Butane stoves

dockgoody · Dec 27, 2011

Doc Nixon said:
I am considering buying a single burner butane stove for my galley. Has anyone used one of these? What did you think of it? Can anyone recommend a reliable one? How long does a cannister of butane last? Are there any special precautions concerning use and storage of butane cannisters? Are there better alternatives for a galley stove used on one or two days sailing trips? Thanks! Doc

I have one as an auxillary but I use it a lot. A few suggestions..get a decent one with at least 10,000btu. There is a big difference between some of the cheaper ones on ebay (about 7500 btu) and the next level up when your trying t6o cook. A cannister lasts quite a while (depending of course on how much you're cooking) I generally carry 1 spare and its worked fine. In general you can get a decent stove for around $40-50 and I'm not aware of too many cheaper alternatives. The other nice thing about these stoved in they come in their own carrying case (about the size of a portable drill case) and it makes for easy storage.

Photo Bug · Dec 27, 2011

I like mine a lot. I use it on my C-30 and I have one at home. On hot days you can move it outside and not heat up the cabin. I have been through the expensive ones and the cheep ones. I have decided that the cheep ones are the best bet for me. The all last about 2 to 3 years on a sailboat. If you can find a stainless one it might last longer but I would not bet on it. Now for the good tip. You can get a good one in an oriental food store for around $12. to $15. buckeroos (that is cheeper than a glass of wine). Most of them have 4 or 5 packs of canisters for around $5. buckeroos.

LooseDiamond · Dec 28, 2011

I have had a stainless 2 burner coleman for 5 years now. Use it exclusively in the cockpit to make coffee and cook. Never a problem. Keep an extra cannister, but one is good for 4-6 meals (estimated). It has held up well, burners still in good condition. It is kept on boat in salt water environs...

GorillaToast · Dec 28, 2011

Are you guys that have Coleman stoves using butane or propane for fuel? I've seen both types. I've also seen duel fuel stoves that can use gasoline as well. Since I'm beginning to research which stove to buy for next spring, I'd welcome any experienced info.

Thanks,
Bill

Bilbo · Dec 28, 2011

I've been using a Coleman Propane stove that has a grill and a one burner. It works fine and is fairly easy to transport. If I'm careful, I use less than one of the small cannisters per year. The catch is that it's not so easy to use on the boat if it's wavy because things can roll and slide on the burners or grill. It should be used in the cockpit instead of down below because it can leak a small amount of LP when the fuel is attached. Cleaning the teflon coated grill is a pain ...but that's life. One thing that I really wish that it had was a more graduated valve knob. It feels like it's either on full or off.

jfrench · Dec 28, 2011

I'll recommend that you stay away from the Coleman gasoline stoves for onboard use. They rely on the owner to hand pump pressure into the gas tank in order that the fuel can atomize correctly. When the pressure begins to go down, the flame blossoms into a higher, dirty yellow flame. If this happens when your back is turned, you might light off curtains, etc. Also, refilling the one quart gas tank through the 5/8" filler hole is not a safe activity on a rocking deck. Finally, the stoves can be a bit finicky as they get carbon buildup and wear on their valves. I had one experience where a Coleman gas stove lit off with a 12" high flame. Luckily I was outdoors and could simply step back a little and think through getting the fuel shut off.

Propane creates water vapor when burned. It will have dew hanging on your cabin walls after cooking a meal. In the RV world, propane appliances are externally vented, and stoves have a forced-air hood over them to exhaust the water vapor.

Ken · Dec 28, 2011

I had one of the Coleman single burner propane stoves but shelved it in favor of the butane. My friends call them the "Korean stoves" in fact it's the stove that comes with (or did) the factory on the MKII. Stowing the butane is far easier and safer than the propane. I still use propane with the grill and heater (when temperature drops) but it's stored on the rail in a bag that hold the tanks upright. Back to stowing, propane will gather at the lowest point in the boat should you have a leak while the butane will rise.

On a side note; a few years ago while in some very rough conditions we had one of three tanks stowed in a bag blow the pressure relief value, for a while we didn't know what happened later we saw the hole in the bag. Never seen one do that before, hadn't even heard of it...... Sure got our attention!!!

Bilbo · Dec 28, 2011

We used to camp with the coleman (white gas) stoves and mantle lanterns. Although, I'd not recommend them for onboard, We didn't have many problems with them as long as they were kept up. This included making sure that the hand pump worked properly. As with any sort of a flame, they are just a tad dangerous and you need to know the issues of fuel safety. Propane is heavier than air as Ken has mentioned. It has caused boats as well as houses to go up like a bomb of there is a leak inside of an enclosed area. For that matter, they moved the outboard gasoline storage to an outside locker on the new styles to remove or reduce the toxic and flammable cabin fumes issues.

GorillaToast · Dec 29, 2011

Thanks guys. That's the kind of first-hand knowlege I was looking for.

Sounds like butane is the way to go, although most bigger boats use alcohol, don't they?

shipwreck66 · Dec 29, 2011

I took the original bulky two-burner stove out and now use a single butane, love it. lites when you turn the knob, stows away in a case. Wish I'd had it on my C22.

Eman · Dec 31, 2011

We use the same Coleman 2-burner stove that we use for car camping. One canister will last 2 of us a weekend of coffee boiling water, etc. But, as others have said, stash another 1 or 2 and you'll be set in case you run into Bobby Flay and he challenges you to a throwdown... :dance: