Yet a stove choice thread

[Fred1]

Hello all,

 

my partner and I are planning to move onto our first ever narrowboat in about a month, a lovely 52' semi-trad called Florence. Florence is our perfect boat in almost every way, the exception being the lack of a solid fuel stove. Given the huge selection of stoves available, we're finding it hard to choose the most appropriate one, so I thought I'd ask some more experienced boaters for help. Our top three so far are:

 

1. The ubiquitous Boatman stove from Northern Fabrications. Steel, 4kw, 460(H) x 360(W) x 330(D). £300

 

2. The Salamander Hobbit. Cast iron, 4kw, 465 x 302 x 272. £475

 

3. The Dowling Little Devil. Steel, 3.5-4kw, 470 x 300 x 400, 552.

 

Due to the layout of the boat, the stove has to go to one side of the front doors. To the right is a very nicely built cabinet with a variety of electrics built in, so ideally we're looking at the front left corner. The available space here is 60cm wide with an inbuilt settee 100cm from the front wall.

 

So my questions are:

 

1. Is 4kw sufficient, given that we'll be sleeping at the other end of the boat?

 

2. Is ash as much of a problem with the Boatman as some people claim?

 

3. Many users claim cast iron is inappropriate for boats, has anyone had a Hobbit crack/fall apart?

 

4. Should the stove be angled into the room, or is this a matter of taste?

 

5. Are we asking for trouble having a stove so close to the settee?

 

6. What would you go for?

 

Personally I like the Dowling most, both functionally and aesthetically, but it's more expensive and the biggest of the three so perhaps not ideal. Sorry to waffle on, any advice or suggestions greatly appreciated!

 

 

Edit: title should've been Yet another stove choice thread. Don't know how to change it!

Edited September 15, 2015 by Fred1

[kevinl]

Below is a link to the installation guidelines which might be some use. Cast iron stoves do crack (well mine did) so I'd go for steel. Boatman stove have a lot of fans on here, I've never owned one but I've been on boats with them and they look good and seem to work well, they're made a couple of miles up the road from where I live so if I ever need a new stove that's where I'd go.

K

 

http://www.soliftec.com/Boat%20Stoves%201-page.pdf

Edited September 15, 2015 by kevinl

[craftycarper]

Hello all,

 

my partner and I are planning to move onto our first ever narrowboat in about a month, a lovely 52' semi-trad called Florence. Florence is our perfect boat in almost every way, the exception being the lack of a solid fuel stove. Given the huge selection of stoves available, we're finding it hard to choose the most appropriate one, so I thought I'd ask some more experienced boaters for help. Our top three so far are:

 

1. The ubiquitous Boatman stove from Northern Fabrications. Steel, 4kw, 460(H) x 360(W) x 330(D). £300

 

2. The Salamander Hobbit. Cast iron, 4kw, 465 x 302 x 272. £475

 

3. The Dowling Little Devil. Steel, 3.5-4kw, 470 x 300 x 400, 552.

 

Due to the layout of the boat, the stove has to go to one side of the front doors. To the right is a very nicely built cabinet with a variety of electrics built in, so ideally we're looking at the front left corner. The available space here is 60cm wide with an inbuilt settee 100cm from the front wall.

 

So my questions are:

 

1. Is 4kw sufficient, given that we'll be sleeping at the other end of the boat?

 

2. Is ash as much of a problem with the Boatman as some people claim?

 

3. Many users claim cast iron is inappropriate for boats, has anyone had a Hobbit crack/fall apart?

 

4. Should the stove be angled into the room, or is this a matter of taste?

 

5. Are we asking for trouble having a stove so close to the settee?

 

6. What would you go for?

 

Personally I like the Dowling most, both functionally and aesthetically, but it's more expensive and the biggest of the three so perhaps not ideal. Sorry to waffle on, any advice or suggestions greatly appreciated!

 

 

Edit: title should've been Yet another stove choice thread. Don't know how to change it!

