I have a hunter 33 1980 and have original alcohol stove. My wife and I want to change over to propane. Has anyone done this and if so where and how to install the tanks? any pictures also appreciated.
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Mike Knight
I did it in a '80 H33
We have a Hunter dealer hear in Jacksonville (Whitney's Marine) who installed my propane stove and oven. The fuel tank locker was installed in the rear compartment behind the helm. It works fine. The important thing is to make sure the tank locker is vented properly. The rig I have has several saftery features, too. All of my details are on the boat, so I will respond later with the manufacturer, size, etc. Good luck!
We have a Hunter dealer hear in Jacksonville (Whitney's Marine) who installed my propane stove and oven. The fuel tank locker was installed in the rear compartment behind the helm. It works fine. The important thing is to make sure the tank locker is vented properly. The rig I have has several saftery features, too. All of my details are on the boat, so I will respond later with the manufacturer, size, etc. Good luck!
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Doug
Is upgrade the right word?
Remember that you have the safest stove available. It is not pressurized, no gas to collect in bildge and it is easy to fill and maintain. Propane needs to have bottle in sealed propane "box" that vents to outside in case of leaks. Between the tanks (high quality a must for marine env), valves, built in locker with outside vent (the box), plumbing, detector (so you can evacuate your boat prior to exploding) and regulator you are looking at about $800-900.00 not including the stove itself (about another $800.00 if you want oven too). I know this because we looked into it a while ago. When I discovered the stock 2 burner with oven Origo stainless unit we have lists for $1,900.00 I decided that it what we really need for our boat. I talked to some experts on the subject and when I leaned how many boats are destroyed from propane (gas is heavier than air so it collects in the bildge where it is hard to smell, that is why high quality detector is so important)I decided with my wife and toddler on board I would stick to the safer way of cooking. We have also gone to kerosene cabin heat with a force 10 bulkhead mounted unit. Just a view from the opposite side. Doug
Remember that you have the safest stove available. It is not pressurized, no gas to collect in bildge and it is easy to fill and maintain. Propane needs to have bottle in sealed propane "box" that vents to outside in case of leaks. Between the tanks (high quality a must for marine env), valves, built in locker with outside vent (the box), plumbing, detector (so you can evacuate your boat prior to exploding) and regulator you are looking at about $800-900.00 not including the stove itself (about another $800.00 if you want oven too). I know this because we looked into it a while ago. When I discovered the stock 2 burner with oven Origo stainless unit we have lists for $1,900.00 I decided that it what we really need for our boat. I talked to some experts on the subject and when I leaned how many boats are destroyed from propane (gas is heavier than air so it collects in the bildge where it is hard to smell, that is why high quality detector is so important)I decided with my wife and toddler on board I would stick to the safer way of cooking. We have also gone to kerosene cabin heat with a force 10 bulkhead mounted unit. Just a view from the opposite side. Doug
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Mike Knight
Alcohol, believe it or not, is very dangerous.
Alcohol stoves, especially preasurized, can be as dangerous as propane. Alcohol flames are almost invisible and when it leaks it can be extremely dangerous. I had a galley fire due to alcohol leaking out. It was hard to attack the fire because the flames were very hard to see. Until I saw one of the galley curtains flare up, it was hard to determine where to begin fighting the fire. Our propane stove and oven have been a lot easier to operate, and are dependable and predictable. And, by-the-way, my installation cost was not as expensive as Doug quoted. The locker was a package deal, with tank and switches. Most of the boats in our area have gone to propane or an equivalent type.
Alcohol stoves, especially preasurized, can be as dangerous as propane. Alcohol flames are almost invisible and when it leaks it can be extremely dangerous. I had a galley fire due to alcohol leaking out. It was hard to attack the fire because the flames were very hard to see. Until I saw one of the galley curtains flare up, it was hard to determine where to begin fighting the fire. Our propane stove and oven have been a lot easier to operate, and are dependable and predictable. And, by-the-way, my installation cost was not as expensive as Doug quoted. The locker was a package deal, with tank and switches. Most of the boats in our area have gone to propane or an equivalent type.
