View Full Version : Best hiking stove for boat use?
dreamweaver21
10-01-2017, 12:32
I am looking for suggestions on a stove to use on a boat. The background on this is I am a pretty regular SCUBA diver and a part time hiker. With the weather turning colder, I am looking to get a hiking style stove to use on a boat. Two reasons for this: 1. Hot food and hot drinks are quite pleasant when climbing out from being under cold (by FL standards) water. 2. We have been invaded by venomous lion fish and I have been stung before. It sucks bad. The best and only treatment is immersion of the sting in hot water. So I would like to have a way to make some hot water on a boat.
This will be for boiling water only. I don't need it to simmer or anything like that. Being wind resistant is important. Being stable is important. I would like the pot and stove to lock together if possible and I will still be holding it the whole time I am cooking with it to keep it from tipping over. Unlike my hiking stove, I don't care what this one weighs. I am only causally familiar with stoves because I hike with a homemade alcohol stove. No way would I try and use that thing on the boat. I am looking for a stable wind resistant jet boil style stove.
Suggestions?
Kaptainkriz
10-01-2017, 13:45
Jetboil makes a hanging kit. You'll either want something like that or a gimball on the water.
-john Tanzer 25 Akoni (93227)
Slo-go'en
10-01-2017, 14:23
Alcohol stoves are common on sail boats. Get a US boat catalog.
Sailing_Faith
10-01-2017, 15:49
I am a hiker, and a professoinal mariner who has lived and worked on boats for the last 13 years.
Hiking stoves are built to be as light as possible, and to stow compactly. While I have several, I don't use them on boats because the center of gravity is generally too high.
the suggestion above for a gimbal is excellent, but only if you have a dedicated place for it. I have a gimballed stove on my boat based on an old 'sea swing' unit that I use off shore and for passages.
in my opinion and experience, the best stove for what you are talking about is an inexpensive butane stove. The kind that takes a small cyl that is enclosed in the unit... the advantage is that they are low and flat, and you can buy a ring that will retain the pot or kettle so it does not slide off in a moderate sea. I have used them on many boats over the years, and found them quite a satisfactory answer. While they don't work in really rough seas, my experience is that you generally are not going to be cooking then unless it is to heat something up like you mit on a passage.
Avoid the propane two burner units since they are too large and the arm that the propane cyl attaches to is not easily set up on most surfaces.
Sailing_Faith
10-01-2017, 15:54
Something like this one; http://a.co/6vZhARy
$18... easy to tryout without too much risk.
avoid the Kenyon unit sold my West Marine, it is stainless which sounds good but the mechanical parts (the safety release from the gas) is the same stamped mild steel as the cheaper units.... they don't hold up any longer then the cheap ones in my experience.
Feral Bill
10-01-2017, 18:10
While I use white gas stoves for hiking, please do not consider one for boat use. Fumes can settle in the bilges and explode. Canister stoves have some risk but apparently are safe with proper ventilation. Please get advice from boat safety folks.
MuddyWaters
10-01-2017, 23:14
Many a small cuddy cabin powerboat has an alcohol fueled marine stove in galley.
dreamweaver21
10-02-2017, 07:06
Different suggestions than what I was expecting, which is good. There is no galley on the boat. I'll be using this on the deck either in rod holder or most likely just holding it still somewhere.
garlic08
10-02-2017, 07:55
I think one of the reasons for alcohol on marine stoves is that alcohol is a polar solvent and will dilute in water. Water is a good way to extinguish an alcohol fire. When I use an alcohol stove and need to simmer, I add water to the hot fuel to cool it down a bit.
saltysack
10-02-2017, 08:07
I’ve used the stainless propane grill from west marine that stays in place via the the rod holder...probably overkill for simply boiling water, we use it to cook up fresh undersized fish that jumped on our spear after they were filleted and released of course....[emoji51]. That said I’ve used a jet boil several times sitting on the deck of my sup...probably not the smartest thing but at midnight I’ll do anything for caffeine!
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bikebum1975
10-19-2017, 15:30
I'm not into boating but denatured alcohol is marine fuel and what I use in my trangia great little stove despite you not needing to simmer with one you actually can with them. They are damn stable little stoves to maybe get a sterno stove and a trangia I'd say sterno but the alcohol stoves boil water way faster
nsherry61
10-19-2017, 16:07
Given your request of good in the wind, attached pot, and able to hold while cooking (not recommended, but possible) . . . the MSR WindBoiler or Reactor stoves are the best I've seen. They are slightly heavier than the JetBoil stoves, but much more wind resistant and since they are not an open-flame stove, they may be less prone to flame flareups when the fuel canister is being moved around sloshing fuel across the exit valve.
Just buy a few flasks and boil water before departing
Starchild
10-19-2017, 20:57
Hiking gear in general is not meant for salt water exposure.
Get whatever stove Frank Dye used. I saw a photo ages ago of Frank holding a stove between his feet in the bilge of his Wayfarer dinghy. Somewhere in the North Sea. I think it was one of the kerosene burning Scandinavian expedition stoves from the 60s. Whatever it was, it worked. All the way to Iceland.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/jun/21/sailing-into-hell-two-men-dingy-dangerous-journey
Wayne
I would go with a Coleman two burner stove like they sell at Walmart for the sheer stability of it. Most backpacking stoves won't be stable enough on a boat unless it is very calm water.
