Non-marine stoves on a boat

[Fore and Aft]

Gilow for our yacht I managed to find a new Broad Water stove with oven and grill going cheap on Gumtree. Even with the courier fee it still worked out less than half price. Just check out this bargain I found below after only two minutes online. A four burner Broad Water cooktop with grill for $70, why would you go non marine at that price? It's even got gimbals.
Back when I was an apprentice I installed a non compliant gas cooker in my first yacht. I happened to warming up the oven one day and the oven flame went out. I didn't realise as I was boiling the jug at the same time. Anyway I was on deck and suddenly there was a loud bang. Talk about a brown stain moment. I went below and the oven door was wide open with a broken catch. Lucky that and my racing heart was the only damage. I put it down to bad luck and decided to be more vigilant next time. Well it happened a second time when I was out sailing and then I decided to get a compliant stove.
Cheers

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...b-84689ce85c77

[GILow]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

^^^^^
As far as I know, she's gone sailing full time. She did not feel it was suicidal to go without thermocoupling. She planned on paying attention when the burners were in use.

At GILow, our experience is that we use the gimbaling often at sea, and much prefer to. Some friends of ours with a 34 foot steel Amazon had a fixed stove top with 8" rails all around, and never worried. You do have to use over size pots, then, because the liquids will "heel": seek to be parallel to the horizon. Gravity doesn't stop when the boat is heeled. Now, if you don't like the boat to heel, well that's your style of sailing. If you ever have to beat off a lee shore, you might like a cuppa while you're doing it. Where will you get the electricity to run a microwave? Not at all saying it can't be done, but I know of a lotta very small microwaves on boats, because using smaller inverters keeps loads down.

Ann

Inverter microwaves are the solution to power. My bank of 6 T105s will run the microwave at full tilt without problems when at 80% or higher, but if the bank is low I just run the microwave at a lower output.

I'm not in agreement with sailorchic on this one. I just don't see a reason to add such a risk to a boat. Practically every stove and oven I can find on the market has thermocouples. I suspect it is no longer legal to sell them in Oz without them.

[Jim Cate]

If so, finally a nanny state law that I agree with!

But Matt, if the stove has thermos and you otherwise like a non-marine stove, I see no reason at all not to use it. Your KP should be pretty dry below so rusting shouldn't be an issue, and terrestrial meals taste much the same as marine meals and use the same ingredients, so why not?

I think you know the answer to this one...

Jim

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Fore and Aft

Gilow for our yacht I managed to find a new Broad Water stove with oven and grill going cheap on Gumtree. Even with the courier fee it still worked out less than half price. Just check out this bargain I found below after only two minutes online. A four burner Broad Water cooktop with grill for $70, why would you go non marine at that price? It's even got gimbals.

Back when I was an apprentice I installed a non compliant gas cooker in my first yacht. I happened to warming up the oven one day and the oven flame went out. I didn't realise as I was boiling the jug at the same time. Anyway I was on deck and suddenly there was a loud bang. Talk about a brown stain moment. I went below and the oven door was wide open with a broken catch. Lucky that and my racing heart was the only damage. I put it down to bad luck and decided to be more vigilant next time. Well it happened a second time when I was out sailing and then I decided to get a compliant stove.

Cheers



https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...b-84689ce85c77

$70 is a good price for that old thing, but not something I'd like to live with at any price.

I checked the various second hand sites, nothing grabbed me. Mostly it is very old stuff or the sorts of stuff that wasn't great when it was new anyway.

For instance, I'm getting a lot of grumbles about the force 10 stuff, and the associated Eno brand.

There's a UK brand getting some good reviews but the prices are eye watering.

I'll be reluctantly selling the Mariner with the Swanson, it is good, but I'd like something better if I can.

Reading the comments here I'm increasing thinking my idea of non marine is the way to go. A stainless Bosch cooktop coupled with a caravan oven/grill feels like a good approach.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

If so, finally a nanny state law that I agree with!

But Matt, if the stove has thermos and you otherwise like a non-marine stove, I see no reason at all not to use it. Your KP should be pretty dry below so rusting shouldn't be an issue, and terrestrial meals taste much the same as marine meals and use the same ingredients, so why not?

I think you know the answer to this one...

Jim

I wish I could say the KP was dry below, but right now it's a swamp.

We ate dinner in wet weather gear on our first night aboard.

Regarding my idea, there are enough positive responses here to reassure.me that I'm not missing something major.

Your comments about the Force 10 were part of what got me thinking about alternatives. I was ready to fork out the $$$, but then you sounded a bit ambivalent, the Volos also had some grumbles, then a whole lot of posts here on CF were complaining about how hard they were to clean and how slow and erratic the ovens were. I don't expect much of the oven, but I was a grill chef for many years and like a cooktop that is powerful and easy to clean.

Bosch, here I come. Or maybe the Omega range that used to be sold as Kleenmaid. There was a very good suggestion to weld some rails, I've got a TIG on board.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by PippaB

We installed a standard, 60cm free-standing oven with cooktop on our boat in 2016. Still using, still works just fine. Comes with all the standard safety gear. Also self lighting if you plug it in to 230VAC, but we never did that, the igniters and oven light don't work. Never been a problem.

Purchased it at Noel Leeming in Whangarei, they had the same stuff at Bunnings (and probably Mitre 10 in your neck of the woods). This is the second time we've installed a non-marine cooking appliance on a boat, can't really find a reason not to, and many reasons to do so. Aside from cost (a big reason), we like to cook, and we couldn't find a marine stove that had anything other than anemic burners. Our household stove on a boat has one burner that is actually suitable for a wok. Just can't get that in a marine stove. The only thing marine (or even RV/caravan) stoves have going for them is fit - sometimes you just can't find the size that the boat galley was sized around.

