Antipodean Boats Connection

[gypsie]

I thought Kero too. Pump for pressure.

I'm over my kero stove. I can't seem to master it. As soon as i do one of the burners goes. Or a jet gets blocked. I spend more time with black hands and kero flowing over the stove than actually cooking on it.
Other than being a PITA its set up nicely. I have the original hand pump in, just for looks - but in full working order. I added a small electric air pump and a few check valves. So pressuring etc.. is hassle free.
I'm kinda into the ritual of it, and if i was alone I'd probably keep it. But with kids and everyone on board, i'm the only one who can get it going and its a bit of a drag.
I also like the safety aspect, though it does get smokey and stinky if i haven't heated it properly etc...

Anyway - investigating LPG. If i go there i will have a 1960's british kero stove in almost perfect working condition, up for a nice home, complete with pressure tank, hoses, pump and some spares. I may keep the bronze pump cause it is so much a part of the boat. TBC


Nice work Phil!!!

[Neil C]

Bruce,

Are you finding the German (Hanse) burners last longer than the Optimus burners? I have one of each in my stove . For the last few years i have been using Jet A1 which supposedly is more refined than basic kero.

[WX]

I bought a single burner gas camping stove, it uses single use canisters which last quite well. It's fast, easy to use and I don't feel like I have to watch it like a hawk. It was quite cheap and if it rusts away, well it won't break the bank to replace it.

[Phil Y]

Yeah what's half a litre of gas leaking into the bilge? No way I'd have one of those little hand grenades on my boat.

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[RFNK]

If I had one of those cheap stoves on my boat, I'd keep all cans in an airtight container and never leave a can in the stove when I'm not on the boat. I wouldn't spray the cans with an oil to prevent rust as that could ignite when the can is placed in the stove - although that's unlikely.

I think those things are risky but I suspect petrol is a more dangerous fuel to carry on a boat.

Rick

[WX]

Yeah what's half a litre of gas leaking into the bilge? No way I'd have one of those little hand grenades on my boat.

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I light it very fast so zero gas escape. The cans are never on the boat long enough to rust. I don't do it all the time but I usually release the cylinder before I leave the boat.
They do caution not to use it in confined spaces.

[RFNK]

Gary, I had a spray can of lanolin anti-rust stuff, actually rust (a pin hole) and sprayed lanolin all over the inside of a cupboard, and lanolin then leaked into the bilge. The boat smelled like a shearing shed until I cleaned it all up. The point is, you can't tell how old a can is, how or where it's been stored, etc. And you can't always see the rust. I strongly suggest keeping all cans in an airtight container. It's a cheap and easy way to keep the boat safe. Remember, that gas is heavy. It can sit in the bilge for weeks and it only takes a spark to cause an explosion.

Rick

[Bruce Morley]

Hi
I think the kero has served us we on Tui of Opua, I do recall seeing a pressurised metho stove on a yacht in the Sandy Straights and i thought at the time it was very good, I found later the burners were made by Optimus in Sweden. No longer made, I think the jet was different.

The German Hanse burners have lasted for over 3 years so in our stove, To overhaul the old optimus burners I first have them Vapor Blasted, this cleans the burners like new without removing any of the metal then I install one of the Hanse kits. Vapor Blasting was hard to find in Newcastle but a motorcycle restorer in Belmont was able to do it.

We use the gas canisters with our gas BBQ and keep the canisters in a length of100mm PVC drain pipe with a cap and a screw cap glued on each end so far no rust problems.

On my trip to the UK overland from India in 1970 I used the camping gaz canisters with a small stove. It proved ok but slow. I was younger then and the slow cooking was not a problem.

Bruce

[Bruce Morley]

Neil C
I can't answer your question re Jet A1 versus normal kero as I have not used Jet A1. During my time working in PNG using Huey helicopters we used to refuel out of 44 gallon drums of Jet A1. We only ever pumped 40 gallons so not to pick up any dirt at the bottom of the drum. The local PNG people used the leftovers in the drums to power their stoves. Nobody ever complained about the fuel.

