Help fellow 33 drivers. The 33 recenlty purchased by me has an unknown type of two burner w/ oven stove. It is a Kenyon and appears to be in reasonable shape or at least clean. I can find no instructions or even labels to determine if it is alcohol or kerosen. My guess is alcohol, but one never knows. There is a small rigged mounted teapot shapped tank with what appears to be a pressure guage, and may be a fill spot of some kind-though you could not possibly fill it in its current location without some type of device. The tank is located in the first small locker above the stove. It too has no labels or instructions. If someone can shed some light on this problem, please do. I don't want to burn down the boat. Nelson s/v WindSong 80 hunter 33
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Fairly easy to determine fuel type.
Nelson: It should be easy to determine the fuel type (smell it). Alcohol and Kerosene smell quite different. There were conversion kits for these stoves to convert them from alcohol to kerosene so you need to KNOW which one you have. I have never used a kerosene one but there are many fellow sailors that will be able to assist you once you know for sure. If it is alcohol, you will need to learn to take precautions when using it. They have a reputation for flare ups.
Nelson: It should be easy to determine the fuel type (smell it). Alcohol and Kerosene smell quite different. There were conversion kits for these stoves to convert them from alcohol to kerosene so you need to KNOW which one you have. I have never used a kerosene one but there are many fellow sailors that will be able to assist you once you know for sure. If it is alcohol, you will need to learn to take precautions when using it. They have a reputation for flare ups.
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nels
Thanks for the suggestion. However, the previous owner only used a propane camping stove he brought onboard, therefore no smell.
No, No, smell the tank!
Nelson: Sorry about the mis understanding. What I was suggesting is that you smell the fuel tank. Someone must have used the old stove at least once.
Nelson: Sorry about the mis understanding. What I was suggesting is that you smell the fuel tank. Someone must have used the old stove at least once.
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nels
Again thanks for the suggestion, the previous owner was the second owner and had owned the boat since 1981. It could be possible that the stove has never been used. There is no apparant oder from the tank either. I did have the cap removed. Nels
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Sam Lust
Stove
The stove you discribe is exactly like the alcohol stove I recently took out of My 1983 33. I used it 3 seasons without filling the impossible to reach tank. I don't go out on the water to cook! It seems unlikely that either of the previous owners would go to the trouble of converting to smelly kerosene to not use it. Flare-ups, while exciting are not that big a deal unless you alllow a curtain to hang in the flames, but it is considered good form to avoid them none the less. Make sure you have at least 10 pounds of pressure in the fuel tank. A bicycle tire pump should do it. The stove runs just fine on cheap denatured from Home Depot. Open the valve on the stove and let a little puddle of alcohol form under the burner. CLOSE the valve firmly and light the alcohol to pre-heat the burner. When the flame burns out COMPLETELY open the valve slightly with a flame by the burner. It should light with a bule-green flame. If it doesn't light, let everything cool before you try again. Or just heat your coffee with a blow torch like I do!
The stove you discribe is exactly like the alcohol stove I recently took out of My 1983 33. I used it 3 seasons without filling the impossible to reach tank. I don't go out on the water to cook! It seems unlikely that either of the previous owners would go to the trouble of converting to smelly kerosene to not use it. Flare-ups, while exciting are not that big a deal unless you alllow a curtain to hang in the flames, but it is considered good form to avoid them none the less. Make sure you have at least 10 pounds of pressure in the fuel tank. A bicycle tire pump should do it. The stove runs just fine on cheap denatured from Home Depot. Open the valve on the stove and let a little puddle of alcohol form under the burner. CLOSE the valve firmly and light the alcohol to pre-heat the burner. When the flame burns out COMPLETELY open the valve slightly with a flame by the burner. It should light with a bule-green flame. If it doesn't light, let everything cool before you try again. Or just heat your coffee with a blow torch like I do!
