New boat officially changing hands next week, comes with a Cole wood burning heater (see photo). Looks like it is well installed, although the current owner has not used it in the six years he has owned it. My first sail (bringing her home) will be in early May along the north atlantic coast, so it may come in handy. Anyone have any experience with these? What do they burn? I'm thinking BBQ charcoal or wood chips or something. The boat also has propane so I could convert but if this works I think I'd like to save the money for something else.
Need Info on Cole Wood Heater
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No experience with wood stoves on boats but plenty
on shore. The wood has to be small enough to fit the fire box of course. and you don't want to feed it too much at a time. I would fuel it with off cuts from the shop oak lasts well and makes good coals. Fire it up while you are along shore and start small. That way you can get a feel for how much fire you need.
on shore. The wood has to be small enough to fit the fire box of course. and you don't want to feed it too much at a time. I would fuel it with off cuts from the shop oak lasts well and makes good coals. Fire it up while you are along shore and start small. That way you can get a feel for how much fire you need.
I wish I had citations
I believe Cole was a Seattle firm, now defunct. Lighting a solid fuel stove on a boat is just as ashore. Make sure the chimney is set up correctly (some boats have removable/closeable chimneys), use tinder, start with small bits and build up to larger bits. Practice to get the balance of draft to burn slowly but cleanly. Charcoal can be more convenient to stow, but it will also make an unbelievable mess if a small amount of dust hits the floor/on your hands, etc. (Yah, experience. It sucks.) So can cleaning out the stove. There are similar problems with oil stoves, so don't take this as a knock against solid fuel stoves. The best bit is that most any driftwood will work just fine to keep you warm and dry, though you might feel a touch silly at first cutting down little twigs to 4" lengths.
I believe Cole was a Seattle firm, now defunct. Lighting a solid fuel stove on a boat is just as ashore. Make sure the chimney is set up correctly (some boats have removable/closeable chimneys), use tinder, start with small bits and build up to larger bits. Practice to get the balance of draft to burn slowly but cleanly. Charcoal can be more convenient to stow, but it will also make an unbelievable mess if a small amount of dust hits the floor/on your hands, etc. (Yah, experience. It sucks.) So can cleaning out the stove. There are similar problems with oil stoves, so don't take this as a knock against solid fuel stoves. The best bit is that most any driftwood will work just fine to keep you warm and dry, though you might feel a touch silly at first cutting down little twigs to 4" lengths.
Newport stove
Ive used a dickenson stove with small hard wood chunks (oak cherry ash maple)They burn very hot smoke much less .I would cut 3 or 4" round branches about 11/2" thick then cut them in half .If the wood is dry it burns very hot and lasts a few hours.Hard dry wood makes good colesI would cut them on a miter saw .I would start the fire with a small plumbers tourch or a wax fire starter.Cole works ok but its very smelly and sucks up water from the air.You could use some match lite cole to start the wood burning. Ive used the stove in a Ice fishing shanty and a camper Never on my boat John
Ive used a dickenson stove with small hard wood chunks (oak cherry ash maple)They burn very hot smoke much less .I would cut 3 or 4" round branches about 11/2" thick then cut them in half .If the wood is dry it burns very hot and lasts a few hours.Hard dry wood makes good colesI would cut them on a miter saw .I would start the fire with a small plumbers tourch or a wax fire starter.Cole works ok but its very smelly and sucks up water from the air.You could use some match lite cole to start the wood burning. Ive used the stove in a Ice fishing shanty and a camper Never on my boat John
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