Not on a boat yet however did install a multi fuel stove in last home before the old Land Anchor and I split (ex wife) anyhow rarely used coal as had the good luck to have a tree surgeon move in next door 2 months after I installed the stove, and had a mate with a courier company that would send a few of the boys round with the scrap damaged pallets that used to clutter his yard.
(have you any idea how big a pile a Mercedes long wheel base high top can deliver, I do its huge )
When setting the fire would be newspaper tappers, ok showing my age as used to make these with my grand father back in the 60's, simply a sheet of news paper tightly rolled corner to corner and tied in a knot, kind of like a pretzel
Bits of pallet wood, yep had chopped to slivers, layer of bigger pallet wood, add match and retire to safe distance.
once its off add more wood logs or the square bits of wood the are used in pallets they go really well.
have chucked in the odd candle stub if it was being a bit sluggish, old crayons go up as well, (we were child minders and had a constant supply of those)
Kitchen roll that's wiped out a prying pan goes up really well.
Had a utility room and would drain frying pans and roasting trays in to cardboard egg boxes and store till set, they went up very very well to the pleasure of captain pyro here.
on few occasions we used coal I used to add it on top once the pallet wood and or logs were well in, however suspect I will try the kindling on top of coal method once I get a boat.