How do you make coffee?

markpierce said:

I don't drink coffee unless someone else makes it. At most, consume 24 cups a year. Most people seem to be addicted. Awful to think much generator usage is due to coffee drinking.

Click to expand...

I'm in your camp, Mark. I only drink coffee when I think I need a "kick" to keep driving at night or get going in the morning (like getting up at oh-dark-thirty to go steelhead fishing in February and you know you're not going to get a bite until 2 in the afternoon) and I usually don't drink it at all unless it's cold outside. The only coffee I drink is a double espresso because that's the strongest the coffee joints have. I actually don't like the taste of coffee very much--- I can tell good coffee from bad but it's not a taste I care for.

The whole coffee addiction is bizarre to me, particularly the people who take twenty minutes to describe what they want to the barista ("....and put the sprinkles on the side so I can put them on myself.")

And I think Starbuck's coffee tastes like absolute crap. Very bitter and acidic, nothing redeeming about it at all except it's handy.

Beijing on this last trip had some surprisingly good local coffee house chains, and I've had coffee I "liked" in Vienna and Dubai although that may have had more to do with the ambiance than the coffee itself. And there are some local coffee brands in the Puget Sound area that do a good job.

But most of the time I have no desire for the stuff. There are plenty of drinks I do have a desire for, but coffee's not one of them.

Does anyone have experience with powering one of those counter top induction stoves, as advertised endlessly on TV , from a cheap Chop Chop inverter?

If any generator owners out there are former sailors and think they should be run only when the boat is bought and sold...well good luck.

Having spent as much time working on generators as main engines on many boats, I think the expression 'use it or lose it" is very appropriate.

I believe in being polite and a good neighbors but as I said before...many complainers of generator users have boating habits that are just are just as annoying or disturbing.

Exactly!
My 27 year old Onan manual clearly states to work your generator monthly if not used often.

psneeld said:

If any generator owners out there are former sailors and think they should be run only when the boat is bought and sold...well good luck.

Having spent as much time working on generators as main engines on many boats, I think the expression 'use it or lose it" is very appropriate.

I believe in being polite and a good neighbors but as I said before...many complainers of generator users have boating habits that are just are just as annoying or disturbing.

Click to expand...

FF said:

Does anyone have experience with powering one of those counter top induction stoves, as advertised endlessly on TV , from a cheap Chop Chop inverter?

Click to expand...

I haven't seen the advertisement, but in general, electric heat consumes a lot of powert. I'm not sure what you mean by a "cheap Chop Chop inverter", but you're probably going to need an 1800 watt (minimum) inverter and a battery bank sufficient to power it without a significant voltage drop.

"Cheap" is relative of course, but I don't think you will be able to call what you need to operate an electric stove "cheap".

Gulfstar 36 said:

Exactly!
My 27 year old Onan manual clearly states to work your generator monthly if not used often.

Click to expand...

A land based standby generator usually has an automatic exercise program that operates the generator under load for at least fifteen minutes once a week.

I'm taliking about installed generators, not the ones you store in your garage and bring out once a year when there's a power failure.

FF -

I do not have an inverter on board, but my induction cooktop is 1300W (max power), 15 Amps. I run it off my 110 circuit, either shore power or generator, on a 15A breaker and 20A switch.

dvd

rwidman said:

You realize, I hope, that some people in the South don't even have air conditioning in their homes. And our service men and women don't have it in their tents in Iraq and Afganistan.

No doubt it's nice to have, but a requirement?

Click to expand...

Years ago I had a 30' cabin cruiser that we kept in PC Beach FL. It didn't have AC. When tied to the dock it sucked till it cooled off enough in the evening, which generally meant the wee hours of the morning. Anchored out it cooled off rather nicely most nights after sunset. Mainly because you would swing into the wind and get a decent airflow through the boat. We mostly stayed topside and under the bimini to stay cool.

We use a Kuerig one cup at at ime..easy to use underway...

DT

OK, we boil the water in a kettle on our diesel stove or on our Origo one burner alcohol stove, make the coffee using rediground from a can, drip into a carafe and when that turns cold reheat the stuff not always missing the boil so then have to add a bit of water to deaden the sharp taste.

MMMMMMM

How about someone anchoring too close, then Bi*ching about generator noise.
It never has happened to me but is an interesting scenario.
Steve

Do y'all use flavors? I am hooked on Bailey's. The real thing on weekends, but they have a non-alcohol version for during the week. Finally was able to find pumpkin flavor this week. Been waiting for that. Yummy!

"How about someone anchoring too close"

Back in the 70's the folks with zero experience could rent steel house boats to cruise St Thomas & St Johns.

The boats suffered from almost zero maint , and almost everything on the boats were hooked to a demand start generator. No muffler installed.

