Grill for my 38E - Magma, Weber Q, others?

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TrawlerGreg

TrawlerGreg

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Joined
Sep 17, 2022
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We Are!
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Helmsman 38E Pilothouse
Hello -
Coming up on one year anniversary of ownership and going to add a grill to our 38E this Spring. We have a great SeaWise davit system (off the swim platform) so thinking of not placing the grill in cockpit, but up on our large and open flybridge (on the stainless).

Alright Helmsman Universe: What do you suggest in terms of grill options. 90% of the time it will be me and my wife so not grilling for 10 folks. Thinking Magma Kettle. Many I'm sure will say Weber Q series that I can stow away after grilling, but doesn't that get gross over time?? (I do have the fold up table in the cockpit.)

Thanks in advance!
Greg
 
Serial Magma Catalina 2 owners. Moved it down to the cockpit from the flybridge because it was so far from the flybridge to the galley where the real work is. Lots of options out there. Congrats on your one year anniversary. Great boat, eh?
 
Hydraulicjump said:
Serial Magma Catalina 2 owners. Moved it down to the cockpit from the flybridge because it was so far from the flybridge to the galley where the real work is. Lots of options out there. Congrats on your one year anniversary. Great boat, eh?
Click to expand...
Thanks for the reply and Yes, it's a great boat.. really enjoying it. 500 hours on the Cummins since July.
 
We bought the new Magna Monterey 2 Infrared and we love it. nice even heat, the infared allows less issues with wind and the screens catch most of the droppings and allow them to burn off, so the catch pan down the bottom hardly ever needs tending.
Bud
 
I mounted my Q on a piece of starboard and attach it to the rail with a grill mount from kuma. I leave it there full time except for big open water crossings. Had a magma before the q. It’s no grosser than the magma was, cooks A LOT better, costs less and has held up to corrosion better.
To be fair though, I juiced up my Q with an adjustable external regulator and added lid thermometer. If I crank it up to the higher settings it will hit 600 degrees, even in the wind, in about five minutes. It will also go way down low for slow grilling. The magma is pretty (until the surface rust starts) but mine wouldn’t perform anywhere ear as well as my “super q.”
 
I have a Weber q1200 on the cockpit rail using some magma clamps and square stainless tubing I adapted. I’ve owned three magma grills, still have a kettle in my garage, and the Q is much much better in every regard. Sorry about the pic, best I have on my phone I think
IMG_0135.jpeg
 
The kettles aren’t even and are pretty small. Our Catalina is much better.
 
It sounds like the Magmas may have improved? The ones I’ve had it the past were awful if there was any wind and just couldn’t build heat. Dickinsons are much better in my experience. But this dates back probably 10 years.
 
One thing I'd do is to see if you can plumb it into your propane system. It make sit much easier to use.
 
This is the unit. Accept no substitutes.

www.blazegrills.com

Blaze Marine Grade 316L Professional LUX "Take It or Leave It" Portable Grill - Blaze Grills

The Blaze Marine Grade Portable Grill is the perfect grilling tool for people who want to bring their portable grill on or off shore.
www.blazegrills.com www.blazegrills.com

You’ll need this if you want to mount it on a rail:

Silverback Marine BGM-01 | Fisheries Supply

Save More on Your Silverback Marine #BGM-01 SBM BGM-01 BLAZE MOUNTING PLATE SS at Fisheries Supply. Excellent Customer Service, Ready to Ship. Marine Supplies Since 1928!
www.fisheriessupply.com www.fisheriessupply.com
 
My experience is similar to @twistedtree. Every Magma I've owned or used sucked. Uneven cooking, lousy in the wind, expensive replacement parts and generally not worth the premium price.

I had one no-name brand which looked similar to the Blaze linked above. Much better than the Magmas, but still temperamental in wind.

I now have a Weber Q and would never go back.
 
I have the Magma Newport 2 infrared. It has prodeuced grill marks on a medium rare steak. Mounted in the cockpit. It is the first one that wind has not been an issue, probably as it is shielded by the cabin.
Love the infrared for even cooking.
 
The Blaze doesn’t care about the wind. It has a heavy gauge grate that retains heat and makes great grill marks. It has a removable grease catch to keep everything clean. If Ultra or Mantus made a grill, this would be it.
 
