Alcohol Stove

We are selling our sailboat which has an alcohol stove and planning to purchase a trawler. Most of the trawlers we see have electric stoves yet some have propane. We spend most of our cruising time on the hook when we stop and I dont like to crank the genset just to boil a pot of water for coffee or pasta. I like using the alcohol stove rather than propane because of the flammable risks of propane but I dont see them on any other boats.
I know everyone has their own opinion on this and I would like some pros and cons on the matter or perhaps there are issues I am not aware of with electric or LP.

We added an Origo (Dometic) alcohol stove to our trawler and we love it for exactly the reasons you listed. Like you, we came from sailboats where I first came across one. After that, we removed the propane system out of our next boat and installed the Origo. Then when we bought the trawler we did the same. Personally I don't like having large amounts of propane on a boat. Electric stoves are fine but they require shore power or the genny.

Well, until you have tried cruising in a trawler with a genset, don't knock starting one up for 5 minutes to boil that pot of water. Starting a genset and letting it stabilize for a minute before adding power is all you have to do. Same thing, cut the load and let it cool down for a minute before stopping it.

But usually we let the genset run for 30 minutes or greater after the coffee to recharge the batteries. Same again at night to heat up the hot water tank for showers.

I would submit that the risks of propane are about as good/bad as the risks of alcohol. Alcohol burns with an almost invisible flame which can result in accidentally lighting a towel or something.

So look for the trawler that suits you. I suspect that you will come to rely on a genset if you have one not only for boiling that pot of water but for charging batteries, heating the hot water tank, or whatever.

I have owned both a trawler with a propane stove and a trawler with an electric stove and a genset. I much prefer the electric stove and genset. My first sailboat had an alcohol stove and that would be my last choice.

David

I had alcohol stoves in a couple sailboats, found them safe, but agonizingly slow. My current trawler has the Wallas Swedish diesel stove and oven. I'm very pleased with their performance and would buy them again.

We also come from a sailboat/alcohol life. A properly installed propane system is safe and much more convenient. Hoses need to be in good condition, an electric solenoid with a sniffer, tank placed where it won't fill cabin with gas if hose breaks, etc. all very basic safety items that any trawler would have. I would not go back to alcohol.

I do have a keurig for my morning coffee injection and genny is used for that.

The Dread Pirate Robert said:

We are selling our sailboat which has an alcohol stove and planning to purchase a trawler. Most of the trawlers we see have electric stoves yet some have propane. We spend most of our cruising time on the hook when we stop and I dont like to crank the genset just to boil a pot of water for coffee or pasta. I like using the alcohol stove rather than propane because of the flammable risks of propane but I dont see them on any other boats.

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We had alcohol once; found it to be useless.

With a genset, we can heat water, charge batteries, do major (electric) cooking all at once... so we generally do that twice/day. No down side, for us.

There's another option for quick boiled water for pasta, coffee, popcorn, TV, etc.: inverter with convection/microwave oven and maybe a small induction hob if necessary.

-Chris

+1 on the induction hob. I replaced a two element electric cook top on our last boat with a same sized induction top. Would boil water three times faster. Worked fine with the genset too. Don’t know how a MSW inverter would work though. Sine wave should be fine.


Here is a link to what I bought, <$300 on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019KZXVHE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1


David

My galley is all electric and no inverter to power it. Personally, I don't mind cranking up the genset to power the stove, microwave, etc. when away from shore power as the times when I want to do this are usually close to times where I'll want hot water for washing dishes or showering, so it lets the hot water re-heat while I'm in the galley, then it's ready to go afterwards.

I do tend to plan for cold lunches when away from the dock though, so genset runs are usually just morning and evening unless I have a need for it at another time or we get crazy hot weather where I want to run the A/C for a bit during the day while out.

I have never had an accident with propane. I was on a boat with an alcohol stove that had a potentially disastrous flare up. I would not buy an alcohol stove. If you have an electric galley get a one burner butane stove for on the hook, so that the first person up can quietly make coffee without waking everyone else.

I had an alcohol stove in an old Chris. SOOOO slow, very stinky getting it lit.Actually made my eyes burn. Love my properly installed propane stove. I have an old percolating coffee maker I use with the propane when I want some quiet time. otherwise if the genny is running or at a marina I use the drip through coffee maker. I also have a single burner butane stove that I occasionally take ashore at marinas to make sauce or pasta while the steaks are burning on the grill.

pete

BYNW said:

I have never had an accident with propane. I was on a boat with an alcohol stove that had a potentially disastrous flare up. I would not buy an alcohol stove. If you have an electric galley get a one burner butane stove for on the hook, so that the first person up can quietly make coffee without waking everyone else.

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Was this flare up on an old pressurized alcohol stove? If so that is a very different system.