When the charter folks would use the head , the noisemaker would start to flush the head.
The house refrigerator added to the noisemaker night time run time.

The only charts aboard were table place mats , and the "captains" were told to anchor by the sailboats , as there would be water enough.

Dentists from the mid west thought parking 2 or 3 car spaces away was fine.

Our technique , upon seeing one of these horrors enter the harbor was to strip bare ass.

As soon as they saw bare everything , all would decide the other side of the harbor was preferred.

40 years later , by bare body would probably send them to a different harbor !!

But it works to give swing room!! /

FF

FF said:

"How about someone anchoring too close"

Back in the 70's the folks with zero experience could rent steel house boats to cruise St Thomas & St Johns.

The boats suffered from almost zero maint , and almost everything on the boats were hooked to a demand start generator. No muffler installed.

When the charter folks would use the head , the noisemaker would start to flush the head.
The house refrigerator added to the noisemaker night time run time.

The only charts aboard were table place mats , and the "captains" were told to anchor by the sailboats , as there would be water enough.

Dentists from the mid west thought parking 2 or 3 car spaces away was fine.

Our technique , upon seeing one of these horrors enter the harbor was to strip bare ass.

As soon as they saw bare everything , all would decide the other side of the harbor was preferred.

40 years later , by bare body would probably send them to a different harbor !!

But it works to give swing room!! /

FF

Click to expand...

Fred - That is too freaking funny! A couple named Fred and Flo Plout, owners of a 35' 1948 Elco, would do similar... Flo was a kick - she had big ones and loved to flip em out to freak other boaters out. Fred was a comedian too. Is it just in the name "Fred"??? No derogatory intended...

In 60's whenever we hooked in LI, NY south shore's protected bays, i.e. Zacks Bay, Gilgo Cove, Short Beach... etc) there were nearly always toooo many boats at anchor or in rafting composites. Largest raft I remember (in Zacks Bay) was some 36 boats of the South Shore Power Squadron during a 4th O' July rendezvous... They were rafted in two semi circles, with transoms back to back, and the four end boats tied to each others’ outside transom cleats with huge fenders at adjoining transom edge. This was before holding tanks!! OMG I remember the "pool of water" created between these two semicircle rafts - Putrid is one word! Again, OMG!! Anyway, I was a teenager and had a 13'3" 1961 Boston Whaler with a 1964 40 hp Johnson o/b... to set the anchors of new rafters coming along was fun and made me 2 bucks or more a pop. In mid 1960's, at $2 bucks a pop and setting some 15 anchors... well, let's just say my two 6 gal gas tanks were always filled and there was plenty of soda/beer/munchies in my cooler, usually with a pretty chick aboard from a boat in the raft... helping me set the anchors! Those were one set of DAYS!! In My Life - lol

Art said:

Fred - That is too freaking funny! A coup Largest raft I remember (in Zacks Bay) was some 36 boats of the South Shore Power Squadron during a 4th O' July rendezvous... They were rafted in two semi circles, with transoms back to back, and the four end boats tied to each others’ outside transom cleats with huge fenders at adjoining transom edge. This was before holding tanks!! OMG I remember the "pool of water" created between these two semicircle rafts - Putrid is one word! Again, OMG!! Anyway, I was a teenager and had a 13'3" 1961 Boston Whaler with a 1964 40 hp Johnson o/b... to set the anchors of new rafters coming along was fun and made me 2 bucks or more a pop. In mid 1960's, at $2 bucks a pop and setting some 15 anchors... well, let's just say my two 6 gal gas tanks were always filled and there was plenty of soda/beer/munchies in my cooler, usually with a pretty chick aboard from a boat in the raft... helping me set the anchors! Those were one set of DAYS!! In My Life - lol

Click to expand...

Art, I think those cute chicks of the 60s have changed. If most Squadrons or Flotillas are like the ones I know, they are still members; and have moprhed in to something quite different.

Moonstruck said:

Art, I think those cute chicks of the 60s have changed. If most Squadrons or Flotillas are like the ones I know, they are still members; and have moprhed in to something quite different.

Click to expand...

Ya Think!!??!! But... of course, not me!!

dvd said:

. . . . . but if I want to "run silent" early in the morning, I heat water on the one burner butane stove (cartridges stored on deck).

dvd

Click to expand...

I wish to thank dvd for posting this. I ordered a very similar unit with 12 canister butane refills for about $40.00. As I am an early riser, it is a great solution to my morning coffee on the boat. I no longer disturb the sleep of anyone by moving about the galley. I make the coffee on the wet bar located on the helm deck. Use a Mellita drip filter for a cup at a time. I am happy, and everyone else can sleep in.