This stove has the ability to be very safe due to the fact that once the fuel is put into it, it won't spill out. The windscreen fits tight to the pot and will prevent side to side tipping.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fde33pec6HQ
https://whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php/126974-Zelph-s-Toaks-Light-700-Titanium-Cook-Kit-Unboxing-and-First-Look?p=2175198#post2175198
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjjSCmrEnw0
Alcohol works on small boats. The Trangia Storm Cooker System would be my first choice. It is substantial enough to be anchored in place and be blown overboard by the slightest hint of a breeze.
Wayne
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Correction: NOT be blown overboard.
Wayne
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dreamweaver21
06-02-2020, 14:07
I never did update this so here is a late update. I bought the bigger Jet Boil and I just hold the stove on the console behind the windshield the whole time I have the fire on. Since it only takes like 2 minutes, it works great! I can even fit my hand in the cup if I get stung.
camper10469
06-02-2020, 19:10
the more serious problem on board is the rocking while boiling n cooking. hanging or a gimble is more important than the stove itself.
I never did update this so here is a late update. I bought the bigger Jet Boil and I just hold the stove on the console behind the windshield the whole time I have the fire on. Since it only takes like 2 minutes, it works great! I can even fit my hand in the cup if I get stung.
Nice! That makes perfect sense. Thanks for the update.
willin'
Nice update:)
I gave the situation some thought:-?
I think.....you could adapt the "Beverage Caddy" to work with the Jetboil. Mount the caddy to the boat in a convenient place, make a balsm wood cup to fit in the caddy, get a plastic canister stabilizer and mount it to the wood cup. Attach jetboil to canister.
Caddy:
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/maAAAOSwFCddF5TX/s-l500.jpg
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Travelon-Beverage-Caddy-Charcoal-13433-530/133173450845
https://www.travelonbags.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/450x450/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/1/3/13433_530_5.jpg
https://www.travelonbags.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/450x450/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/b/e/beverage-caddy-on-luggage.jpghttps://www.travelonbags.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/450x293/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/t/r/travelon-beverage-caddy_s.jpg
camper10469
06-05-2020, 18:51
Nice update:)
I gave the situation some thought:-?
I think.....you could adapt the "Beverage Caddy" to work with the Jetboil. Mount the caddy to the boat in a convenient place, make a balsm wood cup to fit in the caddy, get a plastic canister stabilizer and mount it to the wood cup. Attach jetboil to canister.
Caddy:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Travelon-Beverage-Caddy-Charcoal-13433-530/133173450845
That gimbal is beautiful and best of all its cheap.
That gimbal is beautiful and best of all its cheap.
I ordered one so I could adapt it to a canister stove....just for the fun of it :)
camper10469
06-06-2020, 12:33
and great for a lantern as well.
im also thinking of a use in my kayak.
nsherry61
06-06-2020, 13:35
This gimbal looks like it's designed for a coffee cup which is notably smaller in diameter, it think, than a 100 g isobutane canister leaving me to wonder how well it might work as a stove gimbal. Also, I would think that a stove with a pot of water is unlikely to have a low enough center of balance to operate the gimbal well.
Make sure to let us all know how it works out.
This gimbal looks like it's designed for a coffee cup which is notably smaller in diameter, it think, than a 100 g isobutane canister leaving me to wonder how well it might work as a stove gimbal. Also, I would think that a stove with a pot of water is unlikely to have a low enough center of balance to operate the gimbal well.
Make sure to let us all know how it works out.
I agree. I will take in consideration that info when making the gimble work with the smallest jetboil.
I'm thinking to hang the canister under the rings of the gimbal, stove to be above. Mabe add weight to canister to make it work well.
https://jetboil.johnsonoutdoors.com/sites/johnsonoutdoors-store/files/assets/images/11/1/1107881_primary/1107881_primary.png
Well look what I came across today:
https://youtu.be/FvHYlfJa6Y0
And another one...am I a stove nut or what LOL
https://safirewaterjet.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/the-stable-stove-gimbal-bracket-for-a-jet-boil-stove.jpg
The “Stable Stove”
The Stable Stove is a gimbal mount bracket to enable a standard Jetboil stove to be mounted into a moving Boat or vehicle and to stay as still as possible with the movement of the boat or vehicle.
This was designed by us at Safire (http://www.safire.uk.com/) for Charlie Martell who is attempting to break the world record by rowing across the pacific in the Pacific 2012 rowing challenge. You can read more about Charlie and his challenge below.
The brief was to manufacture a gimbal bracket that could be mounted to the angled face on the inside of Charlies rowing boat. It had to take a Jetboil Stove so that it was held as level as possible with the movement of the boat, It needed to be a quick and easy tool less job to change the cooker or gas bottle when required, Charlie was expecting to go through a few cookers and gas bottles on his travels. It also had to look good in his boat.You can see the final design process and the finished item on this page both with pictures and videos.
“The Stable Stove” was born
These are made to order and can be adapted for any situation If you would like one made to order or to purchase a a stable stove please visit our main Safire website here:
The Stable Stove (https://www.safire.uk.com/store/The-Stable-Stove-c6682124)
https://safirewaterjet.co.uk/the-stable-stove-a-gimbal-bracket-mount-for-jetboil-stove-html/
I'm on a roll
https://youtu.be/pKAN-pREnko
https://www.google.com/search?q=jetboil+gimbal&tbm=isch&rlz=1CAJCUZ_enUS831&hl=en&ved=2ahUKEwjS7frBi_DpAhUSb60KHWZ1BQgQrNwCKAF6BQgBE MgC&biw=1225&bih=633