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Any ideas on replacing the alcohol stove?

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Walt
1st Mate

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USA
37 Posts

Initially Posted - 11/12/2002 : 19:39:41

I just purchased a C25 Tall Rig and my better half says it must have a good working galley. I am assuming the original stove is in place. I have heard some war stories about the alcohol models.
Anyone have ideas?

Thanks in advance

Walt

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 11/12/2002 : 20:07:48

Walt,

Congratulations on the C25 purchase, I hope you have a ton of fun with it. Anyway, I have an original alcohol stove and I haven't had any problems with it yet. If you don't like the original pressurized stove, you could install an Origo non-pressurized alcohol stove. From what I hear they are pretty good although you are still dealing with alcohol heat. It appears that a popular option is to convert the old alcohol stove to propane. A few of the people on this forum have done so, and posted the procedure. The following is from those posts,...

"...what's the scoop on going to propane? Are we talking yanking the whole thing out or is there some kind of super secret adapter?" - Richard Craig

Richard,

This is how Adam Fishman did it,...

Catalina Stove Conversion - Alcohol to Propane
Submitted by Adam Fishman

Parts Lists

2 Scout Century stoves
2 Brass Hipressure M Throwaway - M X 1/4 Male Pipe
3 1/4 inch street elbows
2 Flare union 3/8 inch X 1/4 female pipe
3 Flare union 3/8 inch X 1/4 male pipe
Swivel Nut 3/8
2 Flare Nuts 3/8
3/8 copper pipe
2 brass Elbows
1 Brass 3/8 T female
6 foot hose
Pipe dope, all the joints except the flare
Assorted brass washesrs as spacers

Remove the old guts of the Alcohol Stove, keeping the Nobs and Extenders with hairpins. Go to a sheet metal shop that works with stainless steel, and grind the 1/4 inch holes to aproximately 1 ", (Enough room for just 2 Brass Hipressure M Throwaway - M X 1/4 Male Pipe but not too large so to keep the hex end from going through -have them hand while it is ground to fit well) where the old alochol burers were, to the size required for the fittings to screw in to the regulator. I added 2 washers below, to tighten regulator to the Hipressure M Throwaway Pipe

<img src="http://www.netstores.com/~adam/Catalinastove/P1010097.jpg" border=0>

Remove the plastic nobs off the century stove (I used a pliers to hold valve and wiggle them off), and then file the end an 1/8 inch smaller to allow the old extenders to slip on tightly, then drill the hole through for the hairpin.
<img src="http://www.netstores.com/~adam/Catalinastove/P1010100.jpg" border=0>

Go to a propane parts store, that does tubing, and they should have most of the other parts. Show them the picture and have them make the connectors to fit, and the copper tubing, with correct fittings, so it can be tested for no leaks.
<img src="http://www.netstores.com/~adam/Catalinastove/P1010098.jpg" border=0>

I added a hose that can come out below the stove (the front plate comes off) and I can put a bottle on the floor. In the future I am looking to add a tank off the back of the boat, but want to be sure that I can have a sniffer installed for safety.
<img src="http://www.netstores.com/~adam/Catalinastove/Underneath.close.jpg" border=0>

And this is how Douglass did it,...

I did the stove upgrade today. A few trips to the hardware store and Im done. Two hours tops. I used a dremel tool and a stone bit to open up the burner mount holes. Did it diferently than the previous post and it was easy.
<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b2db38b3127cce9d89f8b538120000003410" border=0>
<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b2db38b3127cce9d89f9fcf9f30000003410" border=0>

Don Lucier, 'North Star'
Catalina

Edited by - dlucier on 11/12/2002 20:15:23

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Ed Montague
Captain

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USA
499 Posts

Response Posted - 11/13/2002 : 01:26:22

Walt, I had the same problem with the wife. She set the curtains on fire the first time she used the original stove. So I converted it to propane just like Don. That worked fine until one of our friends on the lake with a houseboat served us cheese cake that he had produced in his wonderful floating kitchen. That went over as a challenge to my wife who is well known for her fabulous cheese cakes. So last winter I started looking for a propane stove/oven combo. Got a huge shock at what the cost of baking a cheese cake on our C25 would be. Then one of my dock mates told me about the annual Berkeley Yacht Club Swap Meet (that's Berkeley, California on the San Francisco Bay). I found the perfect size and price in a used unit. If you have any major marinas near you then chances are you can find a simular opportunity.
<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b2d820b3127cce9e413b8e10e40000001410" border=0>