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Ken Palmer
Sam is correct
My 1981 H33 also has the same stove. It is the original Kenyon pressurized alcohol stove. The fuel tank is at a very difficult spot as you said. I have added fuel a number of times by using a small funnel with a plastic hose attached. This extends the funnel outside the small campartment and makes it easy to add alcohol. I buy my stove alcohol at the local marina. One thing that I do that Sam didn't mention is to place a small pot with some water in it, on the stove when I am lighting it to pre-heat the burner. If there is a flare-up, the flames won't shoot up in the air like normal. You can purchase repair kits at West Marine or Boat US. Many owners have converted to another form of stove and fuel, so I guess it all depends on how often you are going to cook on-board. A small camp stove is a cheap idea as well as a small microwave oven. I just saw one a microwave advertised by K-Mart for $50. Of course, you need an 115 VAC source for the microwave. I continue to use the Kenyon, and have a small camp stove to use for heating water and small cooking tasks. I still have the original documentation if you need a copy. Perhaps I could even scan it in the computer and e-mail it to you. Ken Palmer, S/V Liberty
My 1981 H33 also has the same stove. It is the original Kenyon pressurized alcohol stove. The fuel tank is at a very difficult spot as you said. I have added fuel a number of times by using a small funnel with a plastic hose attached. This extends the funnel outside the small campartment and makes it easy to add alcohol. I buy my stove alcohol at the local marina. One thing that I do that Sam didn't mention is to place a small pot with some water in it, on the stove when I am lighting it to pre-heat the burner. If there is a flare-up, the flames won't shoot up in the air like normal. You can purchase repair kits at West Marine or Boat US. Many owners have converted to another form of stove and fuel, so I guess it all depends on how often you are going to cook on-board. A small camp stove is a cheap idea as well as a small microwave oven. I just saw one a microwave advertised by K-Mart for $50. Of course, you need an 115 VAC source for the microwave. I continue to use the Kenyon, and have a small camp stove to use for heating water and small cooking tasks. I still have the original documentation if you need a copy. Perhaps I could even scan it in the computer and e-mail it to you. Ken Palmer, S/V Liberty
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Ed Schenck
Careful!
The early Kenyon stoves were kerosene. Not sure which year that they switched but my 1979 H37C is kerosene. So is a friend's 1980 H37C. Bet yours is too. It's also interesting that I have the Kenyon manual and it is written for alcohol! The only evidence is a note on the tank. It has sat in my basement for three years, still not sure whether to replace it. Would prefer non-pressurized alcohol.
The early Kenyon stoves were kerosene. Not sure which year that they switched but my 1979 H37C is kerosene. So is a friend's 1980 H37C. Bet yours is too. It's also interesting that I have the Kenyon manual and it is written for alcohol! The only evidence is a note on the tank. It has sat in my basement for three years, still not sure whether to replace it. Would prefer non-pressurized alcohol.
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steven f.
year??
My 81 H33 was (key word there "was") alcohol. After the ever-so-exciting flare up's we decided it had to go. I've heard some people love the pressurized alcohol, we hated it. We ripped it out and sent it the artificial reef in the sky, replaced by a camping propane stove. Since we rarely cook while off shore it works great for us. Some day we'll replace it with a real stove/oven but until it rains down dollars we'll keep up the simple life.
My 81 H33 was (key word there "was") alcohol. After the ever-so-exciting flare up's we decided it had to go. I've heard some people love the pressurized alcohol, we hated it. We ripped it out and sent it the artificial reef in the sky, replaced by a camping propane stove. Since we rarely cook while off shore it works great for us. Some day we'll replace it with a real stove/oven but until it rains down dollars we'll keep up the simple life.
