Alcohol stoves in use?

[downeast450]

We still have the original Homestrand 2 burner alcohol stove in our 1976, I-28. Are a lot of folks still cooking breakfast with alcohol? We are thinking about replacing it with propane.

Down

[cmp1110]

I still use ours regularly

[Cruiser2B]

We do, Origo 4000. Since we are in no rush we figure the added safety of alcohol is worth the few extra minutes of cooking time. We will be putting in an Origo 6000 Stove before long. One thing that helps is a cast iron skillet, once that is hot, cooking time really is the same as cooking at home. just takes a bit longer for the skillet to heat up.

[norsearayder]

i used mine for years,2011 i got a new non pressurized origo,works great,more heat and no warm up mode.i did not get the propane for fear of heavyier than air gas..i have a commercial natural&propane lisence and have seen alot of heavy gas

[downeast450]

Cast iron works! Ha!

[4arch]

A 1976 original stove is almost certainly pressurized alcohol. Not too many people are using them anymore. But plenty of people are still using non-pressurized alcohol such as the Origo mentioned above.

As for propane, it can be difficult to retrofit a proper installation onto a boat that wasn't designed for it in the first place, especially for boats 30' and under. I'd strongly consider it if I lived aboard, but as a weekend warrior/daysailer, the NP alcohol works fine as long as it's used properly.

[fordo]

The PO replaced the pressurized stove with an Origo. At first I planned to convert to propane but the installation would have been really difficult, retro-fitting a thirty foot Tartan. As I started to use the Origo I found that it was much faster than I expected, and cooked very well.

ABYC standards require a dedicated locker sealed off from the inside of the boat with a vent out though the hull that is lower than that of the botton of the locker. Its very tough to arrange that in a 30' hull.

[Hudsonian]

We still use a pressurized alcohol stove and have come to associate the roar of the burners and peculiar sweet aroma with cruising. A butane lighter is very helpful.

[Squidd]

Tell me more about the cast Iron..... I run NP alcohol but have been using thin/lightweight aluminum pots and pans for quick heat transfer, thinking the Iron would never heat up...?

At home we use almost exclusive CI and have several "pot/oven" dishes we'd like to try on the boat but were afraid they would never get cooked...??

[downeast450]

I cooked breakfast this morning on my pressurized alcohol stove. A 10 cup ss percolator and a 10" well seasoned CI frying pan. Flare ups? Minor. I know how this thing works. Hot fresh coffee, sausage links an egg and a "fried english muffin in 20 minutes. The CI pan added a little heat, too.

I brought it ashore yesterday to see if the rebuild kits I have for it were necessary and install them. 4 machine screws and it went into a garbage bag for the trip back to the dock. It sputtered a little at high setting but the thing went right to work. It hasn't been used for three seasons and we are hoping for a fall cruise. I cooked my dinner and made coffee on it last night. A little slower than the kitchen gas stove but slowing down is the point.

Are there any other "problems" with these pressurized stoves besides possible flare ups when getting them started? Why are the non pressurized alcohol stoves an upgrade?