Glad I could be of help. My one-burner unit now lives up on the flybridge of my new PDQ powercat (the Newburyport is under contract) waiting for us to get far enough south for early AM coffee al fresco.

dvd

dvd said:

Glad I could be of help. My one-burner unit now lives up on the flybridge of my new PDQ powercat (the Newburyport is under contract) waiting for us to get far enough south for early AM coffee al fresco.

dvd

Click to expand...

Congrats on the new boat, but perhaps more on the contract on your Newburyport. Come on down, the weather is fine. Don't forget the Saturday morning Farmers Market at Fort Pierce City Marina. Hope we see you there.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I don't have an inverter or propane. Has anyone tried 12 volt appliances like these?

Power Hunt 12-Volt High Performance Appliances

captrigney said:

Happy Thanksgiving!

I don't have an inverter or propane. Has anyone tried 12 volt appliances like these?

Power Hunt 12-Volt High Performance Appliances

Click to expand...

That is interesting. I would not trust the 12 volt wiring on my boat to carry that much current. Could work with proper set up. If you try it let us know how it works.

captrigney said:

Happy Thanksgiving!

I don't have an inverter or propane. Has anyone tried 12 volt appliances like these?

Power Hunt 12-Volt High Performance Appliances

Click to expand...

I remember being at a West Marine store years ago and on the shelf where 12 volt coffee makers were displayed was a sign stating "These are very slow."

I don't know if the ones in the link are any better, but it's difficult to produce a lot of heat from 12 volts DC without also heating the wires supplying the appliance.

Greetings,
Currently (oops), I have no need for such apparatae but Mr. Moonstruck, the Power Hunt company requires heavier wiring for the use of their products. I see no reason other than less than adequate battery power why they wouldn't work.
Cost for the overall package does seem quite pricey (~$100) for a one purpose (coffee brewing) kit.
As has been suggested by Mr. dvd, THIS, for $20 may be the way to go...

Portable Butane Stove | Gas | Camping Stove

I have actually cooked a vegetable stir-fry using one of these on a friends boat and it turned out quite nicely..Thank you very much...I've been considering getting one for the house to use in the back yard so I don't stink up the place up when I make my 35 garlic clove sauteed weasel gizzards.

Portable Butane Stove Explosion failure analysis and accident reconstruction

Well here we go again, installing blow up butane, propane, alcohol etc powered stuff on a diesel boat that we chose over a "more dangerous" gas powered vessel.

Greetings,
Thank you VERY much for posting that report Mr. captrigney. It's really too bad there wasn't a definitive cause for the failure other than the speculative "cause". Mr. sunchaser's point is noted. I suspect the use of this device simply means more due diligence.

Too bad about the butane stove. Sounded like a good solution. I was just starting to crave some weasel gizzards.

Captrigney, thanks for posting that info. It certainly gives cause for thought, and diligence.

GonzoF1 said:

Curious how the group makes its morning Joe on the hook? I installed an inverter for the purpose of being able to make coffee easily, and while it does do it, it really drags down the batteries by registering an 80A drag and pulls them down to 11, or so, volts during the process. Sure, I could boil water on the Magma grill and use the coffee press, but that's not easy or quick. So the question stands on its own merit. What is your best way to make coffee at anchor?

Tom-

Click to expand...

its a challenge. First of all i am very particular about coffee and have experimented with many ways for onboard java. I've even used the Jura Capresso espresso machine and it makes suburb coffee via the inverter or generator. However, I have developed a less expensive energy wise way of making crema coffee that people search me out for. This method requires a ceramic burr grinder to grind the beans, a french press, and a small electric kettle. The french press on a propane stove wotks as well as the electric kettle and is faster. Reciepe: Fill your coffee cup with water then pour into the pot and heat to boiling. While this is going on put some beans in your grinder and turn the dial to 6-8 cups. Grind beans pour all into press wait one minute press plunger down and serve. You will create an 8 ounce cup with the primo foam on top just like at the best coffee shops. Yes it takes lots of coffee.
My favorite cup: Do as above but use 16oz water. When water boils put 8oz into empty 16oz coffee glass. put ground coffee into french press. Pour out hot water and add 4-6 oz hole milk to the empty hot glass. Stir in one spoonful of raw colombian coffee nibs and one spoonful of honey. Press down press plunger and add the 8 oz of coffee to glass with milk nibs honey and serve. This drink properly prepared keeps em commin back<smile>

I suppose diligence is warranted, but so is common sense:

Another explosion

This incident sounds a lot like the first. They wouldn't have put that portable burner on top of the hot grill after it ran out of propane, would they? There's pretty conclusive evidence that a secondary source of heat/combustion is needed for something like this to occur.

dvd