. Boatman stove and Echo fan combo works for me, many knockers will come on and slag one or the other off, but I do use both products on an almost daily basis, and love em both,

[Neil Smith]

Another vote for the boatman, as for the distance from the settee it would be a no go for me as you have to leave a gap behind stove to bulkhead of about 100mm so that puts the front of the stove about 500mm from the settee, far to close and asking for trouble. what is the layout ? could you not put it along the side in the saloon.

 

Neil

[peterboat]

Boatman for me to and yes it is a little close to the furniture as they do get very hot

ps welcome to the forum

 

Peter

[cuthound]

Another vote for the boatman, as for the distance from the settee it would be a no go for me as you have to leave a gap behind stove to bulkhead of about 100mm so that puts the front of the stove about 500mm from the settee, far to close and asking for trouble. what is the layout ? could you not put it along the side in the saloon.

 

Neil

On our first share boat the stovecwas quite close to the dinette. The builder put in a sheet of 3mm steel between the stove and the dinette. It worked as a heat sink,got quitechot, but prevented the dinette from getting singed.

[spaceyaface]

....if you can be bothered, two words back boiler

[Sea Dog]

Have you had a look at the solid fuel corner stove made by Bubble? The window being at 45 degrees can be nice in your situation.

[Fred1]

Hi guys, thanks for replies and thanks for the welcome to the forum Peter

 

 

Another vote for the boatman, as for the distance from the settee it would be a no go for me as you have to leave a gap behind stove to bulkhead of about 100mm so that puts the front of the stove about 500mm from the settee, far to close and asking for trouble. what is the layout ? could you not put it along the side in the saloon.

 

Neil

 

Here's a picture of the front section of the boat https://www.dropbox.com/s/w7140gg4hdxzf9r/12.jpg?dl=0

 

The right-hand cabinet has various electronics built in and houses the tables very neatly, which is why I was asking about the left corner first, but it can go if needed... Could we build an arm for the settee out of heat proof board and use the whole space for the stove?

 

Boatman voters does ash ever bother you? Another user's review made quite a big deal of this

[Fred1]

....if you can be bothered, two words back boiler

 

We're trying to keep costs down, so not really an option at the moment. A salesman in midland chandlery also told us not to both with back boilers

 

 

Have you had a look at the solid fuel corner stove made by Bubble? The window being at 45 degrees can be nice in your situation.

 

 

Thanks, looks like a very interesting option, I'll take a closer look at it this evening

[magnetman]

Becton bunny is quite a nice stove although I have not had one myself.

 

I have had villager stoves (a heron, a puffin and 2 Chelsea's both the flat and the angled top versions) in previous boats and apart from the door glass breaking occasionally they are ok units.

 

Probably a puffin would do it but with one stove at the front of a 52ft nb there will probably be a cool spot at the back of the boat. I have never tried eco fans or sterling fans etc maybe they are ok.

[David Mack]

The right-hand cabinet has various electronics built in and houses the tables very neatly, which is why I was asking about the left corner first, but it can go if needed... Could we build an arm for the settee out of heat proof board and use the whole space for the stove?

Putting the stove on the left puts its chimney on the left, and therefore towards the middle of the canal when you pass boats coming the other way. That means your chimney is less likely to be swept off by low hanging branches.

[craftycarper]

Hi guys, thanks for replies and thanks for the welcome to the forum Peter

 

 

 

 

Here's a picture of the front section of the boat https://www.dropbox.com/s/w7140gg4hdxzf9r/12.jpg?dl=0

 

The right-hand cabinet has various electronics built in and houses the tables very neatly, which is why I was asking about the left corner first, but it can go if needed... Could we build an arm for the settee out of heat proof board and use the whole space for the stove?

 

Boatman voters does ash ever bother you? Another user's review made quite a big deal of this

. I personally don't find the ash any worse or any better than other fires I've used both open or stove type, ash is a product of burning solid fuel, simple, and if like me you burn wood and not cheap sulphur rich coal the ash is actually very good for the garden

[Sea Dog]

Putting the stove on the left puts its chimney on the left, and therefore towards the middle of the canal when you pass boats coming the other way. That means your chimney is less likely to be swept off by low hanging branches.

That's a good point which I for one (maybe the only one?!) hadn't really twigged. Luckily my boat builder had!