Ed Montague on 'Yahoo'
1978 #765 SK, Stnd, Dinette ~_/)~

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rcraig
1st Mate

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USA
28 Posts

Response Posted - 11/13/2002 : 08:48:46

Walt,
Am currently in process of gathering the hardware to make the conversion shown in the pix. Looked to be about the best & most efficient way to go. The stove idea is interesting, but I bake more than the first mate, so I don't know who would be left to run the boat !!

Good luck & you're gonna love this forum !!

Richard C

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RichardG
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 11/13/2002 : 14:07:30

"Long live the curtain burner!"

RichardG 81 C25 SR/FK "Sanity"

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LOREN SOUERS
Navigator

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USA
100 Posts

Response Posted - 11/13/2002 : 16:21:41

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
I just purchased a C25 Tall Rig and my better half says it must have a good working galley. I am assuming the original stove is in place. I have heard some war stories about the alcohol models.
Anyone have ideas?

Thanks in advance

Walt

<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>

Walt,
It depends on how much cooking you and your wife want to do on the boat. My wife loves to cook, and is a very good cook, but she never wanted to do real difficult things on the boat. So a stove without an oven is fine for us. The stoves with ovens are REALLY expensive.
We had what was, I believe, an Origo 3000 on our previous boat, a Person 28. That is an alcohol stove. It was just fine for cooking, and the alcohol is very clean. Alcohol stoves are common on sailing vessels because of their relative safety. I suggest reading some of BoatUS's notes on the various fuels for cooking aboard. Usually, use of propane requires the propane tank(s) to be outboard because of risk of leaks. Also, I recall it is usually recommended you turn off the propane line coming inboard when not in use. You don't have to do all that with alcohol. This spring, I found an alcohol stove through this site and bought it for my C25. Very happy.
You might give the alcohol stove a try before spending the $$ to replace it. Then, do as you will.

Loren Souers, skipper
Nimue, The Lady of the Lake

Edited by - on

mqp
1st Mate

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USA
46 Posts

Response Posted - 11/13/2002 : 17:09:18

The alcohol stove aren't difficult when you get the hang of it. I had lots of practice with my white gas camping stove, so I find that alcohol is relatively easy to use. Just remember to keep your hand on the control knob when priming, so you can turn it off quickly in the event of a flair up.

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John G-
Admiral

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793 Posts

Response Posted - 11/13/2002 : 17:18:40

Walt – Somewhere I saw a post that said the owner pulled the curtain burner out and used the space for storage. He bought a [url="http://store1.yimg.com/I/frontiersurvival_1714_212932"] single burner butane stove.[/url] These stoves are made by Coleman, Tokai, Glowmaster and the Asian brand shown in the link above. They run from $20 - $60 and the canisters are $2-$3 a piece and burn for about 2 hours. I need the boat units that an Origo costs for solar panels, a new forestay, new halyards, etc. So next season I'll be cooking on a butane stove and keeping my new curtains that Mom sewed shipshape. <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>
Underlined words are a HOT link.
 

[url="http://www.peregrinefund.org/"]<img src="http://www.peregrinefund.org/images/intro_mid_image.GIF" border=0>[/url]
 John G- "PEREGRINE" C25-#4762 FK

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Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 11/13/2002 : 18:41:30

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>... propane requires the tank be outboard ... turn off the propane line coming inboard when not in use.<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>I'm just finishing up the pressure alcohol to propane conversion as described previously. My parts list was slightly different, but the whole process went smoothly, and more or less as described by others. I will be using the 1.lb throw away propane canisters, stored and used in the stbd. cockpit locker of my 1979 C-25. That locker is small, and easily sealed off from the interior of the hull.

A problem I've run into involves the shutoff valve at the tank. I tried a brass 1/4"NPT needle valve with T-handle from Ace Hardware, but it doesn't seal well enough to put out the stove burner flame. I waited long enough that I'm certain I'm not just burning off residual pressure in the line.

