Stove location

[Pennie]

I was planning on changing my stove as there are a few issues with the one currently on my boat however I was thinking maybe during the replacement maybe I could move. Currently the stove is in the middle of the boat in the galley and just the layout of the galley area around it isn't very efficent because of it being mid boat. I'm guessing the best plan would be to move it to the bow in the saloon seating area - is this the best plan?

[bizzard]

I was planning on changing my stove as there are a few issues with the one currently on my boat however I was thinking maybe during the replacement maybe I could move. Currently the stove is in the middle of the boat in the galley and just the layout of the galley area around it isn't very efficent because of it being mid boat. I'm guessing the best plan would be to move it to the bow in the saloon seating area - is this the best plan?

Not good at the front unless it has a back boiler to heat radiators further down the boat. Opening the front doors lets a lot of heat escape too. The stove with no back boiler to heat rads will heat the boat in both directions to some degree where it is.

[Pennie]

hmm ok, may keep it where it is. Need to get on the boat asap and live in it and make plans whilst on it to know how I need to change any layout really. Come on downsizing hurry up already I want on my boat lol

[Guest]

I was planning on changing my stove as there are a few issues with the one currently on my boat however I was thinking maybe during the replacement maybe I could move. Currently the stove is in the middle of the boat in the galley and just the layout of the galley area around it isn't very efficent because of it being mid boat. I'm guessing the best plan would be to move it to the bow in the saloon seating area - is this the best plan?

Is it the only form of heating on the boat?

 

Lots of boats have the stove in the lounge (ours has) but they often have another way of heating the rest of the boat such as radiators run from a diesel powered heater like a Webasto..

[bizzard]

hmm ok, may keep it where it is. Need to get on the boat asap and live in it and make plans whilst on it to know how I need to change any layout really. Come on downsizing hurry up already I want on my boat lol

Also Pennie. If its up the front and has no boiler to heat rads you will find yourself forcing the stove to give out more and more heat trying to heat the boat further down, and this forcing of the stove isn't good, it'll use a lot of fuel, be far too hot near to it and can quickly burn out grates, possibly distort or crack the stove. Does the stove have a boiler and heat rads?

 

Or do you as MJG above mentions above have another alternative heating source?

Edited March 23, 2015 by bizzard

[Sabcat]

hmm ok, may keep it where it is. Need to get on the boat asap and live in it and make plans whilst on it to know how I need to change any layout really. Come on downsizing hurry up already I want on my boat lol

 

Yep, you need to live on the boat for a while to know what you want to change.

[Guest]

Yep, you need to live on the boat for a while to know what you want to change.

 

....and this.

[Pennie]

only electric heaters, its only a 40ft boat so I thought maybe moving the stove 7ft wouldn't make too much difference. As I said and you all agree, I need to live on the boat to see if I need to change the galley layout and therefore move the stove, was just asking now so I can plan things in my head even if I change my mind a million times before agreeing to anything lol

[bizzard]

only electric heaters, its only a 40ft boat so I thought maybe moving the stove 7ft wouldn't make too much difference. As I said and you all agree, I need to live on the boat to see if I need to change the galley layout and therefore move the stove, was just asking now so I can plan things in my head even if I change my mind a million times before agreeing to anything lol

Where it is will more or less heat the whole boat, but right up the front it won't and will cost unnecessary expense running the electric heaters, as it is with stove nearer the middle you'll only probably need those if there's a really sub zero winter cold snap. Most narrow boats have a bow up attitude, some more than others and as heat rises it will tend to gather more at the front than further back, hence the stove in the middle helps to distribute heat more evenly through the boat.

[Woodstock]

Ours is in the middle and is the only form of heat on a 37foot boat and it does heat the whole boat-so wouldn't change. The one downer is its opposite the fridge -so could end up moving the fridge

 

As others say-live with it for a while

[mrsmelly]

Hi Pennie

 

Yup you need to live on the boat and leave well alone for a while to see how you get on. As for stove layout the nearer the centre is best unless like us you dont like a warm bedroom which is in the centre of our boat.

The most ridiculous place for a stove is shoved up front at the pointy end to either side of the front doors which is were the majority seem to be fitted due to layout constraints. I have just fitted a stove on our boat..........................up front..................to one side............................at the pointy end

 

Tim

[nora]

I found on our last boat that having the fire one side at the pointy end, was a bit dangerous for me as a senior citizen, stepping in and out with the fire on, and the chimney hot, a stumble could have been painful, the boat we have know has the fire in the middle, and it is safer,nora.

[Alan de Enfield]

Penguin - One could question why you bought this boat - you seem to be changing the whole structure, taking out toilets, fitting composting toilet, moving fires, cutting holes in the roof, having to plate/weld up holes in the roof .................

