Update and review. I got my heater quite quickly after ordering. We went out to the Lake a few Saturday nights back to watch the annual “Float ya Boat “ light show. As temperatures were low it was the perfect time to try out the heater. I’ll cut straight to the chase and get to the boat bit later. It was pretty good
. To be honest for less than $20 I was not expecting much but it surprised me. Comes well packed and includes a little drawstring carry bag and clip in handle. There are bayonet style slots in the base that perfectly fit a standard butane stove trivet so that it can’t fall off with normal use.Again I was fairly impressed with the unit. We are regular winter campers and to have this quick “non camp fire” option is great . We have a larger 4.5kg lpg gas bottle heater but it is heavy, takes up space and not something we carry with us in the little motoring home unless “trip specific “. On the other hand this, as as a adjunct to the butane stove we always carry anyway for outside cooking is small and light and instant.
Our stove does not throw any real heat downwards, and I noted the heater did not change this, but I’ll experiment. There was no suggestion that it was heating the cylinder and given the heat was going up I suppose there less chances of that happening than with a frying pan. I consider we’ll use it on our portable aluminium table as a warmer when sitting outside. We stick a cork plate mat underneath the stove normally as a precaution.
The big advantage is you can flick this on and off as needed rather than having to watch and top up a fire. Mind you I’m still a big fan of camp fires.
Ok …boating use and relevance ?? Well, after bunging the fuel tank forward in the anchor locker I could cautiously see us using this heater in the cockpit of the boat on a cool shoulder season evening. We have cooked on them in the cockpit before but as I’ve reiterated many times I’m not a big fan of these butane stoves aboard. Seems to be odd that they come standard on upmarket boat galleys these days.
What I am looking forward to doing is trying them on the boat’s metho stove and seeing how that performs. As per Ian B’s toaster attachment, I’m optimistic as even at the butane stoves minimal flame on an almost empty cylinder still gave out usable heat. A stability brace attached to the bayonet slots will need inventing for metho.
There is a small lift handle provided that clips on to remove the heater but you could probably turn the stove off and reposition the whole thing inside the cabin as it radiated a fair amount of heat for a few minutes. Do it twice and you’ll up the internal temperature a bit probably.
The advertisements show the ability to cook on top of the heater but I didn’t try that. Stability would be an issue, but with a small kettle or pot it might be safe enough.
So far there has been no blackening on the stainless surfaces inside or out. I’m assuming no carbon buildup means minimal CO? per earlier links in this thread, but dunno about that. Don’t quote me at all. Wthout taking anything away from Ian’s method, I will still be cautious about inside use on metho! Remembering ventilation is key whatever you do.
Just in passing, if you live within easy driving distance, Lake Mac every year has the “Float Ya Boat “ contest around the winter solstice. Boats dress up their rigging with coloured lights in patterns and pictures and there are prizes for the best, as voted on online by spectators on various shore viewing areas . As usual there are carnival setups ar various points around the lake. This year “Yellow Submarine “ won . I liked “Fred Flintstone.” Probably because I’m a grumpy old man like him now. Anyway catch it next year if you’re close enough.