Remove stove and replace with fridge?

[janice142]

In my opinion having an adequate refrigerator is Very Important. Being more concerned with resale value than use of a boat seems odd to me. It is YOUR boat, so get your value in enjoyment. If the next owner wants to change things that's his call.

For the record, I did what you ponder. I removed a three burner propane stove and replaced it with a 3.1 cubic foot two-door refrigerator freezer by Haier. It runs from my inverter.

I have two portable propane burners and one small electric single burner that could run from the inverter too. I do not have an oven a this time. Seaweed is my home and I am making her my own without regard to resale value. Besides, I'm not selling her!

Make your vessel yours now and enjoy life afloat without worrying about what a stranger will say in years to come. Your spouse's happiness and your own are paramount.

Happy boating.

[Dr. D]

And Happy Boating to you!

[Defeverboat]

We removed a non working stove/oven and put a small refrigerator in its place. We have a convection oven, a microwave and a hot plate. Even with just those three items my wife amazingly managed to cook a full thanksgiving dinner! We have discovered that the large fancy appliances are great but not really necessary.

[hellosailor]

Dr.D. you can go camping on a boat but trashing a perfectly good stove ($1500+ and double that for the installation and systems) is goingo to make some buyers walk away, and others will just deduct that whole price or more from the selling price you want.

IOW, bad move for resale. No one wants a 37' camper without a galley.

Same same for putting in a dorm fridge. They don't work on boats. People want a top opening marine fridge. Bite the bullet, call Merry Maids or one of the other companies that send out housecleaners, pay someone the hundred bucks it will cost to have them scrub out the stove. Heck, you say it was barely used, so how bad can it be? Couple of hours of hired elbow grease and that's done.

On the marine fridge, I'd rather buy a boat with a $3000 marine fridge, properly fitted, installed, insulated, than buy a cheaper boat and first have to get all the installed myself.

Don't believe me, go ask a couple of brokers. Not just price, but "How much harder will it be to sell my boat with a camping kitchen instead of the normal proper galley?"

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by Dr. D

The oven has never been used (you can't clean them to 'new' condition).

Not true. If you can clean your home oven you can clean your boat oven.

Originally Posted by Dr. D

What about resale of the boat? Are boats without a 'nautical' stove/oven at a disadvantage on the market?

Yep. This isn't about brokers - it's about buyers.

Originally Posted by Dr. D

As far as cooking, Dorothy is a great cook. She has always enjoyed cooking, then when she developed celiac disease she was forced to do more. When we were house hunting in 2010 the kitchen size and layout was a major factor. So when Dorothy cooks, she wants multiple pans and pots, a pantry full of spices, pastas, condiments, vinegars (about a dozen of those), oils, etc. We can't replicate that in a boat of reasonable size.

Sure you can replicate that. Wait - pasta and celiac?

Originally Posted by Dr. D

As I first wrote, the oven on the boat has never been used and we don't see us using it.

Have you talked to your wife about this? A "great cook" uses an oven.

[hellosailor]

"Wait - pasta and celiac?"
Yes, from dozens of sources and on many supermarket shelves. Wheat-free pasta is often made from other starches including rice flour, corn flour, quinoa flour, and combinations of them. Wheat-free breads and cookies, etc. are all easily found in most of the US supermarket chains and even Amazon is full of them.
The big trick is, with the pastas, if you boil them as enthusiastically as you would boil traditional pasta? They turn to mush. Once the water hits boiling, you turn it off and save fuel (good on a boat!) and let it steep to cook. Heck, you can even buy gluten-free "Macaroni and Cheese" and pizza in the supermarket.
In the past decade, celiac has gone from being vaguely understood by about four doctors in the entire world (no kidding) to a vaguely understood common problem.

And, btw, those wheat-free flours are sometimes recommended to diabetics as well, for having a lower glycemic index.

[Dr. D]

hellosailor is right. When Dorothy was first diagnosted, about 10 years ago (yes, celiac disease can start up throughout life), the choices were poor. Now, they are getting better. RP's Pasta Company mades pastas which are even good reheated. When we vacationed in Italy a few years ago she never had an issue getting good food safe for her. It helped that she is versatile with languages, so she learned enough Italian to converse about foods.

