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'Gas free Boats'


Windfola

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I can imagine replacing the gas burner in a gas fridge with a scaled down "pot burner" of similar design to the Kabola, Refleks, Bubble etc burner systems might be the way to do it but set up for paraffin/kerosene rather than diesel.

 

The Wallas cookers use tiny pot burners but the fuel metering is done electronically using some sort of pulse pump and are probably a bit too high tech for the "KISS" concept! They also need a tiny fan to get the right air rate.

 

I suppose a simple wick burner could work too but might be prone to sooting up too fast.

 

Just a few thoughts!

 

(However I think I'll stick with an electric fridge for our boat - at least the refrigeration process is a bit more efficient using a compressor rather than the absorption system).

 

Richard

I was thinking of a wick as the simplest option. It would have to be very accessible for lighting so perhaps this would make cleaning sufficiently easy. How frequent would it need to be I wonder... don't answer that, wait til I've started a proper thread for it.

Edited by Chertsey
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Cold meats and salads, just like you do in a house. But sometimes even in the summer when its cool we light the Rayburn. We also carry a small supply of canisters for a gas stove - you feel they are unsafe but only if you're boat is already on fire. And of course we do a lot of BBQs if it hot..

I couldnt eat salad and cold meat all the time, if my boat was on fire I wouldnt worry about a small gas catridge :lol:

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This is my thought on it,I dont like bbq food and you couldnt eat it all the while as in every meal,when i have to cook in the summer months its bleedin roasting inside with the gas cooker on. Camping stoves that use the little gas cannisters seem a bit unsafe indoors, so if you had a rayburn on and they had to be on for a while to cook on them it must be so hot as to be unbearable.I wonder what then would be the best method of cooking indoors.

 

Of course it depends on the boats layout. On Dionysus, the Rayburn is in the front starboard side of the boat, the door immediately to the left (the front door) leads into the covered cratch area, in summer the cratch cover is rolled up. The galley/saloon area has a fully opening side doors and hatch, so in summer (when?) with the cratch covers rolled up and the side doors open, 4 x hopper windows also open it's not to hot to remain standing at the Rayburn for cooking duties.

On balance, I have over the many, many years of boating seldom complained of the boat being "to warm"... On the days when the Rayburn is not lit and we simply MUST have a roast chicken, we either go out and buy one, or use the microwave on a pre cooked bird.

Where theres a will...There is a way... ;)

Edited by choogh
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A short update....

While I was replying to the post above, I realised that the Rayburn was on (burning Ash wood, ...perfect), the kettle gently simmering, outside the weather is blowing a gale, raining, the yachts in the marina (Glasson Dock) have their rigging snapping at the masts, it's grey and cold.

Inside toasty and warm, with a smell of fresh baked bread (actually hot cross buns) drifting through the boat.

 

GAS ?? ..... I don't think so..... ;)

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When we had a rayburn, in the summer we either barbecued or, in bad weather, used one of my large collection of camping stoves.

 

Would that be a Gas camping stove...........

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Would that be a Gas camping stove...........

You missed this post, then...

 

I have over 40 different camping stoves.

 

I don't own a gas one, though.

 

This isn't strictly true, though. I do have a Jetboil (given to me as a gift) which is brilliant, for making a cuppa.

 

I didn't have it when I was a liveaboard, though.

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Honestly. I start these threads with innocent questions, light the touch paper and end up more confused than I started. :blink:

 

You have a canny knack though of kicking off a lot of discussion with your posts, nowt at all wrong with that.

 

If I may be allowed to summarise the thread though.

 

'Gas on a boat could be dangerous - it normally isn't though all being well. Alternatives are indeed available."

 

You take your choice.... :cheers:

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When the subject of gas free boats crops up I am reminded of friends of ours who had their boat fitted out as gas free - diesel cooker. When we visited them for a coffee, I had to smile when the little portable gas cooker was extracted from the front locker to boil the kettle as the diesel cooker would take far too long. Not sure how this fitted with the "gas free" image :lol:

Haggis

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I believe the people in the BSS office think portable gas stoves are inherently dangerous as they are not fixed down. Also the gas canisters have to be kept in a ventilated gas store. A friend of mine happily used a portable gas stove until one day they got off the boat whilst boiling a kettle. Luckily they returned immediately as the stove & kettle were on the floor. Please don't do it, it isn't worth it.

