Diesel vs Propane Cook Stoves

[nelbem]

Searched archive but didn't find an answer. Buying an old boat and on several we have looked at we will need to replace the stove/oven. Have used propane but never diesel. What are the pros and cons of diesel? Is odor a problem?

Thanks

[James S]

Here are some good places to start for info.
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ven-28046.html
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ove-31728.html
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ove-20489.html

[nelbem]

Thanks! Lots of good information there. Maybe I need to get you to give me lessons in using the search feature because you found lots and I found nothing. Thanks again!

[webejammin]

We have a propane stove on our catamaran and except for the humidity it creates it is great. I hear propane stoves really don't work on monohulls beacuse of the heal when sailing. I also hear that in some 3rd world countries propane can be rare and hard to find.

[James S]

When you use the search function go down to the Google Custom Search box...it will show only results related to Cruisers forum.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by webejammin

We have a propane stove on our catamaran and except for the humidity it creates it is great. I hear propane stoves really don't work on monohulls beacuse of the heal when sailing. I also hear that in some 3rd world countries propane can be rare and hard to find.

Propane stoves work fine on monohulls. The stoves are on gimbals. Also propane is the fastest growing fuel in the third world.

[James S]

Originally Posted by Vasco

Propane stoves work fine on monohulls. The stoves are on gimbals. Also propane is the fastest growing fuel in the third world.

Plus 1

[ssanzone]

like all things there are good and bad aspects of diesel stoves.

the good:
very stable (diesel does not blow up)
no need for a 2nd fuel source
very consistent heat source for surface cooking
brownies and corn bread everyday
easy to clean and maintain
self heating cabins

the bad:
venting
excessive heat

at a high level, a diesel stove is a griddle that is either cooked directly on or pots & pans are placed on. when the cook top is 'on' the 'oven' is on. meaning... when u boil water you have a hot oven (see above for brownies & corn bread). the unit throws a significant amount of heat (not easily adjusted) which is excellent in colder / wetter environment and not so excellent in warmer / dryer environment.

in my opinion, the biggest draw back is the need for exhaust venting (up 12" b4 it can bend (just like a wood stove)) that really limits the physical placement of the stove. while fire suppression is a good idea for any vessel cooking unit, only diesel stoves have a HOT exhaust pipe in close proximity of the hull / deck etc and risk of wood bulkheads or drapes etc to catch which heightens the importance of fire suppression in the specific area of the unit.

from a cooking point of view, they cook a lot like an electric range (residential) does. the surface is always hot which lends itself to heavier cook ware or more attentive cooking to prevent burning.

personally, i am pretty bummed that i had to pull diesel store out but with the refit, i just dont have a space for it unless i tolerate the exhaust pipe running thru the middle of the middle of the salon.

1 last thing... HAND RAILS (everywhere). the cook top will be hot... make sure there are handrails left, right, center, above and below and anywhere else you might brace yourself while pitching and rolling.

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-steve

[DeepFrz]

I think that diesel stoves are more suited to larger boats and especially power vessels. They are more difficult to start than propane and take longer to warm up. Nice in the Northern Pacific area where it is cold and wet in the winter.

[Astrid]

Nice in the Northern Pacific area where it is cold and wet in the winter.

Yes, very very nice.

[Jim Cate]

FWIW,
I have never seen a diesel stove that was gimbaled. This might be a factor if you are thinking about using under way!!

The long startup time would be a detriment to me. Lots of times one only wants to heat up a kettle or such, and with LPG it is quick on, quick off.

The commercial fish boats in cold waters often light the diesel stove before heading out to sea and don't turn them off until their return. Might not work for a cruising yacht.

Choice seems obvious to me, but YMMV.

Cheers,

Jim

[DeepFrz]

Choice seems obvious to me, but YMMV

Yes, if you do a lot of winter cruising in the Washington/BC/Alaska area then a diesel cook stove may be just the ticket. Cruising in more moderate climes, I wouldn't want one. Most boaters in the Northern Pacific dock or anchor every night so gimbaling isn't quite as important. A small gimbaled camp stove would heat up coffee or soup for lunch if you were sailing and heeled over.

[foggysail]

My first boat, a Hunter 30 came equiped with an alcohol twin burner stove. Cooking was painfully slow. So I thought I was smart to purchase a burner upgrade from the stove's manufacturer to kerosene.

I DAMN NEAR TORCHED THE BOAT and there was always soot everywhere!!! And that pig required alcohol to preheat the burners before the kerosene would change state to a gas for ignition.

Next, I bought a new propane stove and I only wish I had propane on my present boat instead of electric.

Foggy

[DeepFrz]

I DAMN NEAR TORCHED THE BOAT and there was always soot everywhere!!!

Of course there was soot everywhere. That was not a vented stove. I certainly, and it was pretty clear earlier in the thread that others, were talking about VENTED diesel stoves.

[senormechanico]

Propane with a sniffer. Open the hatch a crack when cooking.
Eees Seemple!