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Merrill Masse
Kenyon Model 550K Stove
The stove and pressure tank system you describe sounds very much like the set up that's on my 1981 H37C. I have the manual for my stove here with me and its a Kenyon Model 550K (2 burners with oven). If you can find a model number on your actual stove it would help you a lot. My wife does most of the cooking for us when we are out on the boat about every other week-end. It gets used a lot. We have had good expierences with the stove and intend to keep using it. You can get kerosene almost anywhere. If you determine that it's a Model 550K, intend to use it and would like a copy of my manual, I could do that for you. Just let me know by way of another response on this posting. I'll keep watch for the next week or so. Good luck, Merrill
The stove and pressure tank system you describe sounds very much like the set up that's on my 1981 H37C. I have the manual for my stove here with me and its a Kenyon Model 550K (2 burners with oven). If you can find a model number on your actual stove it would help you a lot. My wife does most of the cooking for us when we are out on the boat about every other week-end. It gets used a lot. We have had good expierences with the stove and intend to keep using it. You can get kerosene almost anywhere. If you determine that it's a Model 550K, intend to use it and would like a copy of my manual, I could do that for you. Just let me know by way of another response on this posting. I'll keep watch for the next week or so. Good luck, Merrill
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Joe Gooch
Kenyon Stove the Best
Nelson, See my article on Kenyon Stove; I got mixed up in submitting my response. I just fixed mine on a 1980 Hunter 33. It works fine, but, careful on the start-up. Joe
Nelson, See my article on Kenyon Stove; I got mixed up in submitting my response. I just fixed mine on a 1980 Hunter 33. It works fine, but, careful on the start-up. Joe
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Joe Gooch
More Kenyon Stove Information
Nelson, Kenyon International #8 Heritage Park Road Clinton, CT 064l3 Ph: 860 664-4906 Should you want to get rid of your stove I know people who would want it. Joe
Nelson, Kenyon International #8 Heritage Park Road Clinton, CT 064l3 Ph: 860 664-4906 Should you want to get rid of your stove I know people who would want it. Joe
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David Undewood
Be sure and use good fuel...
Nelson, if its kerosene and you decide to fire it up... purchase good fuel from the beginning. I use to go to the gas station and purchase from the pump heating grade kerosene, its yellow and a bit smelly from the get go. If its allowed to sit it rippens. This time around, I decided to empty existing fuel for the the tanks (i have 2) and replace with a better grade of fuel. I purchased it from either home depot or Lowe's, but its marked as odorless and crystal clear. Says its for heating, stoves, latterns, etc. Anyway, at about $4.00 per gallon I decided to give it a shot. Pumped out the old, put in the new.. noticed imediately the color of the new fuel.. it was pink! I think they added this color so you could see it, must be to clear otherwise. Anyway, fired it up and wow what a difference, no odor that I could detect. Burned even and clean. I noticed the other day Lowes has a 5 gallon size (about $18), large for the boat, but I could refill smaller container which can be kept in reserve for refilling the presure tanks on the boat. Also, you mentioned or someone did, that its hard to get to the tank in the cabinet. What I do is use a cheap plastic hand pump ($2) from Lowe's, works on a syphon principal with a squeeze bulb to get things started. It will allow you to fill the tank without spills or hassel. Anyway, all this said, use a good fuel.. thats what makes the difference. Happy cooking
Nelson, if its kerosene and you decide to fire it up... purchase good fuel from the beginning. I use to go to the gas station and purchase from the pump heating grade kerosene, its yellow and a bit smelly from the get go. If its allowed to sit it rippens. This time around, I decided to empty existing fuel for the the tanks (i have 2) and replace with a better grade of fuel. I purchased it from either home depot or Lowe's, but its marked as odorless and crystal clear. Says its for heating, stoves, latterns, etc. Anyway, at about $4.00 per gallon I decided to give it a shot. Pumped out the old, put in the new.. noticed imediately the color of the new fuel.. it was pink! I think they added this color so you could see it, must be to clear otherwise. Anyway, fired it up and wow what a difference, no odor that I could detect. Burned even and clean. I noticed the other day Lowes has a 5 gallon size (about $18), large for the boat, but I could refill smaller container which can be kept in reserve for refilling the presure tanks on the boat. Also, you mentioned or someone did, that its hard to get to the tank in the cabinet. What I do is use a cheap plastic hand pump ($2) from Lowe's, works on a syphon principal with a squeeze bulb to get things started. It will allow you to fill the tank without spills or hassel. Anyway, all this said, use a good fuel.. thats what makes the difference. Happy cooking
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