S/V Suppose came with a stove and oven that operated on compressed natural gas (CNG). CNG is an excellent fuel for heating capacity and sense it is lighter than air, it can't accumulate in the bilge so it is very safe. The downside is that it is not commonly or conveniently available at most marinas. For that reason we decided to replace the stove with one that operates on denatured alcohol. The new stove works great. Two nights ago, Kathy fixed black-eyed peas that cooked for eight minutes in a pressure cooker and cornbread muffins in the oven.
Both the CNG and alcohol stoves are mounted on gimbals at the top. This allows a stove to swing to stay level when the boat heels to port or starboard. The alcohol stove is 2 3/4 inches narrower than the CNG stove that it replaced. As a temporary fix, I made a wooden spacer to support the gimbal on the right side. But, that is 2 3/4 inches of useful space that shouldn't be wasted on a boat the size of Suppose.
This is the new spacer box with a lower drawer that I made from teak and plywood. The box at the top supports the stove and has a tray built into it that is handy for setting aside a spoon or spice bottle.
The drawer is mounted on slides against the side wall. Although it is less than 3 inches wide, it is perfect for storing silverware and kitchen (galley) knives. Small improvements like this on a small boat are very satisfying and give a lot of pleasure.
4 comments:
That is pretty darn clever, Walter! -- the whole set up. I never thought about having to keep the stove level at all times. What else has to be adjusted for the different angles of a boat? It's a totally different way of living! I'm very impressed with your inventiveness! The drawer is amazing!
The 4th word in my comment is d a r n! But one more question: will the space behind the stove always be that open?
A good engineer is never at a loss. This is indeed an ingenious place to put silverware. All of your improvements remind me of the home improvement and remodeling shows on TV. I really think you and Kathy could make a show out of boat—excuse me, "sailing vessel"— remodeling. Since you are both photogenic, I don't see why you shouldn't get paid while you are dong it!
There will be a shelf behind the stove. I have a piece of plywood cut to size but still need to cover it with laminate and trim the edges.
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