Hi all, I just bought a 77 Columbia 32' with a crusty looking alcohol stove/oven. Can I bring it back to life? I'm in Marina Del Rey, CA. Any repair people I should know about?
Alcohol Stove Help Needed.
- Thread starter SeanMorey
- Start date
- Status
Sean:
Do yourself a favor. You probably have a pressurized alcohol stove. You easiest swap out would be a an Origo. You best (not easiest or cheapest) choice would be propane. I suggest that you DO NOT mess with pressurized alcohol.
Do yourself a favor. You probably have a pressurized alcohol stove. You easiest swap out would be a an Origo. You best (not easiest or cheapest) choice would be propane. I suggest that you DO NOT mess with pressurized alcohol.
Repair People
I know George Biddle. 310-305-8924. If he can't do it he will know who can. Also, pick up a copy of the Mariner which is available around the walkways. George is in there as are a lot of good local vendors. I saw a 32 brought back to pristine condition a few years ago. Pretty boat. Check Del Rey Diesel for engines new or used. Good luck.
I know George Biddle. 310-305-8924. If he can't do it he will know who can. Also, pick up a copy of the Mariner which is available around the walkways. George is in there as are a lot of good local vendors. I saw a 32 brought back to pristine condition a few years ago. Pretty boat. Check Del Rey Diesel for engines new or used. Good luck.
I have a Princess stove (Optimus I think. Or maybe Origo), pressurized alcohol. One burner worked OK and the other not at all, even after a disassembly and cleaning. Everything else on the stove was just fine, the tank held pressure and it was pretty clean for an '81, so I got ahold of A&H Enterprises (www.packstoves.net) and got a new burner. Aroung $70 I think. When I fired the new one up I realized the old one worked but not very well, so I went ahead and replaced that one too. Probably shouldn't have spent that much but I've never had a problem with it. Besides, I tend to like keeping things stock.
A lot of people really dislike them but for my purposes it's not worth the expense to go propane. I'm just real careful on how much fuel I use to preheat so it doesn't flare up too much.
So get the model of your stove and give those folks a call. They were real helpful to me.
A lot of people really dislike them but for my purposes it's not worth the expense to go propane. I'm just real careful on how much fuel I use to preheat so it doesn't flare up too much.
So get the model of your stove and give those folks a call. They were real helpful to me.
I always thought it would be fun to host a competition at a boat show about lighting a pressurized alcohol stove. You could set up a line of them with curtains 8 inches above and time who can light their's the fastest. If you set the curtains on fire you're disqualified.
I have one in the basement. It needs a rebuild of the burners but it can be anyone's for the cost of shipping.
I have one in the basement. It needs a rebuild of the burners but it can be anyone's for the cost of shipping.
Matt:
The beauty of the Origo is that they are NOT pressurized. Some of these old pressurized stoves can be converted to propane.
The beauty of the Origo is that they are NOT pressurized. Some of these old pressurized stoves can be converted to propane.
First determine what you got before jumping to conclusions. There are some very good alternatives to pressurized alcohol but I would not jump and recommend one without knowing your type of sailing or cooking needs. Some people don't care for oven while others will not do without them. A stove with electrical burners is a solution for some liveaboards. Others sail only with a microwave oven. I personally like propane but the cost of retrofitting an older boat is indeed a considerable factor. Origo makes some very nice 1 burner and 2 burner non-pressurized alcohol stoves. There are also in the market 1 burner Butane cannister stoves. I would stay away from non-marine stoves for safety issues. Do your homework and choose the stove type best for you.
Hi Sean,
Before you throw out the pressurized alcohol stove, answer some simple questions:
Have you ever used a camp stove?
Will yours hold pressure?
Do the knobs turn?
Is the hose in good shape?
I found directions on how to light ours inside the oven door and have tried several methods. The easiest is a quick open and close of the valve so that only a teaspoon or so fills the wick (cup) under the burner. Use one of those butane grill starters with the long end to light it. Have a spray bottle with water handy to dilute the alcohol if the flames get too big, they really shouldn't. I've also found a 4 ounce plastic bottle with a flip top can control the amount of starter alcohol you use to get it going. If you have released too much alcohol before you started the flame, just let it all evaporate.
We use stainless pots and a teflon griddle for cooking and they work fine. The only problem I could see is if the control valves have been worn so that you can't fine tune the flame. Listen to the other guys if yours is already a piece of junk. Good luck.
All U Get
Before you throw out the pressurized alcohol stove, answer some simple questions:
Have you ever used a camp stove?
Will yours hold pressure?
Do the knobs turn?
Is the hose in good shape?
I found directions on how to light ours inside the oven door and have tried several methods. The easiest is a quick open and close of the valve so that only a teaspoon or so fills the wick (cup) under the burner. Use one of those butane grill starters with the long end to light it. Have a spray bottle with water handy to dilute the alcohol if the flames get too big, they really shouldn't. I've also found a 4 ounce plastic bottle with a flip top can control the amount of starter alcohol you use to get it going. If you have released too much alcohol before you started the flame, just let it all evaporate.
We use stainless pots and a teflon griddle for cooking and they work fine. The only problem I could see is if the control valves have been worn so that you can't fine tune the flame. Listen to the other guys if yours is already a piece of junk. Good luck.
