Replacing the one-burner stove on the little Tugs & Cuts

[jack_patricia]

I have been informed the little AC electric burner commonly installed on our smaller Tugs & Cuts *will* be replaced. The cook prefers something simple and propane/butane fueled, e.g.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09QXSZLD1/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_2?smid=A2XST4M7AG99XZ&th=1 and perhaps housed in something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DTMXGWR/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_3?smid=A2XST4M7AG99XZ&psc=1.
So for those of you galley pathfinders who have already tackled this, how is the one-burner electric burner assembly attached to the counter? Access straightforward thru the locker below? And might a few of you have some thoughts about or experience with the replacement choices? I've actually been mulling the idea of attaching a small burner replacement to a wooden base I fashion and then, after the meal is over, inverting the whole thing and setting it into the counter's hole, leaving an uncluttered counter. Suggestions on any of the above are welcome!

 

[jack_patricia]

Have to say, I'm surprised no one has responded to my question. Is everyone satisfied with using the single burner alcohol/120V AC stove? Or perhaps ignoring it altogether and working around having no stove?

 

[glider4]

I bought a 24 ft Sea Ray Sundancer clone that had an electric/alcohol stove in 2006. I HATED that damn cooktop! Absolutely the most useless and dangerous feature on that boat. Sure it worked fine on shore power but we were rarely on shore power. Swore I would never own another boat (or RV) with one of those things again and I haven’t.
Nowadays there’s a cheap reliable substitute for that cooktop. A portable butane camping stove like the one in your first link. Inexpensive, good heat and small enough to easily store away when not in use. Little butane fuel cylinders seem to last fairly long too. The Coleman gets good reviews and can be found for $30 at the usual online retailers.
I wouldn’t bother trying to remove the old electric/alcohol cooktop - too much work!

 

[PNWTX]

Complaints about the electric/alcohol stove are pretty common on this board. We actually think ours works great. Using the alcohol configuration was tricky at first but once I really read how to make it work it's been fine.

That said, if I could have a re-do, I'd ask the factory not to install the stove top at all and just keep one of those little butane options onboard. I'd prefer to have that counter space more usable most of the time.

 

[briandunnington]

Like others, I just got a small butane stove and it works great. I considered removing the electric/alcohol stove and mounting the butane stove instead (and still might, someday) but so far it is easier just to get it out when needed. I copied @Hamster and built a shelf in the cave where I store the stove when not in use: https://briandunnington.com/ranger_tug_r23_cave_shelf

(And yes, I know about the dangers of storing propane in an enclosed space - this is just a test)

 

[Hamster]

Like others, I just got a small butane stove and it works great. I considered removing the electric/alcohol stove and mounting the butane stove instead (and still might, someday) but so far it is easier just to get it out when needed. I copied @Hamster and built a shelf in the cave where I store the stove when not in use: https://briandunnington.com/ranger_tug_r23_cave_shelf

(And yes, I know about the dangers of storing propane in an enclosed space - this is just a test)

Looks familiar! The two things I’d add is that keeping the existing stove provides a backup to your butane stove in the event it fails or you run out of fuel. Second, the butane stove fits perfectly on top of the glass cooktop that comes with the boat. I can find no reason to remove the original stove but do use my butane stove exclusively now.

 

[CruisingElvinRay]

I removed our alcohol/electric stovetop and replaced with an induction cooktop. Pretty straightforward.

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[Exile]

I replaced mine with an induction stovetop. The unit I had fit in the existing hole without modification and some slight grinding on the plastic housing of the induction unit. I set it in a polished stainless steel frame that matches the sink.

We cook a lot on our boat and the induction stovetop works well, including larger pots.

 

[jack_patricia]

Exile, can you share a pic and/or the details on the induction unit that 'fit' so nicely? Boy, if my wife hears about that option....

Dave, you taptalk seems to be preventing the posting of your pics, including your induction stovetop pic. Perhaps you could resend 'manually'.

As for why bother removing the original (not very popular) stove, PNWTX echoes my thought if we go with a small portable butane/propane replacement: "if I could have a re-do, I'd ask the factory not to install the stove top at all and just keep one of those little butane options onboard. I'd prefer to have that counter space more usable most of the time." Me, too.

This is very encouraging info. Thanks to everyone.

 

[glider4]

The induction cooktops take up to 1800 watts of power and many need 110 volt 15 amp service. That’s fine if you are on shore power. I’m unsure if the factory installed generators could keep up with that power demand. And if you don’t have a generator, using an inverter would quickly drain the house battery bank. So yes, this might be a solution for when you are on shore power at a marina. For us being on shore power is only about 20% of our cruising venues. The butane cooktop alternative doesn’t care where you are moored.

 

[jack_patricia]

"The induction cooktops take up to 1800 watts of power...."
Yup, using an induction burner, just like using the microwave, requires some thoughtfulness about energy management and may not be suitable for some. But cooking times are shorter - boiling 6 cups of water for coffee will take about 90 seconds - and the watts needed may be well below 1800 (unlike the microwave, which always demands the same power level). One of the benefits I'm thinking of is because we live and boat in Florida. Cabin heat build-up due to cooking will be less...and that's a benefit that applies at the dock as well as on the hook.

The bottom line seems to be that we have several choices that might improve on the stock burner, and it's always nice to have choices. This was a helpful discussion.

 

[CruisingElvinRay]

The induction cooktops take up to 1800 watts of power and many need 110 volt 15 amp service. That’s fine if you are on shore power. I’m unsure if the factory installed generators could keep up with that power demand. And if you don’t have a generator, using an inverter would quickly drain the house battery bank. So yes, this might be a solution for when you are on shore power at a marina. For us being on shore power is only about 20% of our cruising venues. The butane cooktop alternative doesn’t care where you are moored.

My R-23 came with a 2000W inverter for A/C underway, and I now have 400Ah of capacity.

In boating, as in life, there are no solutions. Only trade-offs. Everyone has to make those choices based on how they use their boat.


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