Propane, Butane or Alcohol

[Sloop John B]

Alcohol isn't too bad. If there's a little accident or spill, the orange tipped blue flames stay low and it's usually pretty easy to put them out with a fire extinguisher.

Get a Coleman cooker with the little propane tanks that screw into the side. You park these up top in the fuel locker. You can kind of tell how much they're good for by judging by their weight. Carry a few extra ones if your Mate is really into frying away the night.

Come 4th of July you can toss the empty ones into a bon fire in your back yard. Get your kids and any animals you wish to see again around to the other side of the house. Surprise your neighbors.

[James V]

This debate seams like it will never end.

First off, both fuels are good and both are used all over.

Butane has a lot of plus points, hotter, easier to see and control, fast lighting, easier to find. Bad point - if the system is not carefully watched and there is an unburned leak, it is heaver than air and will collect in the lowest parts of your boat. It does have a smell.(ok, it can go BOOM!)

Alcohol - Just reverse the points.

I have decided to use Butane. I will be getting a 10 pound tank and putting it on the stern rail. I have a small stove now.

Safety - keep the stove burning and turn off the valve at the tank. Every time. On the one pound can types, disconnect the can. One time I had the stove next to the sink, a big boat with a big bow wave came by and knocked the stove off and turned on the valve. I did not see this for several hours latter, the can was empty by then. I always take off the small can.

[kmclemore]

I have decided to use Butane. I will be getting a 10 pound tank and putting it on the stern rail. I have a small stove now.

James, did you mean Butane or Propane?

[James V]

Thanks for the correction, I do mean Propane and if not available, then Butane.

Propane requires more pressure than butane.

My present stove is Butane.

[ssichler]

I saw Big 5 sporting good stores was selling the single burner butane stove for $16 this week. We have one with suction cups from Defender marine and it works really well (I think I paid at least double this summer buying it from Defender).

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

I'll give my usual soapbox post.

Propane and Butane are both heavier than air and any spills will run like water to the lowest point in the boat. A true marine below decks installations of either will always have a drain for the gas, not to mention a exterior shut off. You will never see these gases stored below decks.

Portable stoves that use either present a safety issue. Even the little bit of gas that leaks out when you disconnect the tank will add up over time.

Both these gases can also be ignited with just a spark.

Alcohol stoves such as the Origo are un-pressurized and make it much harder to spill the fuel. When spilled the fuel is visible liquid and is easier to clean up. To ignite the fuel (the liquid it self actually doesn't burn, only the vapor does) you have to have an open flame. A spark will not ignite alcohol.

We have both alcohol and propane on board.

The propane never goes below decks. It is stored in the cockpit and used on the BBQ/Stove one the transom. The newer kettle BBQ's also have inserts that let them be used as a stove as well. This is the safest approach.

Our double burner Origo alcohol stove below has served us well over the last 6 years. It is not as hot as propane and does not boil water as quickly but this has never been an issue. It easily will boil a dutch kettle full of water for cooking crab which is a big job.



The double burner model has come in quite handy and I was able to modify a griddle made for a coleman stove to fit on the origo stove which is great for big family breakfasts.

If you do go with butane or propane, consider keeping it in the cockpit as some do. They set the stove at the companion way floor where it can be reached from inside yet it still is outside where gas spills will drain overboard.

On a X the galley has a bit of protection built in with it's raised lips that would channel any spilled gas to the sink where it would drain overboard but this is a bit iffy. A built in stove would not do this. I'm not sure you if you would get this same draining with an M sliding galley.

What would I buy for the stove if money wasn't a issue? I would replace my Origo with a Wallas. It's a great stove, fully vented outside and can be equiped with a fan forced air heater as well.

http://www.wallas.com/index_eng.php?group=1&type=1

[zuma hans 1]

Orrigo is the way to go, in my book. The piece of mind of having lighter than air fuel is overwhelming.

Those braziers, tanks and above-deck, clamped-on barbeques just look silly and in the way. For Lake Mead, I buy those disposable charcoal tinfoil jobbies and cook on shore - they will cook a semifrozen tri tip just fine. The Orrigo boils the corn cobs easily in 15 minutes (use the hot water for dishes). The fuel is nonpressurized, has a high ignition temperature (fewer accidents), doesn't stink and is available at any HomeDepot for $4 a pint, which lasts more than a year.

Hey, I wonder if Quogga clams are edible? Another issue.

[Paul S]

The origo fuel you found at home depot..I assume it is some kind of denatured alchohol? Any problems with performance or smell compared to the origo brand (or whatever WM sells?)

[March]

Denatured alcohol is right. I've been using it for the past three years in the origo stove, and the only difference is, there MIGHT be a higher amount of soot--but not significantly higher.
It's hard to do an A/B comparison. First year I used the original stuff which is much more expensive. It worked fine. Afterwards I switched to the "industrial" stuff. Works fine too. There might be other disadvantages, but I haven't become aware of them... other than the fact that denatured alcohol si cheaper

[ssichler]

The safety concerns with the butane stoves seem overstated here. According to Defender if you add the permanent mounting kit and pot retainer it meets ABYC safety standards for in cabin use which I understand are very high.

Kenyon Stove at Defender

The stoves are very convenient to use and the small fuel canisters can be safely stowed outside of the cabin when not in use. If anyone can cite real cases where prudent use of these stoves has resulted in an accident I would be interested.


Mod's edit: resolved URL -fc

[kmclemore]

I'm sorry, but I've got to disagree to some extent on the level of danger posed by using propane below decks. After all, nearly every large yacht I've ever boarded has had a propane stove, and some even had propane ovens and heaters, too. And I don't hear of yachts blowing up very often, do you?

I think if managed appropriately, propane is just as safe as anything else. The important bit is to be sure your connections are solid (check'em with soapy water), that you're certain things are shut off properly when you're done, and that you keep your valves and equipment in proper lubrication and repair.

Tell you what, though, just in case I do manage to blow up my boat via that devil's gas propane, I hereby leave all my yachtly posessions to the benefit of Heath and this board.

[eric3a]

..

[zuma hans 1]

Yeah, my dollar bills don't burn as fast using denatured alcohol.

The only problem I have ever had with denatured alcohol was explaining it to a Mexican army soldier once.

Swear to God, I was afraid the guy was going to to sample it at a checkpoint near San Felipe once.

Preboat days.

[normo]

I have a Kenyon single burner propane stove that came with my used X in the attic. It is virtually new. If anyone is interested send me a PM.

First time I tried it I didn't get the canister in right and heard a brief hiss. Opened and reinserted the cannister. When I lit it a nice puff and brief flame came from the sink and scared the hull out of me. Apparently the brief leak discharged propane out and it settled in the sink.

I love my Origo alcohol stove.