And, Auspicious, Dorothy supports the idea. She would rather cook several meals at home, package them for storage, and reheat aboard the boat than attempt to recreate what she needs on the boat.

With that said, I am not knocking those who can cook well aboard a boat. Maybe in a few years Dorothy will want to give that a try. Given the comments already posted, we have options for the cooking of food besides the traditional stove.

BTW, that oven has never been used.

[hellosailor]

Dr. D-
A number of European countries were aware of celiac before the US really was. A lot of product from Italy comes to the US market. And Israel, oddly enough.
The most recent news that I had heard was about 2-3 months ago. Some research teams are looking at the microbiome, and whether a mis-balance there either triggers the autoimmune process, or is the ongoing cause of it. There's also a recent theory that the body can (in infancy or later) detect the gluten proteins and mistake them for a viral particle, triggering a permanent incorrect autoimmune response. And there's even a well-funded project (in Kansas, I think) to develop a strain of wheat that won't cause a reaction. That's being done because if more cases of celiac develop, the wheat farmers are going to have a problem selling the current mono-culture product.
One small step ahead of the Salem witch trials, as far as causality goes. But at least there are folks working on it, and it has name. And a whole batch of (rather pricey) home gluten test kits, for folks who really want to confirm their food sources.

[JanetGroene]

Don't overlook multi-use appliances such as microwave/convection oven or a toaster oven that toasts, bakes and broils. On another note, if you're looking at resale value and want to sell this as a cruising boat, put in a proper galley.

[Dave22q]

Your concern makes sense as does your discomfort with propane on board. A hard to access refrigerator certainly is inconvenient. However, I think you will be shocked at the juice to run a microwave. I use mine in port but otherwise rely on a small tabletop propane burner(1# bottle supply) and a rail mounted grill (20# tank shock corded to rail as well).
For me no oven is a minimal sacrifice. I use my microwave mostly for frozen vegetables so not having it at sea is no big deal but my freezer is a necessity. Rather then spend thousands I use 110v dorm appliances with an inverter.

[Dave22q]

Originally Posted by George DuBose

Skylark's PO removed the original alcohol stove and replaced it with a dorm fridge. He never sailed the boat, just used it as a weekend getaway.

Couldn't open the door on starboard tack as everything would land on the cabin sole.

I removed the offending fridge and replaced it with a Eno Gasgone three burner with oven. Love it...

I installed a Dometic CF-110 cooler/freezer that hold 110 liters of whatever, runs on 12v and 100-240v. Very reliable.

If you aren't planning on sailing the boat, then a front opening fridge is OK, but if you plan to open the fridge while sailing you will have to be on the correct tack for that.

...and remember, front opening fridges let all the cold out when the door is opened. Top loaders will hold the cold air.

I store my two 11lb gas bottles in a proper gas/air tight box that is vented over the side. There are gas detectors under the oven and the propane heater and I test them every time I come aboard. Personally, I don't think propane is dangerous when properly handled and the system is maintained.

First night I used my boat anchored with a heavy roll. That week I installed shock cord that keeps the front loading dorm frig and freezer closed and books on the cabin shelves. Top loaders trade convenience for supposed efficiency that you lose if the desired item is not on top. As for propane, tanks over 1# on deck means no "proper handling", gas detectors, maintenance of lines, etc.

[Dogscout]

I rarely use the oven and my former wife only used it to bake occasionally. Well I do use it for frozen pizzas but thats about it. When I do cook, its usually on the stovetop 2 burners and a griddle or I use the grill. I also see the benefit of a larger fridge.

Why not consider a microwave with convection element and a induction stovetop? Then put a refrigerator drawer where the oven used to be or fill it with a washing machine?

An oven just does not have appeal to everyone!

[FayeW]

I don't think there is any issue with replacing the stove with fridge. If you are not using the stove replace it.

[Dr. D]

The Traditionalists win!

We are keeping the stove/oven. The size of the refrigerator that would fit without major carpentry work wasn't worth the cost. And the charger/inverter doesn't put out clean A/C power making microwave on the hook a non-starter. So, update the icebox cooling and learn to use the stove.

Still not real pleased with propane, but we will keep it safe.