Bruce

[Phil Y]

I reckon the cans would rust through in about 5 minutes. Have you asked your insurer or marine rescue guys what they think of them? Oh wait...

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[auscruisertom]

I thought Kero too. Pump for pressure.

I'm over my kero stove. I can't seem to master it. As soon as i do one of the burners goes. Or a jet gets blocked.

Anyway - investigating LPG. If i go there i will have a 1960's british kero stove in almost perfect working condition, up for a nice home, complete with pressure tank, hoses, pump and some spares. I may keep the bronze pump cause it is so much a part of the boat. TBC


Nice work Phil!!!

Propane is extensively used aboard yachts in North America and a normal system incorporates a solenoid cut of switch along with an alloy bottle normally stored outside ,its fast and I have found it safe to use in the past.

[RFNK]

I've installed a gas stove in Masina. I have a gas locker that drains through the transom and I've had it all certified by a gas fitter. I found the metho stove I installed in the Folkboat to be too slow and messy. I was disappointed in the build quality of the Maxie. I think the older Maxies were better.

I think the little portable gas stoves with canisters are fine. As I've said though, the canisters rust so I think it's best to keep them in a sealed container like Bruce does. When I've used them, I keep them in one of those Systema containers from Coles.

Rick

[WX]

I reckon the cans would rust through in about 5 minutes. Have you asked your insurer or marine rescue guys what they think of them? Oh wait...

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I shall check my spare canister when I'm next at the boat. The plastic container is not a bad idea.

[Bruce Morley]

Hi, Photo of our Optimus StoveIMG_20200318_082659171.jpg
Bruce

[HS]

There are some good resources/warnings re canister stoves at Trailersailerplace.com.au. Just do a search on "exploders" for some hair-raising tales!! Some of this stuff may now be 5 years old, however, looking at the units stocked by our local Asian stores, I don't they've have improved much.

eg... https://trailersailerplace.com.au/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=13409&p=154496&hilit=exploders #p154496

I went for a double burner Maxi despite the microscopic galley space in our 5.5m boat.

Hans

[WX]

Lesson 1: Don't use a saucepan with a base diameter that over laps the cylinder. Stay within the hob diameter.
Lesson 2: Don't leave the stove unattended. That applies to any stove on a boat.

[Phil Y]

3 Dont store canisters on a boat in a salt environment

[Phil Y]

I cut a big hole in my deck today





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[WX]

Lesson 1: Don't use a saucepan with a base diameter that over laps the cylinder. Stay within the hob diameter.

[John B]

Lesson 1: Don't use a saucepan with a base diameter that over laps the cylinder. Stay within the hob diameter.

Are you saying Phil's hatch looks like a stove top?

[WX]

Are you saying Phil's hatch looks like a stove top?

Could be, there's no telling with these southern sailors.

[WX]

As an exercise the other night I plotted a course as direct as possible from Tweed Heads to Yamba. I was curious to know how far it was and how long it would take at a nominal speed of 4 knots. Works out to about 94 NM which take around 24 hours. 24 hours at sea doesn't sound that scary.

[Phil Y]

Allow for contrary winds and east coast current. Is that with or against?

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[WX]

With the wind, I wouldn't bother with any wind forward of a close reach, preferably anything from a run to a beam reach. My little exercise was under ideal and persistent wind, something that rarely happens in real life. No actual plan to do it at present but it is a place I would like to sail to. Closer to reality is a sail to Southport and Tippler's Passage with a handful of other small yachts in the next week or two.

[Bruce Morley]

With today's new edit from the national capital maybe the Voyage will need to take 14 days. This would allow you to swing by Lord Howe Island on the way to Yamba. You will need to keep you distance as you pass by Lord Howe.

Bruce

[WX]

I think Lord Howe would be a destination too far for me.