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Don
Propane stove
I tossed tho old alcahol stove & installed a two burner propane with oven and grill. The biggest problem was where to put the propane tank. I didn't want to install it in the stern locker or cut a hole someplace for a propane locker. I eventually decided to mount a 6# aluminum bottle on the stern rail just port of the ladder. Drilled a hole for the fuel line topside into the stern locker & ran the hose behind the moulding trim along the port hull & dropped it down where the old alcohol bottle was located, to the new stove. I installed a cut-off gas valve inside the cabinet over the stove. Works great! Don
I tossed tho old alcahol stove & installed a two burner propane with oven and grill. The biggest problem was where to put the propane tank. I didn't want to install it in the stern locker or cut a hole someplace for a propane locker. I eventually decided to mount a 6# aluminum bottle on the stern rail just port of the ladder. Drilled a hole for the fuel line topside into the stern locker & ran the hose behind the moulding trim along the port hull & dropped it down where the old alcohol bottle was located, to the new stove. I installed a cut-off gas valve inside the cabinet over the stove. Works great! Don
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Bill lockridge
Thanks
If I didn't have this forum to ask these questions I would never feel comfortable doing these things. You guys have helped tremendously. I am leaning toward the stern rail mount myself with a prefab box. My wife is still apprehensive as we read in Latitude 38 this month that there was a 43 foot Columbia for sale for 5000 dollars due to propane explosion. So the battle is now with her and the kids safety. I agree that installed properly and the right sensors in the bilge propane is safe. The hardest is whether alcohol is that unsafe. Thanks again and if any pistures or other info please feel free to email me lockjr@pacbell.net. All responses have helped a lot for me.
If I didn't have this forum to ask these questions I would never feel comfortable doing these things. You guys have helped tremendously. I am leaning toward the stern rail mount myself with a prefab box. My wife is still apprehensive as we read in Latitude 38 this month that there was a 43 foot Columbia for sale for 5000 dollars due to propane explosion. So the battle is now with her and the kids safety. I agree that installed properly and the right sensors in the bilge propane is safe. The hardest is whether alcohol is that unsafe. Thanks again and if any pistures or other info please feel free to email me lockjr@pacbell.net. All responses have helped a lot for me.
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Tim Schaaf
Origo
Here is another vote for the Origo NON-pressurized alcohol stove. It works very well and does not have the danger of the original pressurized Kenyon. I opted for the two burner stove top and strapped a small microwave underdneath...gimbals and works great on the inverter (I have large battery banks.) But, if you go with propane, the six pound propane tank drops perfectly into a stainless steel fender holder(!) which is easily mounted on the stern rail.Very safe and it doesn't look bad at all....dirt simple to install. Actually, I know a guy who has four tanks mounted like that! I wound up with the Origo, the microwave, and the propane tank to run the barbeque/oven...talk about options! Seriously, it all works out pretty well and spreads the cooking and the cooking heat.
Here is another vote for the Origo NON-pressurized alcohol stove. It works very well and does not have the danger of the original pressurized Kenyon. I opted for the two burner stove top and strapped a small microwave underdneath...gimbals and works great on the inverter (I have large battery banks.) But, if you go with propane, the six pound propane tank drops perfectly into a stainless steel fender holder(!) which is easily mounted on the stern rail.Very safe and it doesn't look bad at all....dirt simple to install. Actually, I know a guy who has four tanks mounted like that! I wound up with the Origo, the microwave, and the propane tank to run the barbeque/oven...talk about options! Seriously, it all works out pretty well and spreads the cooking and the cooking heat.
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R.W.Landau
alcohol
The non-pressurized is a plus. Alcohol will not accumulate in the bilge and a fire can be fought with water. That won't work with propane. Though the tank is mounted out side or in a locker,a faulty valve or an accidental bump of a stove knob could flood the cabin with propane. I bumped a pressurized alcohol stove on my way to the deck and came back down about twenty minutes later. The stove liner had about a 1/4" of alcohol in a pond on a three burner stove. it was cleaned up in ten minutes with paper towels which were then dowsed with water.The situation though thought provoking, was over. Had this been a propane stove an we were motoring, it would have emptied the propane bottle into the bilge. r.w.landau
The non-pressurized is a plus. Alcohol will not accumulate in the bilge and a fire can be fought with water. That won't work with propane. Though the tank is mounted out side or in a locker,a faulty valve or an accidental bump of a stove knob could flood the cabin with propane. I bumped a pressurized alcohol stove on my way to the deck and came back down about twenty minutes later. The stove liner had about a 1/4" of alcohol in a pond on a three burner stove. it was cleaned up in ten minutes with paper towels which were then dowsed with water.The situation though thought provoking, was over. Had this been a propane stove an we were motoring, it would have emptied the propane bottle into the bilge. r.w.landau
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