Boatman stove - ashpan question

[rusty69]

Same here. The ash pan handle is fine if you use it the correct way up (L shape pointing down). If you try to use it like an upwards hook it's no good but when pointing downwards it resists the weight of the ash pan and is very secure. The only drawback I find with the ash pan is that so much ash falls down the sides of it. It could do with being longer and wider but that would mean making the front opening of the stove wider too. All design is about compromise. Boatman's design compromises mean longevity, reliability and excellent value. No plates cracking, riddling things breaking, stuff rusting, grates breaking, holes developing and so on which I've seen in Squirrels.

 

I'm having some work done on the stove door at the moment as 2 of the 4 clips that hold the glass in place have corroded. It's the first real work it's needed doing to it in ten years of hard use as pretty much my only source of heating on a 65ft boat. Can't complain and I definitely would not want a Squirrel because the two people I know well who've got them have had to replace all sorts of parts (or the whole thing) in just a few years compared to my very reliable Boatman.

I looked at the boatman stove last year with the intention of buying one. I think I was put off by one of the reviews on here (may have been MTB) so decided on a Squirrel in the end. The Boatman looks like a great little stove.

[tree monkey]

I looked at the boatman stove last year with the intention of buying one. I think I was put off by one of the reviews on here (may have been MTB) so decided on a Squirrel in the end. The Boatman looks like a great little stove.

It is a cracking little stove and very well built for its price

[rusty69]

It is a cracking little stove and very well built for its price

Hope its not too "cracking"

[MtB]

It is a cracking little stove and very well built for its price

 

Yes that is the conclusion in my review.

 

BUT, the low, low price is achieved by removing all the subtle features of a Squirrel that make them a more of a pleasure to use in comparison.

 

If only they would make the Squitrrel from welded steel it would be a winner. The eventual cracking of various cast iron components is a major drawback of the Squirrel.

[tree monkey]

Hope its not too "cracking"

Unfortunate choice of words there

 

Yes that is the conclusion in my review.

 

BUT, the low, low price is achieved by removing all the subtle features of a Squirrel that make them a more of a pleasure to use in comparison.

 

If only they would make the Squitrrel from welded steel it would be a winner. The eventual cracking of various cast iron components is a major drawback of the Squirrel.

Agreed, if Eddy of boatmans would make a welded stove squirrel size with its features, he would be on a winner

[MtB]

Unfortunate choice of words there

 

Agreed, if Eddy of boatmans would make a welded stove squirrel size with its features, he would be on a winner

 

 

He would have to charge at least £700-ish for it I reckon as there would be FAR more work in making it. But I'd happily pay that much for a steel version I knew was less likely to crack up in the fullness of time.

[canals are us?]

I was put of morso stoves when I was looking for a 5kw stove for my narrowboat. In the end I bought a woodwarm fireview 4.5kw for £769.00 nearly 4 years ago and apart from buying the boat my best purchase.

 

If I wanted a cheaper stove with riddling grate etc, then it would probably be a Chinese made model. If not a used refurbished second hand model. Quite like the old arrow beckton.

 

James

Edited November 7, 2016 by canals are us?

[bizzard]

Chinese stloves are vely glood indleed, vely glood valyoo tloo. I have inslalled flour of them. Morso dloors are vely glood, the lest of em is vely bad lubbish.

[MtB]

Chinese stloves are vely glood indleed, vely glood valyoo tloo. I have inslalled flour of them. Morso dloors are vely glood, the lest of em is vely bad lubbish.

 

 

Your sperring is rubbish. Rearry rubbish. Why you no risten to the retters peepel saying?

[bizzard]

 

 

Your sperring is rubbish. Rearry rubbish. Why you no risten to the retters peepel saying?

Road of lubbish, vely glood sperring, him alrays plenty glood, savy, bimbey chop chop.

[MtB]

 

Chinese restaurant ahead....

[p6rob]

I was going to write something really useful and insightful. However, I'm accessing the forum on my phone and somehow managed to delete the text before posting. Grrr

Basically e-coal is the best available. The ash is very fine, it burns slowly and easily keeps in overnight. Only downside is finding somewhere that sells it. I've found a couple of garages that sell it nearby. One near Earlswood usually has 2 for 1 offer on 20kg bags, so it works out very economical too. Without the offer it's fairly expensive. Taybrite is the next best for the Boatman stove. The others I've found clog the grate up too much and are difficult to riddle the ash through. Supertherm stays in the longest but also is the worst grate clogger, so extinguishes itself after about 20 hours.

I use about one bag of e-coal per week (when I can get it).