Setting up a new boat

[Axel]

Hello all. My husband and I just bought a "new" troller that needs a lot of work. We have decided to look at this as an opportunity to set it up nicely. While he's got a handle on rigging and electronics, I've taken ownership of the galley. I know it's not as important as a reliable engine but we all work better with a belly full of good food. I really love to cook and don't see a reason to eat badly while fishing.

This boat, named Axel, has a propane 4 burner stove and that's about it. Since it was a California boat it doesn't have any heat. I'm wondering if we should bag the propane and go with a Dickinson? What do you all have? The wheel house is about 6 by 8 and space is somewhat tight. We won't have a genset right away since there is a considerable amount of work to make her fishable and a genset is pretty low on the list. I am a bit nervous a out having propane on board and we almost had two fires with the oil stove last summer (long, newbie story). I know there are inherent risks in everything, but I figured all of you have thought about this. Anything you can tell me about galleys would be appreciated as well-tips or indispensable tools you have.

We fish out of Sitka and we hand trolled last year. This year we made the jump to a fixer-upper steel boat and power troll. Yee-ha.

[Carol W]

Put a dickinson in.

[Salty]

I recommend a diesel stove. Dickensons are ok but there are better. Shop around. I have had boats with propane and others with Dickensons. I don't have either now and it is so nice. Send a private message and I will ask Sarah if she wants to share her ideas with you. It is also really nice to set up a hot water system of even a few gallons. I love my coffee grinder/brewer.

[Jon]

I second a Dickinson.

You light it in May and turn it off at the end of September. In between, you're warm, your gloves are dry, and the water is hot.

[mydona]

dickinson diesel stove - $500 (seattle) http://juneau.craigslist.org/boa/2151722011.html

[kjwelder]

Dickenson are pretty standard. Parts and advice are easy to come by.
I installed a new Sig Marine diesel on my dad's boat. It looks just like a Dickenson. I think that some of the Dickenson employees started the company. The stove does its job so well that my dad pays no attention to it. I think he forgot the brand name. So I'd recommend the stove.

[Salty]

Sig Marine is the one. But then I had a guy install it who did a wonderful job and I have not had to fool with it since. Where as with the old pacific I was always fooling with the carburetor, cleaning out soot, trying to figure out why the oven wouldn't heat, dealing with back blow when it was windy, cleaning the rust off from a leaky stack. Now the stack doesn't leak, the carburetor works great and I mostly don't think about it.
Be sure you hook up a high heat shut off to your autopulse. I had an autopulse run away one evening and came down to find the high heat kill switch had been tripped. Immediately replace the autopulse with a different brand and reset the kill switch.

[JKD]

By all means - install an oil stove. Shop around a little but I also suggest buying a new unit and not one that may be on the market because the owner hasn't been able to make it operate reliably or cleanly. In my years of experience operating commercial vessels around SE I found that oil stoves can be "temper-mental" for a laundry list of reasons but even with their potential faults I can think of no other source of constant heat that will not only serve as a cook stove but will do as good a job of keeping the dampness and humidity down in your vessel's cabin. The latter is a very favorable point to consider. Good luck with your boat projects.