We moored behind a boat running it's engine for hours. I asked if they had problems. No I have a gas free boat he said proudly. He was a bit taken aback when I said I was sorry as they are such a pain.

Gas is used on boats for a good reason - it's cheap; it's quick and properly installed it's safe.

Sue

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I believe the people in the BSS office think portable gas stoves are inherently dangerous as they are not fixed down. Also the gas canisters have to be kept in a ventilated gas store. A friend of mine happily used a portable gas stove until one day they got off the boat whilst boiling a kettle. Luckily they returned immediately as the stove & kettle were on the floor. Please don't do it, it isn't worth it.

We moored behind a boat running it's engine for hours. I asked if they had problems. No I have a gas free boat he said proudly. He was a bit taken aback when I said I was sorry as they are such a pain.

Gas is used on boats for a good reason - it's cheap; it's quick and properly installed it's safe.

Sue

 

Very good advice !! In short Gas is the ONLY sensible way to cook on board but I suppose we must take heed of the news every week of the hundreds of fatalities on uk narrowboats virtualy daily of gas related explosions and deaths :rolleyes:

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In short Gas is the ONLY sensible way to cook on board

This is just as silly a statement as saying "Gas is dangerous and shouldn't be used on board"

 

There are alternatives to cooking with gas, some of them sensible, some not so, and safety is not the only reason for using an alternative.

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I believe the people in the BSS office think portable gas stoves are inherently dangerous as they are not fixed down

You can believe what you like Sue, but it rather looks like you are guessing what they might think, without actually bothering to read what they actually said.....

 

Here's that link again.

 

They express a number of concerns about them but "inherently dangerous as they are not fixed down" isn't one of them.

 

I believe you are expressing your opinion, not that of the BSS office, unless you can actually find a reference where they say what you are claiming.

 

One of their concerns is that it is possible for somebody to assemble them wrongly with certain models. If you apply that logic to fixed gas appliances, you would surely have to rule them out too!

 

Very good advice !! In short Gas is the ONLY sensible way to cook on board ......

 

Seems working boat families managed very well without it, then!

 

.......but I suppose we must take heed of the news every week of the hundreds of fatalities on uk narrowboats virtualy daily of gas related explosions and deaths :rolleyes:

 

Yes, they would be listed amongst all the incidents relating to people cooking on oil fired or coal fired devices then, would they ?

 

Just because you have a strong opinion on just about everything boat related, doesn't make it fact!

 

People have been not abiding by your "rules" for centuries, as it happens! :rolleyes:

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You can believe what you like Sue, but it rather looks like you are guessing what they might think, without actually bothering to read what they actually said.....

 

Here's that link again.

 

They express a number of concerns about them but "inherently dangerous as they are not fixed down" isn't one of them.

 

I believe you are expressing your opinion, not that of the BSS office, unless you can actually find a reference where they say what you are claiming.

 

One of their concerns is that it is possible for somebody to assemble them wrongly with certain models. If you apply that logic to fixed gas appliances, you would surely have to rule them out too!

 

 

 

Seems working boat families managed very well without it, then!

 

 

 

Yes, they would be listed amongst all the incidents relating to people cooking on oil fired or coal fired devices then, would they ?

 

Just because you have a strong opinion on just about everything boat related, doesn't make it fact!

 

People have been not abiding by your "rules" for centuries, as it happens! :rolleyes:

:lol:

 

The reason so called working boat families didnt use gas is because it wasnt available as easily as it is today or they certainly would have used it just as they would have preffered a lovely smooth low maintenance modern engine instead of a horse or clunk clunk engine. Most people have strong opinions most of mine are boat related as I live aboard 24/7 365 and have quite a few years of experience and funnily enough this morning I visited my 90 year old parents and spoke all things boat with my dad, he from the age of 14 in 1934 lived on a variety of PROPER working boats for many years and I told him I was shortly going round Trent falls and he gave me advice as he worked and steered barges on the ouse and Humber for a few years the first of which was 200 tons. I asked him about engines then and he cant remember what was fitted but he remebers they were quite reliable but smokey ? So you see Alan I dont have to read old books or visit a museum or wear overalls when steering my boat I am extremely lucky in having a ninety year old Dad who is certainly one of the very last old style working boatmen alive and its a pleasure to be able to ask him his first hand experiences as he has forgotten more than you, I or probably any member of this or any other boat related forum about real working boats. Just thought maybe I should get him on the forum to say what it was realy like. Most of my family owned and lived on boats in and around Goole for many many years from around the turn of the last century the last of which was my great uncle who lived aboard his entire life until his death some years ago. Arnt I lucky !!. :D

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Yes you are.