The origo alcohol stoves are very simple and reliable but are pretty limited in function. They don't provide much heat, and the heat they provide cannot be even across a large or even medium size pan. They also require refilling pretty frequently (every third or other meal in my experience). They are suitable for occasional use but would be frustrating to live with on a daily basis. They are extremely easy to install but pricey for what they are (glorified Sterno cans). They will boil a pot of water, given enough time and are pleasant to use on a quiet morning, in that perfect secluded anchorage, as your freshly loaded French press awaits the hot water for your coffee. (then of course you step outside to find the anchorage filled up while you were sleeping, 3 pocket express cruisers surround you running swim platform mounted generators and the first wave of jetskis are pulling into the cove).

BYNW said:

I have never had an accident with propane. I was on a boat with an alcohol stove that had a potentially disastrous flare up. I would not buy an alcohol stove. If you have an electric galley get a one burner butane stove for on the hook, so that the first person up can quietly make coffee without waking everyone else.

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Most people do not ever have an accident with propane. But when there is an accident it is usually spectacular. I don’t have an issue with starting up the genset occasionally to do some cooking. As mentioned the batteries get charged and water gets heated at the same time.

I have used both pressurized and non-pressurized alcohol stoves. Regardless, they both involve pouring alcohol.

Prior to propane, many boats had compressed natural gas which offers the performance of propane while being lighter than air and not collecting in your bilge in the event of a leak, unfortunately getting a compressed natural gas bottle filled within walking distance to any marina is virtually impossible so the best systems became irrelevant and converted to propane.

The Dread Pirate Robert said:

We are selling our sailboat which has an alcohol stove and planning to purchase a trawler. Most of the trawlers we see have electric stoves yet some have propane. We spend most of our cruising time on the hook when we stop and I dont like to crank the genset just to boil a pot of water for coffee or pasta. I like using the alcohol stove rather than propane because of the flammable risks of propane but I dont see them on any other boats.
I know everyone has their own opinion on this and I would like some pros and cons on the matter or perhaps there are issues I am not aware of with electric or LP.

Click to expand...

I have personally observed two sailboats with alcohol galley stoves burn to the waterline.
Alcohol has been the source of ignition for many boat fires, due to the invisible nature of the flame.
Propane systems, when properly installed and used, are about as safe as electric, without the noise. Propane also cooks at a hotter temperature, so is somewhat more efficient.
Here is SW BC, propane is popular for both sail and power boats, with refills available almost everywhere.
Fires are more often caused by failed shore power connections than by choice of fuel.

We use an Origo single burner alcohol stove. Ours is the stand alone so it can be moved about and put right out of the way.
I won't argue about all the points above as they are valid.

However, if you want an Origo, they are good little units.

I do NOT use hardware store alcohol. What used to be known as Pressure Fuel has become impossible to find, at least here. I now use denatured alcohol or what used to be labelled as 2D alcohol . It burns cleaner, hotter than the typical hardware alcohol and odourless unless the cabin is shut tight and it runs a long time.

I also NEVER refuel inside the boat. At the very least I refuel the tank on the swim grid if at anchor or on the dock when tied up.

Alcohol as a stove fuel generally sucks which is why it has quickly disappeared from the boating scene. In the 70's I leased a Tanzer 26 sailboat from a buddy and I can still remember the complaints I got making a breakfast for four people. They thought I was a slow poke, but I said no - its the alcohol stove.

Just about every RV you have passed on the road until recently all had propane stoves, and propane fridges, loved the propane fridges. Most RV's still have propane but there is a movement over to electric as many are never used beyound an RV park with hook ups. Same as in boating, a movement to electric with the realization most boats dont anchor out.

If you use propane then you should have a gas sniffer installed low down and you are good to go.

I have a 2 burner non-pressurised alcohol stove and I find it works well for most cooking, but I also use a single burner butane stove when a hotter flame is required or when cooking a 3 pot meal.

I'd probably prefer propane or diesel, but electric would be the my last choice. Since I don't need a generator for A/C or battery charging, it's hardly worth installing a generator just for a stove.

Mine was pressurized. A real pain..

pete

Gdavid said:

ied Sterno cans). They will boil a pot of water, given enough time and are pleasant to use on a quiet morning, in that perfect secluded anchorage, as your freshly loaded French press awaits the hot water for your coffee. (then of course you step outside to find the anchorage filled up while you were sleeping, 3 pocket express cruisers surround you running swim platform mounted generators and the first wave of jetskis are pulling into the cove).

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There goes the neighborhood.

I run my microwave, when necessary, via the inverter if necessary. A 30 amp boat does have some electrical limitations. Doesn't take long to heat water for coffee. Throw a few switches and I take power from the microwave and send it to 120vt in the galley to make a pot of coffee.
Realize, I am not too proud to drink day old coffee or cheap wine.
I do have a couple of solar panels on top of the pilot house too.