[brucemoffatt]

As an exercise the other night I plotted a course as direct as possible from Tweed Heads to Yamba. I was curious to know how far it was and how long it would take at a nominal speed of 4 knots. Works out to about 94 NM which take around 24 hours. 24 hours at sea doesn't sound that scary.

That sounds like a reasonable plan. So next stage is to make sure your planned arrival time has a good chance of coinciding with the right tide conditions for the bar, and pick a couple of alternative actions if it somehow goes to custard. The MR radio people are good there for live conditions at the entrance, just make sure you let them know you aren't the 25 foot fishing boat with twin 90 HP outboards they can see out their window or their advice re the bar might not actually be relevant (DAMHIKT). Take lots of photos. Get fish and chips from the fisho in Iluka.

[Phil Y]

With the wind, I wouldn't bother with any wind forward of a close reach, preferably anything from a run to a beam reach. My little exercise was under ideal and persistent wind, something that rarely happens in real life. No actual plan to do it at present but it is a place I would like to sail to. Closer to reality is a sail to Southport and Tippler's Passage with a handful of other small yachts in the next week or two.

Yeah nah, the wind changes. What I was asking is whether your proposed course is with or against the east coast current.

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[RFNK]

Yes, going south. No, going home. But, close to the shore there, especially south of Cape Byron, you can get an eddy that runs in the opposite direction, or you can get very weak current there.

Rick

[WX]

Yeah nah, the wind changes. What I was asking is whether your proposed course is with or against the east coast current.

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Stand off shore 2-3 NM to get the southerly current and hug the 20 fathom line coming home. Timing to be off the Clarence River bar on a flood tide could be interesting. The sea conditions can be on the confused side for a few NM offshore from experience. I've never been to Iluka but I've heard it's a good spot.
Playing around with fittings and lengths of different diameter hose today to run both bilge pumps and the galley sink into the old wet exhaust outlet. I've worked out something very workable and I just need a metre of the right diameter hose to make it happen.
Had a call out this arvo. Someone reported a jetski rider had come off his jetski down near the river entrance. We went down an looked around, asked a few people on shore and checked all the boat ramps...nothing. Called in and got permission to stand down.

[auscruisertom]

With today's new edit from the national capital maybe the Voyage will need to take 14 days. This would allow you to swing by Lord Howe Island on the way to Yamba. You will need to keep you distance as you pass by Lord Howe.

Bruce

Probably Middleton reef might be the better choice it’s closer and since it’s uninhabited there’s no one to prohibit your entry nor charge you an arm and a leg for a mooring.
While rising sea levels might cause some challenges looking on the bright side the reef is also inhabited by a rusting freighter which could provide the foundations for your future Waterworld.

Heading south I was able to monitor water temps and at that time the warmer water temps where around 10 kn offshore.
Gary Careful if you are installing bilge pump in a previous exhaust sea cock as it may be low and may back siphon if you are pushing your vessel, or get into rough weather.

[Phil Y]

Yeah, I'd keep the 2 bilge pumps seperate for the same reason.

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[WX]

Back syphoning is something I have thought about. The wet exhaust outlet is above the waterline. The sink and manual bilge pump are well above the waterline so that only leaves the electric bilge pump. My thoughts there were either loop the hose high, fit a non return valve or some form of syphoning breaker.

[Bruce Morley]

We have dicovered that the Covid 19 crisis has created a extreme shortages of metho, none available at Bunnings, WW or Coles. We use metho to preheat our kero stove on board Tui of Opua. Plenty of kero supplies available. We might need one of those small gas blow torches as a temporary pre heater.

Bruce

[WX]

We have dicovered that the Covid 19 crisis has created a extreme shortages of metho, none available at Bunnings, WW or Coles. We use metho to preheat our kero stove on board Tui of Opua. Plenty of kero supplies available. We might need one of those small gas blow torches as a temporary pre heater.

Bruce

If you have a Reject Shop try there, they sell it.