 

Surely there was a boat available that more closely fitted your requirements ?

[bizzard]

Hi Pennie

 

Yup you need to live on the boat and leave well alone for a while to see how you get on. As for stove layout the nearer the centre is best unless like us you dont like a warm bedroom which is in the centre of our boat.

The most ridiculous place for a stove is shoved up front at the pointy end to either side of the front doors which is were the majority seem to be fitted due to layout constraints. I have just fitted a stove on our boat..........................up front..................to one side............................at the pointy end

 

Tim

That's the trouble with narrow boats, they're just a corridor with things in the way.

[Pennie]

Penguin lol another one to the list

 

I'm not changing that much honest and it took me 4 years to find Rose and I love her to bits, just needs a couple of tweaks. I think you're all right that the stove should stay where it is. I'm sure I can make some nice storage for my books at the bow end without blocking off the light too much

[cuthound]

Given the amazing number of auto correct induced variations of your name, it might be better to change your name before changing anything on the boat :)

[Alan de Enfield]

I've got 'Pencil' now and when I misspelled it with two E's I got 'Peenemunde'.

 

Looks like we have a new 'Word Game'.

[Pennie]

I look forward to seeing the new variant of the word game in the virtual pub lol

[Bettie Boo]

Our stove is just inside the front doors on the right hand side.

 

We do have central heating, but to be honest we've only had it on about 7 times (at 1 hour increments) for the whole of the past winter. The only reason we have put on the central heating is the main bedroom which is located at the stern does tend to stay rather cool. Normally this isn't a problem as neither of us like it overly hot in the bedroom whilst we sleep, but there have been some nights that I've turned it on about 1 hour before going to bed to warm it up a little bit.

 

Would I change the location of our stove if it could be done for free? Yes, I'd move it to the left hand side of the front doors. That way the chimney wouldn't get caught up in overhanging foliage when cruising.

 

Would I move the location of our stove if there was a cost involved? No, it's not that big a problem.

 

In hindsight (after our first year) would we buy this boat again if we were looking to buy now? Probably not, I'd have an U shaped kitchen rather than the L shape we have, I'd want reverse layout rather than our current trad layout, (which would put the stove in the middle of the boat whilst keeping it in the saloon) and the stove would be on the left rather than the right hand side.

 

But with that said, we aren't looking to buy and I do love our boat/home.

[DaveGood]

Moving your stove around is not cheap or easy and will cost hundreds,so don't do it unless the advantages in doing so are real clear.

 

That said, if you do move it, make sure it goes the port (left hand side) of the boat.

 

Someone will be along soon to explain why.

 

DaveGoood

 

Oops, I see someone has, that someone being my wife .

Edited March 24, 2015 by DaveGood

[Guest]

Moving your stove around is not cheap or easy and will cost hundreds,so don't do it unless the advantages in doing so are real clear.

That said, if you do move it, make sure it goes the port (left hand side) of the boat.

Someone will be along soon to explain why.

DaveGoood

Oops, I see someone has, that someone being my wife .

Interesting whilst noticing that most do seem to be on the port or left hand side I've never really considered why that is. The reason given of course is entirely logical if you want to cruise in winter AND have your stove on whilst you do.

[Keeping Up]

The left hand side is also far better on a narrowboat because it is then much less likely to get knocked off when passing another boat in a tunnel.

[Bettie Boo]

Moving your stove around is not cheap or easy and will cost hundreds,so don't do it unless the advantages in doing so are real clear.

 

That said, if you do move it, make sure it goes the port (left hand side) of the boat.

 

Someone will be along soon to explain why.

 

DaveGoood

 

Oops, I see someone has, that someone being my wife .

 

Hard to believe we're sitting in the same room!

The left hand side is also far better on a narrowboat because it is then much less likely to get knocked off when passing another boat in a tunnel.

Good point Allan, but us being a WB, it's one consideration we don't have to worry about (thankfully)

[bottle]

Narrowboat 60', stove at front left (looking forward), never goes above tick-over, boat has good temperature gradient front to back.

 

Erbaspacher available but seldom used, usually used in Spring and Autumn when stove is out but even the only for an hour.

 

I doubt its done 20 hrs in five years.

[mrsmelly]

Narrowboat 60', stove at front left (looking forward), never goes above tick-over, boat has good temperature gradient front to back.

 

Erbaspacher available but seldom used, usually used in Spring and Autumn when stove is out but even the only for an hour.

 

I doubt its done 20 hrs in five years.

 

Yes that sounds about right. A solid fuel stove is realy the only piece of kit needed on a narrowboat.

 

Tim