 

That doesn't mean that there aren't any sensible alternatives to gas, though.

 

:)

Hi Carl I agree there are alternatives but I think its fair to say non of them are as readily available on an instant if you say return to a cold unnatended boat after a few days and without lots of lekticery it would be hard to say brew a quick cuppa onany other form of cooker.

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So you see Alan I dont have to read old books or visit a museum or wear overalls when steering my boat I am extremely lucky in having a ninety year old Dad who is certainly one of the very last old style working boatmen alive and its a pleasure to be able to ask him his first hand experiences as he has forgotten more than you, I or probably any member of this or any other boat related forum about real working boats.

 

.......................................................................

 

(.................no, I really can't be bothered!...................)

  • Greenie 1
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.......................................................................

 

(.................no, I really can't be bothered!...................)

 

Why am I not suprised :rolleyes:

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Having erh read through a bunch of comments , quite a few polarised, you can see the factions lining up to justify their position.

 

I have owned/lived in 5 houses since leaving home - accross the UK - none had gas to the property.

 

I have become accustomed to cooking on electric hobs or aga/heritage stoves that are oil fired.

 

Are these perfect - no not quite, but then again nor are "most" of the gas stoves, the majority of us have probably never known, as in lived with the alternatives for a year or 3 to make serious comparisons..

 

-----

 

I have a gas free boat - we use a heritage Uno or coal fired stove in the boatmans,,,

 

 

heritage does take @ 10 mins to get warm and start cooking - but when down we close it down if not required - the radiant heat drys the towels nicely.

 

being on a 7 day variable timer we get the showers hot etc ..

 

yes its warm whilst on but never unbearable... more like NICE..

 

 

Our friends get their kettle boiled quicker when out, but in boating terms I can wait 5 mins most fo the time,,,

 

so I can see the merit of both systems...

 

both have their pluses and minuses...

 

and costs.

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Origo meths cooker (use denatured alcohol if you don't like the smell), Solid fuel heating and electric lights.

 

I don't have gas simply because I don't like installing it and nobody else fits out my boats.

 

If you trust your boat fitter/gas installer then there is no reason not to have gas, apart from the lugging bottles about bit.

 

Personally I like the simplicity of my installation and the knowledge that there is little to go wrong with it.

 

This really interests me carlt as I am already tossing and turning in my sleep worrying about gas on my fiberglass boat with a petrol outboard with nice big petrol tank/bomb to go with it!

Plus have a gas tank hanging off the back just dont do it for me either!

I did a search but the price shocked me http://www.norfolkmarine.co.uk/shop-online/origo-6000-meths-stove-oven-p-6796.html although if I went just for the stove and no oven the cost is £250 which dont look too good but this one looks nice http://www.norfolkmarine.co.uk/shop-online/origo-4100-origo-meths-stove-with-cutting-board-p-6755.html

My question is though in reality how easy are these things to use compared to gas?

How easily and where do you get denatured alcohol?

Those parafin ovens sound interesting too.

Has anyone used one of those hob based ovens?

many thanks.

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:)

Hi Carl I agree there are alternatives but I think its fair to say non of them are as readily available on an instant if you say return to a cold unnatended boat after a few days and without lots of lekticery it would be hard to say brew a quick cuppa onany other form of cooker.

I can fill my origo, have it lit and kettle on, in the time it would take me to go to the gas locker, turn the gas on, turn the cooker on and put the kettle on.

 

No time difference, no difference in convenience.

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:)

Hi Carl I agree there are alternatives but I think its fair to say non of them are as readily available on an instant if you say return to a cold unnatended boat after a few days and without lots of lekticery it would be hard to say brew a quick cuppa onany other form of cooker.

Hi Tim - I used to think that but speaking from first hand experience, yes we can* and without electricity. My diesel range will provide 2 mugfuls of espresso from my stove top coffee maker in 3 - 4 minutes. I don't know about a kettle because I don't drink tea and don't need or have one, but I would say that it would only be a minute behind a gas cooker.

 

*B Obama, 2008

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