Gary
  • Gary
  • Member Topic Starter
2010-12-24T11:55:57Z
We have taken delivery of a meths spirit cooker for use aboard Juicy Blue P235. We had doubts about the performance and made enquiries by posting on one of the mag sailing forums to see how others had fared. We learned that some would not give such a stove boat room however the majority considered it to be a very good alternative to gas.

I had considered a gas installation, however space is very limited for an appliance in the galley area and thoughts of creating a gas locker with probable drain off via the anchor well...any way I digress.

In addition to the Origo 3000 we also obtained a 3 litre pump pot )this will sit in the smaller sink in the galley area) with the idea of providing somewhere to store excess hot water - keeping water hot for washing up and refilling the kettle for a quick cuppa.

A trial 1 litre bottle of meths from Focus DIY £2.99 (bit expensive[?] was purchased, some of the bottles were a paler colour than others and we went for the paler one thinking this would reduce the smell of meths that some have associated with this type of cooker.

I promised to review the cooker on the mag forum and posted this video link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?fe...rofilepage&v=lUewSwELVoY 

We were surprised how efficient the Origo was and it took us a little by surprise (the steaks were ready before the chips so a little overdone) I intend to fit the Origo into Juicy Blue and attempt to fashion some king of side work top to give more work surface. With regard to P235 owners who also use an Origo 3000 do you have any installation ideas/photos you could share?

Gary/Ruth/& Skipper the Working Cocker Spaniel

Crew of Juicy Blue P235


Gary/Ruth/& Skipper the Working Cocker Spaniel

Crew of Juicy Blue P235

DuncanHall
2010-12-26T06:40:07Z
I fitted one into Manana (a Seal Sinbad) and found it excellent. Its much cheaper to purchase meths on the internet or from a camping store. I paid £10 for 5l but bulk purchased. The cooker is nuch safet than using a gas unit
Graham Ellison
2011-01-20T14:02:00Z
When I bought Tiptoe Too (Super Seal) she had a Plastimo Neptune 2000 gas cooker/grill. The surveyor made assorted tutting noises about the gas bottle's installation in the cockpit locker and wanted some grand overboard-venting gas-bottle locker arrangement. As this all seemed rather a faff I replaced the gas cooker with an Origo 3000 (got a very good price for the gasser on eBay...) and I've found it an excellent cooker. With the side gimbals, it hangs very nicely where the gas hob used to. Thanks for the meths advice Duncan - I'll check out my local camping shop.

Incidentally, meths smell hasn't been a problem for me, but if it's putting some folks off the idea, I've heard that diluting the meths with 10% water takes away any whiff.

smiffy
2011-02-18T04:54:40Z
Hi all,

Adding water to the meths will indeed reduce the smell a little, but the downside, is that it will also reduce the calorific value of the meths, means that your kettle will take a little longer to boil. personally I don't find the smell of meths that obnoxious, and to be honest, the Origo doesn't seem to give off all that much of a smell. Somebody mentioned the colour of the meths, it is my belief that the lighter the colour the less of the nasties are in it, so you want to avoid the dark purple stuff sold in some ironmongers. If you can get Meths BP do so, it is a purer medical grade.

The best alcohol to use in an Origo is what is now known as industrial denatured alcohol, basically it's meths with no additives, it burns with a nice warm sort of alcohol smell, think of pochin [:D] If you get across the water to France on occasion, you can buy what I think they call Alcohol Brule, you can get it in any supermarket, and it's grand stuff for Origo's, no additives and burns with that nice warm alcohol smell.

If you are prepared to jump through a couple of minor hoops, you can buy industrial denatured alcohol, (used to be called IMS, Industrial Methilated Spirit) at your local chemist, but you will have to collect it on the day it is delivered to them, as most Chemist shops no longer have fire proof cabinets to store flammables in over night, something to do with cheaper insurance.

However, here is the hoop you will have to jump through. To buy industrial denatured alcohol in this country, you will need to obtain a licence from Revenue and Customs, this is not arduous, but you will have to tell them a little lie, they will allow you to buy up to 20 litres a year for "Specialised Hobbies and Pastimes". Now, I have a licence and find that 5 litres a year is sufficient for my needs, at that level of consumption they will not bat an eyelid, and you will find that they are very helpful, here is the lie, you don't tell them that you want it for fuelling a stove on a boat, for some reason they don't like that. what you tell them is that you have a number of model steam engines and you find that denatured alcohol is better for your engines, less soot and less smell etc.