I think the comment about anaemic burners really captures the issue. And yes, I like to cook too.

Thank you for the reassurance.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Speaking of... anyone know what happened with Sailorchic34? She's disappeared...

Last post: 06-01-2020

She didn't notice the gas had gone out.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Pedro -Dawn-

Oh my,



Thermocouples, today I learned something new... I have a pretty basic LPG setup with a residential burner..



Any suggestions to improve safety other than changing the oven? Maybe something at the valve level..

You probably could find valve blocks with thermocouple support that will fit your existing stove. I'd take a current valve to one of those old specialist shops that are still around but only just hanging on.

Failing that, a bit of online shopping might do it if you don't mind the risk of getting the wrong thing.

As I've noted here a few times, I would not even remotely consider a stove without them on a boat. And if you are already using a residential burner then at least buying a new one won't cost much.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

As built my boat came with a non marine stove. at 11 years of age it went in the skip having pretty much rusted out.
Next one was a 'caravan quality' SMEV https://www.mobilegas.co.uk/hobs-ove...-burner-cooker which came with gimbals. Got 18 years out of it and replaced it with a Smev 3 burner which is way more practical.
Plenty of ferrous bits to eventually fail. One burner on the current one is currently U/S as two screws in it have come to the end of the iron oxide road but a simple enough fix.

SMEV is now part of Dometic who seem to have largely dropped them but they do still do gimbaled stoves.
https://www.force4.co.uk/item/Dometi...ght-Cooker/FW8

Gimbals? If you ever plan sailing to windward they are handy - I just set the optimum angle of tilt and lock them.

Smev is on my short list. But they seem to have gone to very modular stuff, with lids and all. I looked at one a few years back and liked what I saw but felt I'd be restricted to.a very small cooktop.

As a solo sailor (until now) I've never cooked when under way, hence I'm ambivalent about the need for gimballs, but the new admiral may change that.

[Greatest Lakes]

My Columbia has a galleymaid alcohol stove/oven combo it's in relatively new condition, and alcohol is considered to be one of the safer cooking fuels for boats, but I just don't care for it. I got my hands on a Belmar Seacook single burner storm stove recently and I'm looking forward to being able to cook much more quickly and easily. Uses a Coleman propane tank, and being fully gimbaled, it's far less likely to spill.

[markcoulter]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Many boats came with RV stoves. Magic Chef and others.

Albatross came to me with a Magic Chef three burner with oven stove. The oven has a thermocouple and pilot light, but the burners don’t. I like having the automatic oven temperature control, which a lot of marine stoves lack. There is a propane alarm connected to the propane solenoid mounted below the stove. Albatross is a trimaran, and I’ve never seen her heel as much as 10%, so I’m not concerned about gimbals.

[CarinaPDX]

There is one topic which you need to be aware of if you are planning on world cruising. I don't know the situation Down Under but in the U.S. RVs use pure propane, and the stoves are designed for that (and just that). In much of the world it is not possible to buy pure propane, but instead a propane/butane mix or rarely pure butane. The gases behave differently, and butane can damage or cause fires in a propane stove. The EU dealt with that by requiring stoves to handle the entire range of pressures and mix of gases, which is what you get with a CE approval. I don't personally use propane but if I did I would only buy a CE-approved stove, having seen a melted burner from using a propane/butane mix. Thermal shutoffs are not the only issue...

Greg

[GILow]

Originally Posted by CarinaPDX

There is one topic which you need to be aware of if you are planning on world cruising. I don't know the situation Down Under but in the U.S. RVs use pure propane, and the stoves are designed for that (and just that). In much of the world it is not possible to buy pure propane, but instead a propane/butane mix or rarely pure butane. The gases behave differently, and butane can damage or cause fires in a propane stove. The EU dealt with that by requiring stoves to handle the entire range of pressures and mix of gases, which is what you get with a CE approval. I don't personally use propane but if I did I would only buy a CE-approved stove, having seen a melted burner from using a propane/butane mix. Thermal shutoffs are not the only issue...

Greg

Good caution, thank you. I figured I'd need to swap the jets if I buy a household stove, but I'll look further into the whole issue of gas compatibility a bit more.

No plans to head to the US, but then, that's the whole joy of the cruising life... what plans?

[GILow]

Originally Posted by markcoulter

Albatross came to me with a Magic Chef three burner with oven stove. The oven has a thermocouple and pilot light, but the burners don’t. I like having the automatic oven temperature control, which a lot of marine stoves lack. There is a propane alarm connected to the propane solenoid mounted below the stove. Albatross is a trimaran, and I’ve never seen her heel as much as 10%, so I’m not concerned about gimbals.

Yes, I noticed a fair bit of frustration around marine ovens. I've yet to find one with a proper temperature dial. I've got by ok with the Mariner on my Swanson by learning where to set the dial for various cooking jobs, but I have no real idea of what temperature I'm using.

[CarinaPDX]

Originally Posted by GILow

Yes, I noticed a fair bit of frustration around marine ovens. I've yet to find one with a proper temperature dial. I've got by ok with the Mariner on my Swanson by learning where to set the dial for various cooking jobs, but I have no real idea of what temperature I'm using.

If your stove has a viewing glass in front then put a simple thermometer inside and check it occasionally. Without the glass just open the door briefly to read it. They are available in a small metal stand to set on a rack. My old Taylor's has a thermometer on the inside of the glass, held in place with a simple wire around it and then off to the side to a screw through the back of the door. Short of a thermostat that is about as good as it gets.

Greg