Stove for sailing ships.

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Nov 27, 2008
186
Upstate South Carolina
I found locally a Shipmate 134 stove. It is a wood-coal kitchen stove with a big oven and six top eyes. The stove is advertised as for use in sailing ships and has rails on the top to keep pots from sliding off in rough seas. This is a big stove with fire brick inside. They tell me it was discontinued in1912 but this one might be older. Price is $1000. Sure wish I had a place for it. David.
 
I found locally a Shipmate 134 stove. It is a wood-coal kitchen stove with a big oven and six top eyes. The stove is advertised as for use in sailing ships and has rails on the top to keep pots from sliding off in rough seas. This is a big stove with fire brick inside. They tell me it was discontinued in1912 but this one might be older. Price is $1000. Sure wish I had a place for it. David.

Can you post a link to the add or some pics? Would love to see it.
 
Shipmate Stoves;

Shipmate Stove.jpg
 
thats pretty neat. I've seen a cook stove mounted on a gimbal before, either for ships or very crooked homes. I dont know if I'd want a large stock pot sliding along the top of one of those Shipmates and slamming into those railings. Seem like a good way to end up covered in soup.
 
Coaly nailed it. The picture he put on is the stove I found. I thought it was just a nice looking stove. David
 
They are nice. I presume they work similar to the cookstoves I've used. The oven runs about 300 to 325 with a decent fire not even trying to get the temp up. You're so inclined to bake bread or whatever when yuo normally wouldn't just because the oven is there and ready to go.
For those who never used a wood fired oven; unlike gas or electric modern ovens, these are sealed and do not have air circulation around the food. Everything is being steamed as well as baked and is much more moist. Bread lasts longer without drying out fast with so much moisture in it. Cooking chicken in the oven in a baking dish makes it so juicy that if you leave the door open too long, it condensates and starts to drip on the floor. You have to keep your face back when opening the oven door due to a blast of steam coming at you when you open the door. It's also very easy to take something out of the oven and set it on the top to make room on a counter or get hot pads. BIG mistake. The stove top instantly browns or burns the perfect product you just removed from the oven. A wipe with cooking oil when it looks dry seasons the cast iron just like you do a cast iron pan.

Here's a better picture, go for it;

Shipmate 2.jpg 100 Years later ;) Shipmate 135.jpg
 
...I dont know if I'd want a large stock pot sliding along the top of one of those Shipmates and slamming into those railings. Seem like a good way to end up covered in soup.

There were curved rods that clamped onto the rails and held the pots in place. The trick was to gauge the roughness of the sea and fill the pot accordingly. Too full and it would slosh over the top.

If it was too rough they had a cold dinner. If it was a major storm they had some bread and put off eating till it passed. In a real storm they hoped to see morning...

"Wooden ships and iron men"

KaptJaq
 
The photo of the restored Shipmate with the fire burning in it is seriously beautiful. Obviously, the top rails are removeable for a non-seagoing application. I'm quite familiar with any number of devices to discourage the unwanted movement of loose articles when aboard a ship at sea...and this need went way beyond the galley. :) Rick
 
There were curved rods that clamped onto the rails and held the pots in place. The trick was to gauge the roughness of the sea and fill the pot accordingly. Too full and it would slosh over the top.

If it was too rough they had a cold dinner. If it was a major storm they had some bread and put off eating till it passed. A real storm they hoped to see morning...

"Wooden ships and iron men"

KaptJaq

I probably should have figured as much...but thanks for the info. I imagine tending fire aboard a wooden vessel is a very tricky job...not so much room for error.
 
I probably should have figured as much...but thanks for the info. I imagine tending fire aboard a wooden vessel is a very tricky job...not so much room for error.
There should be plenty of water;)
 
Plenty of boats have burned to the ... water and killed people in the fire. Rough.

The last boat stoves I've been around burned paraffin. Between the smell of that burning paraffin and the big diesels spewing out the stern, throw in a little wave action, it's enough to make you a little ill.
 
Very nice pictures there. The only stove I have seen in a boat was in a canal boat here, fortunately we don't get much rough water in canals.........;)
 
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