All U Get
done that
I replaced a pressurize alcohol with an Origo. Loved it. Extremely simple to change it out. I just used stainless sheet metal screws and screwed it to the same insert as the old stove. I now have propane with an oven, in 12 years never used the oven, never even tried to light it. Waste of space. I'm thinking of yanking it, and just getting an Origo. I can use the extra space for a small fridge or Microwave.
I replaced a pressurize alcohol with an Origo. Loved it. Extremely simple to change it out. I just used stainless sheet metal screws and screwed it to the same insert as the old stove. I now have propane with an oven, in 12 years never used the oven, never even tried to light it. Waste of space. I'm thinking of yanking it, and just getting an Origo. I can use the extra space for a small fridge or Microwave.
I second the Origo (or third or fourth, ect.) Our last boat had a pressurized alcohol stove that was a real bear. I replaced it with a simple two burner camp stove that used the small canisters of propane. Many people will jump all over that decision but I always unscrewed the canister after each use outside the boat.
Now we have a different boat that came with an Origo 2 burner with a stove and I have to say that the oven is great if you use it. Fresh, warm cookies while at anchor on a cool, foggy day... it doesn't get much better. Hot biscuits and gravy for breakfast...Man I miss my boat!
Now we have a different boat that came with an Origo 2 burner with a stove and I have to say that the oven is great if you use it. Fresh, warm cookies while at anchor on a cool, foggy day... it doesn't get much better. Hot biscuits and gravy for breakfast...Man I miss my boat!
Old pressure type stoves
My vintage 1975 P26W came with the original equipment 2 burner pressure stove. I agree with "All You Get" The secret to using a pressurized stove without a flare up is about the amount of alcohol in the cup. 1 Make sure you dont use to much 2 Do not attempt to llight the stove until all the alcohol in the cup has burned off or evaporated. Most of the big flame ups come from turning the burner on or trying to light it while there is still alcohol in the cup 3 When you turn the burner on after the burn off look for liquid b4 you light it. If you see any liquid or bubbles dont light the stove start over. 4 And finally when you turn the burner on to
light the stove start very low. Once the stove is going u can turn up the flame carefully.
Make sure to clean the burners regularly. Ive used a pressure stoves for many years and with the exception of my first couple of attemps have had no flare ups. Sure If I needed a new stove today I would probably buy a gravity feed but for now the old pressure stove works fine. Ive also got an old sea swing stove that Ive had for about 40 years. You dont see these any more. Mine works with a can of sterno. Its efficient, and simple to use while under way
My vintage 1975 P26W came with the original equipment 2 burner pressure stove. I agree with "All You Get" The secret to using a pressurized stove without a flare up is about the amount of alcohol in the cup. 1 Make sure you dont use to much 2 Do not attempt to llight the stove until all the alcohol in the cup has burned off or evaporated. Most of the big flame ups come from turning the burner on or trying to light it while there is still alcohol in the cup 3 When you turn the burner on after the burn off look for liquid b4 you light it. If you see any liquid or bubbles dont light the stove start over. 4 And finally when you turn the burner on to
light the stove start very low. Once the stove is going u can turn up the flame carefully.
Make sure to clean the burners regularly. Ive used a pressure stoves for many years and with the exception of my first couple of attemps have had no flare ups. Sure If I needed a new stove today I would probably buy a gravity feed but for now the old pressure stove works fine. Ive also got an old sea swing stove that Ive had for about 40 years. You dont see these any more. Mine works with a can of sterno. Its efficient, and simple to use while under way
Jibes...
here's a conversion to think about. Origo 6000 removed, stovetop (essentially a 4000) taken off it and reused in a custom mounting platform. Small 1.5 cube dorm-type fridge set in the space below...
here's a conversion to think about. Origo 6000 removed, stovetop (essentially a 4000) taken off it and reused in a custom mounting platform. Small 1.5 cube dorm-type fridge set in the space below...
Attachments
fire!
Get an Origo! We used our pressurized Kenyon alcohol stove for 10 years with no problems, then it happened: Anchored out in a favorite spot, I was boiling water and alcohol suddenly shot up past the check valve under the pump and the alcohol stream (under pressure) immediately ignited. In a matter of seconds, it burned right thru a heavy, soaked towel I threw on it. This was a large fire in a very small galley. I put it out with a fire extinguisher and what a mess to clean up! We were lucky that extinguisher worked. I could not reach the water to throw on it due to the size of the fire. Installed a new Origo non-pressurized stove a few days later and love it.
Hi, Rick - I live in Biloxi, MS and have an RF-246 Rosborough for sale & am trying to locate a copy of the Mariner so that I can place an ad in it re my boat. Would you happen to have a phone number or other point of contact that might help me? Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Wayne Roch
228-697-1110
Yet another Origo vote
I 4th, or 5th the Origo. Very predictable & safe...I set my curtains and eyebrows alight with a pressurized stove on my first boat (C22). The Origo boils a pan of water quicker than I would have thought. I have the Origo 6000...the cooktop works great...I dont think the oven works worth a damn tho.
bueno suerte
-Steve
I 4th, or 5th the Origo. Very predictable & safe...I set my curtains and eyebrows alight with a pressurized stove on my first boat (C22). The Origo boils a pan of water quicker than I would have thought. I have the Origo 6000...the cooktop works great...I dont think the oven works worth a damn tho.
bueno suerte
-Steve
- Status