Boatman Stove review

[peterboat]

 

My thinking exactly. When my Squirrel eventually dies it will be replaced with another Squirrel. This time of year it's the heart of the boat for me and mine sits in the middle of the saloon, not up the corner by a door. I love it.

i have never understood the fitting of stoves at the end of the boat heat spreads evenly so the heat goes out of the door and the windows which is a right pain as my bubble is by the front doors but the rayburn is a third of the way up the boat

[MtB]

 

I dont think I would pay a grand either. Facts are that a new squirrell is around the 620 squid mark so only double the cost of a boatman stove and more than twice the stove and even as a liveabord will last twenty years. I make that 60 pence a week or lets say you abuse the hell out of it and it only lasts ten years then 1.20 a week for the best stove. For me some things are a no brainer and this is one of them. I understand fully that money is an issue to lots of people and I am one of those but a good stove especialy for full time liveaboards is paramount.

 

Tim

 

Tim

 

 

Who is flogging Squirrels for £620?

 

The biggest problem I have with the Boatman is the way smoke and ash billow out into the boat when I open the door to rake it, or add coal. I can't understand why other owners don't seem to mind this!

[bastion]

Not sure what you do Mike but I do not have that problem. I use a small coal shovel to take it out rather than a poker.

[dogless]

Who is flogging Squirrels for £620?

 

The biggest problem I have with the Boatman is the way smoke and ash billow out into the boat when I open the door to rake it, or add coal. I can't understand why other owners don't seem to mind this!

It seems that the squirrel is the only stove that does the two door trick.

I hope the splitting isn't a frequent problem, cos I think it's a squirrel for me.

Rog

[peterboat]

 

 

Who is flogging Squirrels for £620?

 

The biggest problem I have with the Boatman is the way smoke and ash billow out into the boat when I open the door to rake it, or add coal. I can't understand why other owners don't seem to mind this!

thats because i never had a problem with the boatman smoking on the boat, and we dont have it now it lives at jaynes. we have no ash pan just use a shovel coal on ash out at same time

[Richard10002]

thats because i never had a problem with the boatman smoking on the boat, and we dont have it now it lives at jaynes. we have no ash pan just use a shovel coal on ash out at same time

 

+1 no problems here with smoke and ash billowing out.

 

Never say never - very occasionally, on lighting, the draw may not be enough to pull the smoke up the flue - in these instances, I pop a fire lighter on top of the coal, and the flames and heat from this draw the smoke up - I dont pretend to know how/why this works, but it does

[cuthound]

It seems that the squirrel is the only stove that does the two door trick.

I hope the splitting isn't a frequent problem, cos I think it's a squirrel for me.

Rog

Our last shareboat had a Villager with two doors, a large one to feed the fuel through, and a smaller one with a hit & miss vent on it to access the ash pan. Pretty certain there are other makes with twin doors as well.

 

Edited for wring worms.

Edited January 15, 2016 by cuthound

[Sabcat]

 

 

Who is flogging Squirrels for £620?

 

The biggest problem I have with the Boatman is the way smoke and ash billow out into the boat when I open the door to rake it, or add coal. I can't understand why other owners don't seem to mind this!

 

I've never seen them that cheap new, you can get a refurbed one for £500 though.

[mrsmelly]

 

 

Who is flogging Squirrels for £620?

 

The biggest problem I have with the Boatman is the way smoke and ash billow out into the boat when I open the door to rake it, or add coal. I can't understand why other owners don't seem to mind this!

 

Limekiln chandlers Mike. £620 or 7 somett with back boiler.

 

Tim

[raymondh]

Not to hard to find a reasonable quote

 

Sorry for the delay in coming back to you but it is our first day back after
Christmas

I now have the pleasure in quoting you as follows

Morso 1410
£609.00

Canal Boat Kit £330.00

Delivery 7-10 working days

The above price includes VAT and delivery to any UK mainland address

 

 

Ray

[mrsmelly]

Not to hard to find a reasonable quote

 

Sorry for the delay in coming back to you but it is our first day back after

Christmas

 

I now have the pleasure in quoting you as follows

 

Morso 1410

£609.00

 

Canal Boat Kit £330.00

 

Delivery 7-10 working days

 

The above price includes VAT and delivery to any UK mainland address

 

 

Ray

 

Limekiln do the chimley, collar flue etc and stove inclusive for 720 squid. It will not be double skinned however so will be single skinned like 99 percent of stoves have been for the last 50 plus years. However 609 squid for the stove is commendable.

 

Tim

Edited January 15, 2016 by mrsmelly

[Sea Dog]

It seems that the squirrel is the only stove that does the two door trick.

 

 

Our last shareboat had a Villager with two doors, a large one to feed the fuel through, and a smaller one with a hit & miss vent on it to access the ash pan. Pretty certain there are other makes with twin doors as well.

 

I have an Aarrow at home and a Bubble on the boat - both are good stoves and have separate doors. A single door sounds like a design compromise to achieve a low price to me.

 

I'm sure Squirrels are tasty, but they're not the only fruit.