Does anyone have any other suggestions for an inexpensive, compact, readily available, marine duty, propane compatible, manual cutoff valve? I will of course also unscrew the propane canister between meals when the stove is not in use. I plan to use the shutoff valve primarily as a safety feature to allow the stove to safely burn off the pressurized gas remaining in the line so as to not create an explosive cloud when the tank is disconnected.

As fire hazards go, propane makes my skin crawl, even though I'm not a smoker.

-- Leon Sisson

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Walt
1st Mate

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USA
37 Posts

Response Posted - 11/13/2002 : 20:34:05

Thanks for all of the quick responses. Looks like a great conversion. The problem is the stove in the C25 doesn't look like the one in the conversion article (fantastic photo work). If I remember correctly looking down from the top I think you can see all the way to the bottom, looked hollow in there. There was also some small square pads (about an inch or so, and about an eight inch thick) that smelled like it was used to lite the stove some way. These pads were laying all around the stove. The boat is arriving tommorrow, close to 500 miles away at this time. I can then check it out closer or take photos of it. It is sitting in the usual place velcroed down...

Thanks again for your help

Walt

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Earl Landers
Navigator

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USA
157 Posts

Response Posted - 11/14/2002 : 10:59:27

John G,
Those single burner propane stoves are regularly available at the weekend swap meet here for about $10 to $12 with the case. Four cans of fuel go for $5. They look just like the Wsest Marine $64.99 model and when they break or rust away, just go get a new one!
Earl Landers

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OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 11/14/2002 : 13:35:50

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
Does anyone have any other suggestions for an inexpensive, compact, readily available, marine duty, propane compatible, manual cutoff valve? I will of course also unscrew the propane canister between meals when the stove is not in use.
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>
Leon,
I acquired all of my propane specific fittings from Paulin. Ask for their propane fittings parts list which has a drawing and description for each item. Willoughby (Cleveland,) OH 1.800.760.1957. If you tell them it's for your company you'll get the parts at wholesale.

Just for a little different perspective - I'm using an 11lb tank (costs $5.50 to fill) in the lazarette with a 6' hose. I use the shut-off valve that comes with the tank. I too close this valve when shutting down the stove. I also bought a "Reserve Gas Adapter" that allows me to adapt a 1 lb. tank to the hose in the event the 11 lb. runs empty.

Good luck

Edited by - on

ronrryan
Admiral

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USA
561 Posts

Response Posted - 11/14/2002 : 21:00:53

Two boats we used pressure kerosene. Very good cooker, really hot, so hot we regularly had to use asbestos pads to slow it down for simmer. Used alcohol pressure on three boats, same deal as kerosene to prime, mate (admiral) thought it a great pain to prime, I got very good at it but agreed. We switched to propane camp stoves on next boats, super easy to use and ver satisfactory, we ALWAYS !!!! turned off at tank, then at stove, then stowed canisters outside in a venting locker or area. Next we tried butane single burner as our cruising got shorter, and I wired one boat up for elecgric cause we are at ther dock often now. If you are going on short weekend cruises and reheating frozen stews, doing breakfast atc, the single burner butane stoves are a great buy IMHO. I just removed Orions curtain cooker today. Intend replacing it with butane. Fair winds, Ron #2343 Orion SW FL srsk

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 11/14/2002 : 22:22:28

Here's a vote for Origo--the non-perssurized alcohol stove. I removed the "curtain burner" and put one in immediately after buying the boat. Simple and safe. It isn't a gourmet's kitchen tool, but it does what we need, and I don't have to think about it. Your needs may vary... I have no connection to or interest in the company.

Dave Bristle - 1985 C-25 #5032 SR-FK-Dinette-Honda "Passage" in SW CT

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n/a
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163 Posts

Response Posted - 11/15/2002 : 08:29:40

If you want to bake on a stove top, pick up an old, heavy aluminum pressure cooker at a tag sale. Remove the gasket from the cover, and don't put the pressure regulator on the cover spout. With a rack in the bottom it makes a very good baking unit. P.S., one can make a pretty good quick bread using self-rising flour and a bottle of beer! Now I use my stern-mounted, Propane BBQ: set the pan on the grill, close the cover, and regulate the temp. with the cover vent. Happy baking.

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