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Optimus Princess Alcohol Stove

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Ray4445
Deckhand

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USA
16 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/01/2018 : 19:40:27

Hi all, Finally getting to my two burner, 1980 original Catalina Optimus Princess pressurized stove and realize there are seals, parts that need to be replaced .
It works but one burner seems to have a leak at base of the burner and the plunger that you pump for pressure emits a white powder when pumped and will not stay all the way in with knob fully tightened.
Is there anywhere I can buy replacement parts or even anywhere I can send stove to be repaired? Thanks in advance!

Right now I feel like it's a time bomb.

REF

keats
Navigator

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USA
215 Posts

Response Posted - 08/01/2018 : 20:39:24

Not much help for the old curtain burner I'm afraid. It's pretty well established on this forum and elsewhere that replacement seals are not available. The white powder you are seeing is probably either corrosion or disintegrated packing.

As far as replacements, drop-in gimballed stoves can be pressurized (propane) or non-pressurized (alcohol). I went with alchohol and got a Dometic Origo 3000 which bolted right up and has served us well. I use propane only out in the cockpit on a Magma kettle.

Tim Keating
1985 C-25 TR/FK #4940
Midsummer
Lake Don Pedro, CA

Edited by - keats on 08/02/2018 00:57:40

Ray4445
Deckhand

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USA
16 Posts

Response Posted - 08/02/2018 : 07:44:52

Tim, do you know if the Origo will fit where the Oly Princess is now?
Are dimensions the same?

REF

keats
Navigator

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USA
215 Posts

Response Posted - 08/02/2018 : 09:47:36

quote:
Originally posted by Ray4445

Tim, do you know if the Origo will fit where the Oly Princess is now?

It fits pretty well as you can see Ray. The Origo comes with gimbal brackets and I think the width was perfect. It's been a couple of years but I think I may have had to remove a couple of pegs and I don't remember If I had to drill new holes or not. It was easy enough.

Maybe one advantage to propane is you get more control over the flame than you do with this type of stove, which uses a sliding damper to cover the flame. It's worked well for us though.

Tim Keating
1985 C-25 TR/FK #4940
Midsummer
Lake Don Pedro, CA

Peregrine
Admiral

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830 Posts

Response Posted - 08/03/2018 : 09:30:03

I tossed the "Curtain Burner" years ago. Didn't even leave it out for someone else to take. Thought it was too dangerous.
I use the burner above and it along with my cooking gear (pots and pans) fit below the cutting board where the old stove used to be. I made a false front that looks like a drawer to cover. Sorry no picture.

John Gisondi
Peregrine #4762

*

Ray4445
Deckhand

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USA
16 Posts

Response Posted - 08/03/2018 : 11:23:34

Thanks John and Tim, Looks like two good ideas!

REF

Ray4445
Deckhand

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USA
16 Posts

Response Posted - 08/03/2018 : 11:46:02

Thanks John and Tim, Looks like two good ideas!

REF

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5231 Posts

Response Posted - 08/03/2018 : 15:11:07

Wow Tim, so that�s what a proper galley looks like. Nice!

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

keats
Navigator

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USA
215 Posts

Response Posted - 08/03/2018 : 16:19:31

quote:
Originally posted by Voyager

Wow Tim, so that�s what a proper galley looks like. Nice!

Thanks, all my wife's doing. We have new carpet in since and cleaned up the teak. That's an off the shelf cutting board too. Just had a couple of notches routed on the bottom to fit the support pegs.

I tell people the boat is rigged for comfort!

Tim Keating
1985 C-25 TR/FK #4940
Midsummer
Lake Don Pedro, CA

islander
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3992 Posts

Response Posted - 08/03/2018 : 16:36:10

Rigged for comfort.... After sailing my interior looks more like a bomb was rigged inside. As I tell the wife when she hears something fall, It's a sailboat, Everything ends up on the floor

Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688
Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9013 Posts

Response Posted - 08/03/2018 : 19:46:44

I replaced the pressurized alcohol unit in Passage with the same 2-burner Origo--a drop-in, and much safer, but not cheap. On my current boat, I just use a portable butane stove like John's--it can be used in the galley or the cockpit, and cooks like gas (which it is). If you need more than one burner, get two--they are cheap! The butane canisters are more expensive than alcohol--you'll have to decide how that affects your overall budget.

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.