but I need my 3 meals/day.
Santiano is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 21-11-2019, 03:05   #5
Registered User

Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 2,690
Re: alcohol vs propane

What a lot of clutter! In a 32' boat? That wouldn't take long to drive me bananas.

Just a tip, but long-term sailing goes MUCH more smoothly when you simplify, simplify, simpify.

Fair winds,
LittleWing
LittleWing77 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 21-11-2019, 03:13   #6
Registered User
 
ranger58sb's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Maryland, USA
Boat: 58' Sedan Bridge
Posts: 5,420
Re: alcohol vs propane

Quote:
Originally Posted by shadowdancer View Post
if cruising , is it better to have an alcohol stove or a propane stove. have read that propane is not available everywhere

We had a combo alcohol/electric stove on a previous boat. If we started boiling water on alcohol for coffee one day, coffee might be ready the next day. Might.

I was always concerned about using i because I couldn't see the flame, too.

-Chris
__________________
Chesapeake Bay, USA.
ranger58sb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 21-11-2019, 04:18   #7
Registered User

Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 141
Re: alcohol vs propane

Propane would be best choice , but if you are going into reallyremote cruising areas for many months at a time a pressure diesel wiuld be good choice.


5 gal of diesel will last about a year of cooking and baking.
FAST FRED is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 21-11-2019, 04:19   #8
Registered User

Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Caribbean
Boat: Cape Dory 33
Posts: 29
Re: alcohol vs propane

In the Caribbean alcohol is getting quite hard to find.
Propane/butane is available everywhere (I've been).
Propane is MUCH more economical.
Michael Carroll is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 21-11-2019, 05:52   #9
Registered User

Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,007
Re: alcohol vs propane

NO fuel is available EVERYWHERE. Once upon a time, kerosene was the third world fuel of choice. If you read any of the old "classic" cruising texts that is what they recommend. Now, kerosene is scarce. Propane is the go-to fuel everywhere there is civilization.

Alcohol is a common cooking fuel, like, nowhere. Without a (relatively) expensive pressurized system you just can not cook on the low temperature alcohol flame. Cooking 3 meals a day a 15 lb propane tank lasts us 3 months. Carry two, and your good for 6 months. I am SURE you can find a source of propane in 6 months.
billknny is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 21-11-2019, 06:18   #10
Registered User
 
wingssail's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: On Vessel WINGS, wherever there's an ocean, currently in Mexico
Boat: Serendipity 43
Posts: 5,508
Send a message via AIM to wingssail Send a message via Skype™ to wingssail
Re: alcohol vs propane

Quote:
Originally Posted by shadowdancer View Post
if cruising, is it better to have an alcohol stove or a propane stove. have read that propane is not available everywhere
Propane, but be sure you have installed according to standards, as it is explosive.

We found propane available everywhere but often they won't refill your bottle, you must exchange their bottles. This means you buy one and thereafter exchange it.

Learn to make or buy adapters from other countries' bottles to yours. Also learn to decant gas from their bottle to yours. (again, adapters)

Some places are very stringent but third world countries, usually anything goes.
__________________
These lines upon my face tell you the story of who I am but these stories don't mean anything
when you've got no one to tell them to Fred Roswold Wings https://wingssail.blogspot.com/
wingssail is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 21-11-2019, 06:56   #11
Moderator
 
tkeithlu's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Carrabelle, Florida
Boat: Fiberglas shattering 44' steel trawler
Posts: 6,083
Re: alcohol vs propane

Alcohol has a bad reputation for safety, even compared to propane, which can fill your bilge and go boom. Might I put a word in for a propane detector in any system that uses propane inside the cabin? The 12v ones are not as cheap (pushing $50 US) as the 120v types, but a propane filled boat is one time you might want to take to the life raft while the boat is still floating.
__________________
Never let anything mechanical know that you are in a hurry.
tkeithlu is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 21-11-2019, 07:01   #12
Registered User

Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: cape coral
Boat: Pearson 424
Posts: 109
Re: alcohol vs propane

thanks, I have a propane system but heard that its hard to find. heading south and maybe thru Panama to the pacific
rock
shadowdancer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 21-11-2019, 10:35   #13
Registered User

Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: W Carib
Boat: Wildcat 35, Hobie 33
Posts: 13,480
Re: alcohol vs propane

Quote:
Originally Posted by shadowdancer View Post
thanks, I have a propane system but heard that its hard to find. heading south and maybe thru Panama to the pacific
rock
Where have you heard its hard to find?

Propane is the cooking fuel of choice in all of Central America/W Carib, so its everywhere...from small villages to big Cities.

Getting your yachtie style tank filled may not always be convenient since it cannot just be exchanged as can the local tanks. You can build a fill adaptor to get around this issue.
belizesailor is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 21-11-2019, 10:47   #14
Registered User

Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: On a sphere in a planetary system
Boat: 1977 Bristol 29.9 Hull #17
Posts: 730
Re: alcohol vs propane

We cruise the US east coast and Bahamas, no issues with obtaining denatured alcohol for our non pressurized two burner origo stove, it all depends on where you are going. Some research on your destinations will answer this question. Call your locations tourist ministry they can tell you.

Fair winds,
Pegu Club is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 21-11-2019, 11:06   #15
Registered User

Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Sozopol
Boat: Riva 48
Posts: 1,382
Re: alcohol vs propane

I have been very happy with my Origo alcohol stove. Here are the facts:

The Origo has two burners of 6,800 BTUs each. The oven burner makes 5,250 BTUs. A typical marine propane cooker has one 8,200 BTU burner and one to three 3,400 BTU burners. If you use lower quality denatured alcohol with higher methyl content, the output will be 10% lower. In practice there is very little difference between the total heat output, say the alcohol stove could be 20% slower to boil a given amount of water.

Now, in terms of carrying the fuel, let's do the math. A 20 lb propane tank weighs 38 lb and is typically filled by 15-18 lb of gas. In addition, you can only refill at selected locations, so you either need to carry multiple tanks or always leave a reserve, so that you do not run out. I would say that the average usable propane is a 38 lb propane tank is 15 lbs or 324K BTUs for a total weight of 40 lbs. The same weight alcohol gives you 40 x 12,000 BTUs = 480K BTUs, stored nice in plastic bottles, anywhere on the boat with multiple other uses for boat maintenance and no propane related dangers.

The problem with alcohol is availability and cost (approximately 2x more expensive). It is up to you to decide which way to go. I prefer alcohol.

In addition, consider an electric tea kettle for boiling water. Due to the design and the enclosure, heating water in an electric tea kettle is 80% efficient vs. 25-30% efficient over the stove. An electric tea kettle has many uses on a boat and speeds up cooking.
Pizzazz is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
grass, propane

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Alcohol or Propane? 04 Marine Cooking and Provisioning: Food & Drink 97 28-06-2021 04:12
converting alcohol stove to propane? jrb Construction, Maintenance & Refit 6 27-01-2020 16:00
Propane vs. Alcohol Stove - Fuel / Cooking / Cost Efficiency ? pressuredrop Cooking and Provisioning: Food & Drink 39 08-10-2019 14:11
Seaward Alcohol stove/oven to propane conversion wchoffman3 Liveaboard's Forum 3 06-01-2017 09:25
Alcohol, Propane? ssullivan Cooking and Provisioning: Food & Drink 53 25-07-2008 04:22

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 04:33.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.