Before we went all electric (sob...)with the current boat, the LPG Magma Kettle used to amaze me how well it cooked and imparted bbq char flavor to steaks etc. I miss it....
 
We are all electric too on the Maritimo. I miss the Blaze grill on the Nordic Tug. But there is nowhere to put one in the current boat.
 
These responses are great.. really thankful!
 
We like the Blaze Marine portable. It’s made of 316 stainless and very nicely build compared to Magma’s, which we have also owned. You’ll have to design a mount or mount on a stainless post (Blaze sells one but you can have one easily made by a metal shop).https://www.blazegrills.com/product/blaze-marine-grade-316l-professional-portable-grill/
 
Here is our Blaze portable 316 stainless marine BBQ on a stainless post. Works great in the wind gets as hot as you will ever want. Blaze is a higher end home brand that make 2 models in 316 marine stainless - one of the very few that do.
1742754482868.jpeg
 
We’ve been very happy with the Dickinson Spitfire on the aft lower rail of a gb 42 eu. Magma on prior boat was finicky. Weber makes a great grill, those Qs are bigger than the spitfire and no really elegant way to mount for us. We got a bigger propane tank so no more green disposables. Works great.
 
I just re-did my Q1200 setup with a Weber stand that locks the grill to the stand.

54365138107_6776276c9a_c.jpg


In addition I secured the stand with angle and the tank with a 5/16 eye bolt to the rails with Bimini hardware.

54366408080_ac32b6ebf5_c.jpg
 
Our last boat had the gas grill up on the fly bridge. Why? That is where all the rain and wind is and it is as far away from the galley as you can get. Lots of back and forth with plates of food. New boat has grill in cockpit where you have the fold up table. Very protected and close to dining area. Dinghy should not be a problem unless you are cooking with coal. (famous last words ha ha)
 
Last edited:
I too had a lot of issues with magma grills. Ended up with the Bunker Up Grill.
So far - works like a charm

bunkerupfishin.com

Stainless Steel Boat Grill with Rod Holder Mount

DURABLE AND LONG-LASTING - Our Boat Grill is constructed with 100% stainless steel, ensuring a lasting investment boating endeavors. This portable propane grill resists corrosion, making it great for outdoor use. MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY - With an adjustable bracket for a 360-degree movement, this...
bunkerupfishin.com bunkerupfishin.com
 
kernie said:
I too had a lot of issues with magma grills. Ended up with the Bunker Up Grill.
So far - works like a charm

bunkerupfishin.com

Stainless Steel Boat Grill with Rod Holder Mount

DURABLE AND LONG-LASTING - Our Boat Grill is constructed with 100% stainless steel, ensuring a lasting investment boating endeavors. This portable propane grill resists corrosion, making it great for outdoor use. MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY - With an adjustable bracket for a 360-degree movement, this...
bunkerupfishin.com bunkerupfishin.com
Click to expand...
HI, went from Dickinson to a Weber Q and have not had a single regret !!
Cheers J.T.
 
No doubt there's something out there better but I can't say we're unhappy at all with our Magma grill. It wasn't expensive and it's lasted at least 5 years so far in a saltwater environment, although we do keep it covered when not in use. I don't ever recall wind being an issue but then again, we use it while we're at anchor mostly and the grill is in the back of the boat and protected by the superstructure.
 
TrawlerGreg said:
Hello -
Coming up on one year anniversary of ownership and going to add a grill to our 38E this Spring. We have a great SeaWise davit system (off the swim platform) so thinking of not placing the grill in cockpit, but up on our large and open flybridge (on the stainless).

Alright Helmsman Universe: What do you suggest in terms of grill options. 90% of the time it will be me and my wife so not grilling for 10 folks. Thinking Magma Kettle. Many I'm sure will say Weber Q series that I can stow away after grilling, but doesn't that get gross over time?? (I do have the fold up table in the cockpit.)

Thanks in advance!
Greg
Click to expand...
Greg, Magma grills are spendy to me. We went with the BunkerUp as it was several hundred dollars less with the warming grill and as large as the largest Magma.
Happy BBQ'n!! 😎
 

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