Johnny Noble Deck Fitting

[Quetzalsailor]

In the shared details department, I include a description of a LeComte North East 38 fireplace stack fitting and wonder about other boats of the day. Presumably LeComte-built Challengers had the same fitting.

Our fitting is a welded-up stainless flanged thing. It has a bit of pipe extending down outside the pipe leading down to the fireplace; the outer edge of the flange is turned up about 1". When needed, the johnny noble is stuck onto a bit of pipe extending up about 1 1/4". Normally, the smoke pipe is capped with a heavy stainless lid held on by gravity and a friction fit.

The two upturned features means that the fitting can hold water about 1" deep. Do you suppose this is to be filled with water to keep the deck around the stack fitting cool? Otherwise, why would they not have drilled the upturned flange to drain?

 

[Quetzalsailor]

Well, I posted this same query on the Classic Plastic site and an informed correspondent answered. The little gutter is indeed for keeping the stack fitting cool. Here's a site she cited for marine stoves describing their fitting:

http://www.marinestove.com/Accessories.htm

Now, all we have to do is remember to go on deck during that cold, howling gale and put the water in!

 

[TomY]

Interesting. The one on my boat is threaded

to screw in the flue, or a standard 3" bronze deck plate. There is a recess around the plate that could be designed for a water resevoir but I've never used it. The plate seems to dissapate the heat to keep the wood cool.

The stack top is built of a SS cylinder, about 4" in diameter with a top and held off the 3" vent to allow smoke to go up, down and out. Also, it's quite long, stands about 2 feet above deck. Because the stack has a threaded base, that is welded to the stack, it's very strong. The plate would rip out of the deck first. With 6 through bolts, that would take some force.

There's alot of metal work on these old boats like the Challenger and LeComte that must have been subcontracted out. I wonder who Molich had do the metal bending, welding, forming and casting of some bronze parts?

I enjoy the craftsmenship of this old fireplace nearly as much as the warmth. The top I had built locally looks like a sore thumb compared to the nicely formed ash drawer or the perfectly welded and finished SS flue pipe.

 

[Whit]

Any worry of scorching the main? I always tie the boom off to starboard, but continue to worry about a stray spark. Depending on what I burn, I've thrown a bucketful on the sailcover when initally lighting. I have though about lowering the height of the pipe on deck. She seems to draw well enough. I've laid in a nice supply of red oak flooring scraps that burn nicely. If I rember to set up the night before, I can get the fireplace going without getting out of the bunk.

 

[TomY]

Hi Whit, I've had no problems scorching the main in several years of use. Of course I'm sure it's well furled especially around the stack area.

We just used it for the first time this season a week or so ago. Tied to a hurricane mooring up in Perrys Creek off Vinalhaven Island, the morning had that fall crispness to it. What a wonderful thing those little fireplaces are onboard! I find the draft is mostly a problem at start up and cool down. And sparks fly but they're tiny cinders that burn out almost instantly (and leave a few ashes on the cabintop)

I keep plenty of good kindling scraps of pine and hardwood. I've found a good source of logs at the supermarket of all places. They sell plastic bags of kiln dried hardwood logs for a few dollars. A joke for a real fireplace (we do have alot of tourists in Maine that are very easy marks), it's just the thing for the boat.

I cut them to the proper length with my bandsaw. Once the little heater warms up, it gives so much comfort to the cabin.

 

[southport]

Muskrat has a Paul Luke stove that runs on propane. Not nearly as romantic (and just looking at the flames and hearing the crackle warms you) but holds the heat for hours in the soap stone sides after you shut it down. Don't know if it was always propane or converted in the past