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 Beware the alcohol stove (boat fire story)		  New Topic  Topic Locked
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JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts
Initially Posted - 10/21/2003 :  18:19:11  Show Profile  Visit JimB517's Homepage
Check out this story about a 28 foot fishing boat that burned and sank in Ensenada (just south of San Diego).

http://www.thelog.com/news/newsview.asp?c=78694

<img src="http://www.indiscipline.org/cat25/pictures/icon.jpg" border=0>Indiscipline 1978 FK #398
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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts
Response Posted - 10/21/2003 :  22:03:08  Show Profile
Clearly, 'tweren't an Origo.

Dave Bristle - 1985 C-25 #5032 SR-FK-Dinette-Honda "Passage" on the hard in SW CT
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RichardG
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts
Response Posted - 10/21/2003 :  22:04:56  Show Profile
I read that article too. I wonder if it was the pressurized, Princess curtain-burner (which would be my guess, since fuel was coming out of the filler cap), or was it another type (since the Princess usually comes with a stainless steel catch basin under the stove, at least on our boats)?

<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3ce26b3127cce8ff91ad9f9d90000001010" border=0>


Edited by - RichardG on 10/21/2003 22:07:12
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Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts
Response Posted - 10/21/2003 :  22:08:23  Show Profile  Visit Oscar's Homepage
Whassan Origo?

Oscar
250WB#618 Lady Kay on the Chesapeake
<img src="http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/Images/familypics/Forumshots/Glitter2.JPG" border=0>
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lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts
Response Posted - 10/22/2003 :  01:54:21  Show Profile
<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
Whassan Origo?

Oscar
250WB#618 Lady Kay on the Chesapeake
<img src="http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/Images/familypics/Forumshots/Glitter2.JPG" border=0>


<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

The Origo 3000 is a non-pressurized, absorption-burner stove, much safer than the pressurized "curtain burner" stove that comes with the Catalina 25. The only problem with the Origo is that by nature of the fuel tank design, there is a constant loss of fuel through evaporation, especially in the hot summer months when most people are using their boat. I would guess that of every gallon of alcohol you put into an Origo 3000, you lose at least 10% per week by evaporation. It wouldn't matter so much if alcohol were only $1.50/gallon like gasoline, but at $8.50/gallon at Home Depot, or $10.00/gallon at West Marine, it hurts to think of how much stove fuel you lose out of an Origo. Last year, at the beginning of the season (April 1st), I filled my Origo to the brim and put on a new seal gasket. 6 weekends later, which was the next time I used the stove, the tank was practically empty and I had to put in nearly a full quart to top off the left side tank (I usually only use one tank to limit the loss of fuel).
I have pretty much abandoned both of the alcohol stoves I have and usually use a Coleman 2-burner propane camp stove on the boat. The 16 ounce propane bottles are cheap, last several weekends for the minimal amount of boat cooking I do, and they are also used to fuel the boat barbeque when I bring steaks or chicken for dinner. I store the propane in the portside cockpit tray, so if it leaks, it just runs out the cockpit drains or blows away, and doesn't become an explosion hazard inside the boat.

Larry Charlot
Catalina 25WK/TR Mk. IV #5857 "Quiet Time"
Folsom Lake, CA
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JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts
Response Posted - 10/22/2003 :  10:23:20  Show Profile  Visit JimB517's Homepage
I also use the 2 burner Coleman propane stove, plus a propane barbeque. I think the little cylinders are safe, especially if stored outside.

<img src="http://www.indiscipline.org/cat25/pictures/icon.jpg" border=0>Indiscipline 1978 FK #398
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coach
Navigator

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USA
231 Posts
Response Posted - 10/22/2003 :  12:31:34  Show Profile


We also use a Coleman 2 burner stove. I like the fact that I can turn
the propane off and on and unhook it from the stove when not in use.

It just feels like safer using this type of stove than an alcohol stove.



"Yes I am a pirate, 200 years to late" J.Buffet
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ronrryan
Admiral

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USA
561 Posts
Response Posted - 10/22/2003 :  21:31:43  Show Profile
Over many (more than fifty) years on the water, probably thirty-five cruising, I have encountered three fires on board, and observed two more from afar. All were shockers to me, who grew up in an era when a coal or wood ("solid fuel") stove was a customary fixture in New England waters. These fires were caused by alcohol stoves, with their nearly invisible flame, "flaring" up and igniting --yes, the curtains--or something nearby, and setting off the whole outfit unless immediate remediation ensued. I was involved in putting out two of these fires at docks where we were visiting. I think Pat and I got used to being skilled and careful in early boats when we had kerosene "Primus" stoves, which had to be primed with alcohol until the burners were ready to vaporize the fuel, and then worked perfectly, indeed, were so hat you needed spacers under the pots to get a simmer. Nowadays we cruise much less, and use the butane canisters that are silly for extended cruisers, but fine for dabblers like us. I had a sailboat for many years wherein I took out the alcohol stove and put in a drop-in Origo, which was quite satisfactory for weekending, might have been less so for real cruising. Alcohol pressure stoves are fine for folks who WILL follow guidelines and learn to have the patience and skill to use them properly. For all others they are a fire waiting to happen. When I taught seamanship for the Power Squadron, I would say "The Coast Guard requires alcohol stoves because they are so easy to put out with water. On the other hand, their statistics indicate that eighty percont of boat fires are caused by alcohol stoves. Go Figure!" God bless all here, ron srsk Orion SW FL (on the hard, at the moment)
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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.