• From: Blossvale, NY
  • Registered: 2006-10-04
  • Posts: 20

Topic: Deck irons for wood (solid fuel) stove

Group,

I bought a Tiny Tot wood/charcoal stove for my Contessa (hoping to expand my sailing season during cooler months in upstate NY this & coming years).  It takes a 3" stove pipe, and a 3" deck iron.  My question is related to the "type" of deck iron to use, and alternative ways of mounting thru deck.

There is a water bowl type, that you fill with water atop to help cool the iron.

There is a finned type, that  cools via air flow.

There is a solid (old type) brass iron.

Is there a way (no matter which one I use) to better insulate the deck iron from the deck to insure better heat protection just in case things get too hot during the night?

Don

  • From: Victoria B.C.
  • Registered: 2006-03-11
  • Posts: 171

Re: Deck irons for wood (solid fuel) stove

I have (in my boat) three inch stainless deck iron with over sized hole and plywood donut outside.Comes with rubber gasket .Try Dickinson stoves,Vancouver Canada.Yiou also need elbows to allow for expansion of pipe length wise and about three feet of over head clearance.Stoves a great thing to have.

  • From: Blossvale, NY
  • Registered: 2006-10-04
  • Posts: 20

Re: Deck irons for wood (solid fuel) stove

Well, over-sizing the hole & plywood donut, that's an easy enough solution, and would give sufficient insulation between the iron & deck.  I've planned on using elbows, and hope to mount the stove low, in a special, copper-lined cove area I will build in the port locker.  Looking forward to those chilly nights aboard.  Thanks

  • From: Victoria B.C.
  • Registered: 2006-03-11
  • Posts: 171

Re: Deck irons for wood (solid fuel) stove

The tot is a sweet little stove,very nice addition.Mine is Starboard with drawers beside it,where the ice box used to be.

  • From: Victoria B.C.
  • Registered: 2006-03-11
  • Posts: 171

Re: Deck irons for wood (solid fuel) stove

Also ,it's good to epoxy glass the donut after shaping as this will prevent it drying out and getting homely ower time.

  • Registered: 2005-03-12
  • Posts: 101

Re: Deck irons for wood (solid fuel) stove

Just out of curiosity (I am not considering a heater at this time) how do you avoid melting things on the outside stove pipe?  My friend has a diesel heater on his Douglass 32 and even with a double walled pipe the chimney is capable of melting clothes, sails, etc.

  • From: Blossvale, NY
  • Registered: 2006-10-04
  • Posts: 20

Re: Deck irons for wood (solid fuel) stove

Bill,

Thanks for the epoxy tip -- I was planning to gob it up with resin.

I was originally thinking of installing my tot on starboard; my Contessa doesn't have an ice box there, and I am making a home-made, gimbaled propane stove to go in that space; however, I would be interested in seeing your setup before I plug in the saws-all and begin chopping things up.  I have made several cardboard mockups this winter in my basement, trying to visualize various approaches.  Do you have any photos?

don

  • From: Victoria B.C.
  • Registered: 2006-03-11
  • Posts: 171

Re: Deck irons for wood (solid fuel) stove

Melting things just is not a problem,on my boat or my many friends boats that have them.This is #3 sailboat for me with a wood stove,no problems.The latest wooden boat has a review of the lunenburg stoves now made in Port Townsend,Washington.Very interesting.I would love to post a picture but need to enlist the aid of a computer savy friend.It is tight.The drawers are against the bulkhead and about 6 inches wide.The stove is about 10 inches wide with about 4 inches air space all around which is ample.You need room to reach all around the stove to polish and inspect it.I put a cabinet in under the deckhead,and keptthe bulkhead by the cushion to lean on.The pipe exits about 18 inches off center and six back of the mast.I found a zip blade in an angle grinder to be very fast and presise with minamal dust as far as carving the boat up goes....As the project unfolded solutions were fond to complete my hazy visualization,not the best way to attack,but sometimes appropriate.Hope that helps and I will try again to submit a photo....The port side has a gimbaled Origo next to the main bulkhead and the sinkclosest to the cushion with a cuttind board over it.In theory you can heave to and cook a meal on starboard,in practice I am likely sick as a dog if I'm hove to.