Full time liveaboard/cruiser since 1994. Always propane with no problems.
Perfectly safe for people with an IQ greater than a can of baked beans.

Safe Boat Propane System Installation

I`ve used electric via genset,alcohol,and propane/LPG. Alcohol is slower and if you run dry refilling hot is unwise, but otherwise safe and simple to install and use. LPG requires an approved expert install,is hotter,faster, and pretty much trouble free,but check connections occasionally and have a flame fail safe cut off stove and or alarm system. Electric via genset is convenient and quick,you can multi purpose the electricity produced,but starting the genset to make tea or coffee seems overkill.
All are ok, all have pluses and minuses.
And for Dan, life is too short to drink cheap wine, though sometimes good wine can be cheap as well.

BruceK said:

And for Dan, life is too short to drink cheap wine, though sometimes good wine can be cheap as well.

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Cheap or expensive, the effect is the same, dancing naked on the table.

Echoing what AlaskaProf said, the Wallas diesel units are really, really nice. They have a ceramic cooktop, are quick, easy and safe to use, and can provide wonderful, dry heat for the cabin as well.

We have a traditional diesel cookstove which is fabulous, but it takes a while to warm up and always dumps a lot of heat into the boat, which isn't welcome in the warmer months. It is the warmest, driest heat ever, though, the standard galley stove of almost every fishing boat in the Pacific Northwest, western Canada and Alaska. Hereabouts, the wisdom is to light the diesel stove in September, and run it continuously through May.

Propane? It's as safe as the installation and owner. People all over the world use it, just like they do gasoline engines. The technology to do so safely is utterly simple. Downsides? Besides the special concern about propane's density when it escapes its tank, it releases tons of moisture into your boat, a product of combustion. We use a propane grill and single-burner stove outdoors, both mounted on our cockpit railing, our primary cooking spot in the summer. The previous owner had a butane burner for making coffee during the summer.

Electricity? I simply cannot relate on a pleasure boat. Sorry. I grew up cursing the thoughtless folks running loud gensets all evening in quiet anchorages, and just can't go to the dark side. Yeah, I know they're much quieter now. I won't cook on electricity at home and see no reason to on the boat, either. Microwaves? No thanks. Converting liquid or gaseous fuel to electricity to run a microwave makes no sense to me when the original fuel could heat the water/food much more simply, reliably and efficiently.

Alcohol? Had it on a Yankee 38 and absolutely hate the smell and anemic heat it generates. Yes, the modern Origo is far superior to the pressurized stoves, but it's a stupid fuel when one compares it to the alternatives. I feel the same about kerosene, which I had on my Bristol Channel Cutter for both cooking and heat. Never again.

Our first three or four boats all had Origo alcohol stoves in them. I thought they worked great. Hard to tell if they're lit in the daylight sometimes, but no complaints really. They put out plenty of heat.

Depending on the existing burner on your alcohol stove , you may be able to switch to kerosene.

Our 90/90 has a pair of Primus double gymboled burners that are quite hot -10-12,000BTU each and so economical that 5 gal of kero.will usually last a year of cruising.

Yes, it has to be pre heated with a bit of alcohol, but a pump spirits can makes that simple.

In a pinch you can burn diesel, or use your stove fuel for the engine with a quart of lube oil added to each 5 gal.

If you wish swap burners PM for instructions.

On our power boat we chose Propane for cooking as it is also used by the reefer , so we don't require a massive battery bank, or a noisemaker.

With out ocean crossing abilities , the US and Canada share propane bottle hookups , so the hassle of refilling are nonexistent.

I've had boats w pressurized and non-pressurized alcohol stoves but never liked them. We had a safety rule that if it was lit it had to be tended 100% of the time... very inconvenient and didn't like the safety or lack of it.
Added a stand alone Butane single burner and loved it... hot, fast, safe (lighter than air) and burner could easily be taken ashore when desired.
Current boat has a quiet gender that we typically run for AM coffee /best and PM dinner. Batty charging adequate w that schedule.
I make it a habit to inquire w neighboring boats (while running in PM) if we are anchored or tied to a lock wall, etc if the object to an early AM gen run for coffee. All indicated that no objection as noise was almost non-existant.
If any objection we would break out the single burner butane and maintain good neighbor relations.

Robert: Since your home port is in FL IMO you will learn to love the genny when it powers your air-conditioning.

BYNW said:

If you have an electric galley get a one burner butane stove for on the hook, so that the first person up can quietly make coffee without waking everyone else.

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Pete Meisinger said:

I have an old percolating coffee maker I use with the propane when I want some quiet time.

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Yep, that reminds me on an earlier boat (with no inverter) we often used a percolator on a propane grill in the cockpit to make quiet early morning coffee, too.

Could have done that with water for pasta, or steaming veggies, too.

-Chris