[Jim Riley]

My boat came with a Dowling Little Devil, warms the boat up a treat, not tried overnight yet, has an angled top loader door and ashpan/bottom door combined, very simple, steel, interesting shape. At home I have a Hunter Hawk 4, 3 stage burn, steel, top and bottom doors, economical on wood, stays in overnight with ash put over last log of the evening. It keeps the whole house warm, using an ecofan to help distribute heat.

 

Spilling odit

Edited January 16, 2016 by Jim Riley

[Richard10002]

I have an Aarrow at home and a Bubble on the boat - both are good stoves and have separate doors. A single door sounds like a design compromise to achieve a low price to me.

 

I'm sure Squirrels are tasty, but they're not the only fruit.

The Boatman has 1 door works fine and gets the boat nice and toasty. What's the benefit of 2 doors?

[Sea Dog]

The Boatman has 1 door works fine and gets the boat nice and toasty. What's the benefit of 2 doors?

You need to read Mike's comments to get the full sp but, to summarise, I think he's fed up of filling his boat with ash and fumes when all he wants do do is riddle (which many stoves can do without opening a door) or empty the ash can (which you can do without opening the main door on a 2 door stove).

[Loafer]

For me, the main thing is to get a really good draw going if required. Open the bottom door, keep the main door closed and whoosh. Big fire in minutes.

[MtB]

MTB i wonder if you could do me a small favor, or anyone else who has the latest version of the boatman stove.

 

I am looking to see if you can fit two casserole type dishes on the top, towards the front, either side if the flu, if so what size (Diameter) ?

 

 

Thanks

 

 

Ok I've just had an experiment with saucepans on the stove top. Two saucepans 8 1/2" in diameter just about fit. Safely enough but with a bit of overhang. If the stove is fitted at 45 degrees in a corner, the outer could easily be knocked off by the clothes of someone passing the stove. A single 9" and say, a 7 1/2" would be a bit safer...

 

Two 9" dishes could be used if you are happy with them overhanging by an inch or so.

[bizzard]

 

 

Ok I've just had an experiment with saucepans on the stove top. Two saucepans 8 1/2" in diameter just about fit. Safely enough but with a bit of overhang. If the stove is fitted at 45 degrees in a corner, the outer could easily be knocked off by the clothes of someone passing the stove. A single 9" and say, a 7 1/2" would be a bit safer...

 

Two 9" dishes could be used if you are happy with them overhanging by an inch or so.

Those sizes are about the same as what will fit on my old original Boatman Mike and within the 1/8'' rod fiddle rail that I fitted.

[ROBDEN]

Those sizes are about the same as what will fit on my old original Boatman Mike and within the 1/8'' rod fiddle rail that I fitted.

New model??

[Old Son]

I have a Boatman and do not have any of the problems that MTB has. I agree that you do tend to get a little ash out of the door when you open it to refuel but I certainly don't get smoke or anything else. The Boatman stays in overnight and does not take up much room. I do not live aboard so do not need something the size of a Squirrel.

[Dave Payne]

 

 

Ok I've just had an experiment with saucepans on the stove top. Two saucepans 8 1/2" in diameter just about fit. Safely enough but with a bit of overhang. If the stove is fitted at 45 degrees in a corner, the outer could easily be knocked off by the clothes of someone passing the stove. A single 9" and say, a 7 1/2" would be a bit safer...

 

Two 9" dishes could be used if you are happy with them overhanging by an inch or so.

 

 

Thanks!

[rupertbear]

When people report on their experiences with Boatman stoves it would be useful to know whether they are referring to the older, simple type or the recent model with the baffle and airwash control wheel.

[ditchcrawler]

After making stoves for Boatmans Cabin Co I cannot see how you can compare cast iron to welded steel. Cast iron will last a lot longer and still be around when the others have rotted away.

When we made the "Premiere" and used welded steel for the inner parts we soon found out what started to rot first.

Mine fell to bits and like a pratt I bought another to replace it. All the joints blew apart, top cracked and I bet I haven't burnt 2 cwt of coal on it.

At home I have a steel woodburner.

 

Limekiln do the chimley, collar flue etc and stove inclusive for 720 squid. It will not be double skinned however so will be single skinned like 99 percent of stoves have been for the last 50 plus years. However 609 squid for the stove is commendable.

 

Tim

Did you miss a one off the front of that 50?

[MtB]

When people report on their experiences with Boatman stoves it would be useful to know whether they are referring to the older, simple type or the recent model with the baffle and airwash control wheel.

 

 

I was unaware there were two versions of it.

 

Mine (the one I'm reviewing in the OP) was brand new last March and has the baffle and airwash control.

 

I'm wondering if taking the baffle out might be a Good Idea. Can't see the point of it actually. The flue flow is fully controlled by the air wheel at the bottom.

[bigcol]

Loved our boatman.

Met Eddie motorway services.

 

fitted next day, Iwe could get ours to burn overnight.

The real bug bear, manually riddling,

although you don't realise how fine ash is.

Until the wife gos mental

 

Heat wise, looks and build quality just brilliant.