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With some of the branded stoves you can get replacement panels, but they may be expensive, and you would still need to deal with rusted in bolts etc to get it apart, and then reassemble correctly. For other stoves there are no spare parts, and they are effectively unrepairable. As for Machine Mart cheapies...

 

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Obviously depends on the make, cast or mild steel, all can be repaired through welding processes and some disassemble and parts replaced old for new. You obviously need to decide if it’s financially worth repairing or replacing for new. Do you know the make?

Edited by PD1964
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2 minutes ago, tree monkey said:

Bung a boatmans stove in

 

http://www.boatmanstove.co.uk/

 

 Yup, i think that is a boiler plate body rather than cast so its very unlikely to crack but might distort if the stove ever runs away to red heat. Having had a cast stove on the boat I would not repeat the experience.

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6 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

 Yup, i think that is a boiler plate body rather than cast so its very unlikely to crack but might distort if the stove ever runs away to red heat. Having had a cast stove on the boat I would not repeat the experience.

A well built cheap simple welded steel stove, I much prefer my squirrel but the cast construction is not ideal on a boat and they are pricey compared to a boatman stove, which are frankly ridiculously cheap for the quality.

 

As a bonus the chap who makes them is a nice chap who will go out of his way to help

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Another good word here for Boatman stoves. The one on Sara is ten years old now and we've had no trouble. The rope seals get replaced every other year and the glass has cracked twice, but Northern Fabrications will sell you replacement glass or you can send them the door and have it refurbished. 

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I'm looking seriously at a Boatman Stove, but after reading through the old threads on here, there's one from 2015 which reviews the Boatman versus a Morso Squirrel, and my major concern with the Boatman is the ash spillage/dispersal. Does anybody know if Northern Fabrications have addressed any of the issues since then with the latest versions?

 

The issues in 2015 were

1. No external riddling device. The only way was was to open the door and riddle it with a poker.

2. Small ash box covering only 50% of the space under the firebox meaning much of the ash fell each side of it instead of in it.

3. The bars that retain the ash in the grate - aren't angled inwards like the squirrel, meaning a lot of ash spills forward and out.

4. No separate door for the ashpan. I know a lot of makes don't have this. It wouldn't be a deal breaker but I'd prefer one if possible

 

There's a lot of plus points about the Boatman, not least the price difference , and I can see reading through the old threads on here that they are generally reliable and well liked. but the above problems with ash are an important issue for me, even if not for some people. And if none of these modifications have been carried out then I'd be okay paying the extra for something like the Squirrel 1410. My only concern about the Squirrel (and other cast iron stoves) is the casing cracking which some have mentioned. Given the fact that this can happen, how common is it, and does it usually only happen after say 10+ years and only rarely earlier in their lives than that? I'm hoping for lots of replies saying that you've had a Morso for 10 years and never had a problem with cracking!

 

Your feedback on this would be much appreciated.

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15 minutes ago, Grassman said:

I'm hoping for lots of replies saying that you've had a Morso for 10 years and never had a problem with cracking!

 

We had a Morso from the date the boat was built (1995). We replaced it because of cracking last year, so that's only 24 years of service. We thought of tekkin' it back ...

 

 

 

 

After much thought we replaced like with like.

... largely because of the back boiler installation.

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Much depends on how you treat your Squirrel.  Cracking usually occurs near the lugs which hold the sides together, and the top and bottom on.  The cause is almost  invariably rust between the panels.  If the stove is kept dry rust doesn't  happen.  If the stove is lit and warmed up gently then the panels expand slowly and have chance to move without cracking.

With a new one it pays to replace the 4 bolts that hold it together with stainless Allen screws, with plenty of copper grease on them.  Don't over tighten them so the panels can move.  There is fire rope to seal it all up and that does not need to be compressed hard.

 

Ours gets a hard life, because we are not liveaboard so it gets cold and damp and too often is needed to warm the boat quickly, but even so I reckon to get 8 to 10 years between cracks.  Then I just replace the cracked panel.  Spares from Hurwoth heating or morsò direct.

N

 

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1 hour ago, Grassman said:

The issues in 2015 were

1. No external riddling device. The only way was was to open the door and riddle it with a poker.

2. Small ash box covering only 50% of the space under the firebox meaning much of the ash fell each side of it instead of in it.

3. The bars that retain the ash in the grate - aren't angled inwards like the squirrel, meaning a lot of ash spills forward and out.

4. No separate door for the ashpan. I know a lot of makes don't have this. It wouldn't be a deal breaker but I'd prefer one if possible

 

There's a lot of plus points about the Boatman, not least the price difference , and I can see reading through the old threads on here that they are generally reliable and well liked. but the above problems with ash are an important issue for me, even if not for some people.

 I find it's easier to run it without the ash pan in it and just shovel ash out into a stainless oven dish kept under the front for the purpose. It will go for a couple of days if necessary without emptying. Simple is better! Riddling with a poker is no great bother, I've got one with a bent end (best not ask) which is handy for a gentle poke underneath the grate - if the fire is low it gives less risk of putting it out.

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3 hours ago, Onewheeler said:

 I find it's easier to run it without the ash pan in it and just shovel ash out into a stainless oven dish kept under the front for the purpose. It will go for a couple of days if necessary without emptying. Simple is better! Riddling with a poker is no great bother,

 

What he said :) 

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