At these small quantities, they will not be coming round to inspect your steam engines, so you can breath easy on that one[:)]

My advice is just ask for 5 litres a year to start with, and if you find that it isn't enough, you can always up the quantity later, I find that mostly I have a surplus at the end of the year, on 5 litres, but if you do a lot of banqueting on your boat, then I guess that you will need a bit more. By the way, Denatured Alcohol is a clear liquid, so I just dump a very small amount of purple meths into it, just enough to colour it a bit, somebody is then less likely to take a swig of it thinking it is water!! I should add that Denatured Alcohol has a higher calorific value than the purple stuff, so it takes less time to boil a kettle, ergo, you will use less fuel over the year. You may want to take a look here??

http://customs.hmrc.gov....63&propertyType=document 

I hope the above will be of use to somebody? By the way, some of you may be wondering why on earth Customs and Excise would have an interest in this stuff, well as I understand it, IDA is used in cutting some of the nasty drugs like heroine and such by drug dealers, so I guess that they want to try and keep a track of what is going where, and for what purpose? It is also used in genuine and bonafide industrial processes, and by French Polishers, for mixing colours and stains. It seems a bit paranoid to me really as anyone that is going to use it for nefarious purposes, can bring in a van load of the stuff purchased in any French Supermarket!

Cheers, Ray.

Seal 22 MK3 "Morveren" ex "Mellisa" ex "Sachi" Number 384

(the last one built by John Baker)


Seal 22 MK3 "Morveren" Number 384

(the last one built by John Baker)

smiffy
2011-02-19T08:24:02Z
Further to my post above, some of you may be interested in this??.........

http://www.reagent.co.uk...it-99-v-v-74-op-lrg.html 

Please note that at the top of the page there is a paragraph headed important in red, this paragraph includes a contact number for the Customs and Excise, so you can probably sort out getting your permissions there.

Don't forget to lie, if you feel squeamish about lying, then just buy your stinky meths from wherever you please![:D]

Kind regards to all, Ray.

Seal 22 MK3 "Morveren" ex "Mellisa" ex "Sachi" Number 384

(the last one built by John Baker)


Seal 22 MK3 "Morveren" Number 384

(the last one built by John Baker)

Graham Ellison
2011-05-13T17:09:33Z
By the way, those little circular rubbery gaskets the Origo comes with.... Once the cooker's cooled down, I've been fastidiously opening up the lid and slipping them over the meths vents, in the assumption that they might stop any stray fumes from leaking out and wasting meths by evaporation. Is this necessary, or am I being unnecessarily obsessive/compulsive?[:)]

Graham

Tiptoe Too

Gary
  • Gary
  • Member Topic Starter
2011-05-13T19:04:06Z
We always put ours over as soon as its cooled.

Gary/Ruth/& Skipper the Working Cocker Spaniel

Crew of Juicy Blue P235


Gary/Ruth/& Skipper the Working Cocker Spaniel

Crew of Juicy Blue P235

Graham Ellison
2011-05-13T20:19:47Z
Gary
  • Gary
  • Member Topic Starter
2011-06-10T16:27:05Z
BTW now we are well used to the Origo here is a tip we have learned. When you find it a little difficult to light (does happen sometimes) we just lift up the lid and light the burners for 2 seconds quickly put the lid back down again to extinguish the flame then turn on and it will light first time no problem.

Gary/Ruth/& Skipper the Working Cocker Spaniel

Crew of Juicy Blue P235


Gary/Ruth/& Skipper the Working Cocker Spaniel

Crew of Juicy Blue P235

Gary
  • Gary
  • Member Topic Starter
2011-07-20T19:49:42Z
I purchased 5 litres of clear meths from Go Outdoors today for £15.00 it would seem that Customs and Excise are a little more relaxed with the sale of this product these days.

Gary/Ruth/& Skipper the Working Cocker Spaniel

Crew of Juicy Blue P235


Gary/Ruth/& Skipper the Working Cocker Spaniel

Crew of Juicy Blue P235

philip linsell
2011-07-21T09:25:42Z
Well done Gary, after reading all that you gave me a laugh.

But I'll stick to my gas, with oven and a gas alarm!

smiffy
2011-10-16T18:50:28Z
quote:
Originally posted by Gary


I purchased 5 litres of clear meths from Go Outdoors today for £15.00 it would seem that Customs and Excise are a little more relaxed with the sale of this product these days.

Gary/Ruth/& Skipper the Working Cocker Spaniel

Crew of Juicy Blue P235


Did you now? The only stuff I could find on their website was this.........

http://www.gooutdoors.co...mping-gas-refill-p143040 

Do you have the details of the clear meths you bought?

Cheers, Ray.

Seal 22 MK3 "Morveren" Number 384

(the last one built by John Baker)


Seal 22 MK3 "Morveren" Number 384

(the last one built by John Baker)

Robby
2012-05-31T13:48:48Z
Hi,

I have an Origo 3000 on Atlas'T and I am very impressed, it has the adjustable fiddles but as yet it is not in gimbles. Still looking at that one mine is fixed 'fore and aft' and would possibly prefer it to be athwartships.

Any suggestions as to which would be best?

Robby

The More I learn The More I Realise How Little I know!


The More I learn The More I Realise How Little I know!