I just bought an old Sea Swing stove for my tiny (17’) sailboat cheap on eBay. It is pretty rough. I cannot figure out what type of fuel this takes. Looks like gas, but there does not seem to be a way to attach a canister. I can jury rig something, but if there is a standard way, I would like to explore it.
I believe your Sea Swing uses Camping Gaz C-206 style Butane fuel canisters. They attach like this: Ben
@John Churchill The blue component of your Sea Swing looks like it is from a "Camping Gaz" stove, which takes a canister that is locked in by those two arms. A search of this forum should give you the information you need to repair/replace it. I would be very cautious about jury rigging a gas stove on a boat. Edit: Crossed posted with @z1ulike Cheers Tony
Thanks. I will look into Camping Gaz canisters. If I jury rig, I envision swapping in something like a Pocket Rocket backpacking burner which takes canisters. My boat is small but I don't wanna blow it up.
Does not look like the canisters are readily available in the USA. And I don't care for the can puncture mechanism that cannot be removed until empty. I think I will be looking at other options for the burner/stove portion.
I would also suggest that you not attempt to use the stove on the boat. The last time I saw someone try to use a similar stove, there was a cloud of atomized butane, due to user error or, more likely, the rubber bud / o-ring on the canister piercing mechanism (you can see it in your third photo) had hardened and failed to make a seal. They were very fortunate that there were no open flames in the area, or it would have resulted in a fuel - air detonation of potentially lethal force. I was a camp site away, and it scared the s--t out of me. Don't take the chance. The majority of the earlier Sea Swing stoves were designed to take an Optimus 45 or similar kerosene stove, with a taller riser. There are members with this type of equipment. I have a gimbaled stove made by the marine supply company Forespar that runs on a Coleman type one pound propane bottle. Other similar products may be out there, either current production or on eBay. Traditional small boat stoves were alcohol stoves, because of the relative safety of the fuel (alcohol fires could, in theory, be put out with water). Good luck with your boat stove project and get out there cruising.
I will take a bet that it was never designed for a camping Gaz stove. How would you screw the burner on when putting a new canister In it ?
There is no screw mechanism. I am not sure of the details but from online pictures, here is what it seems. The top of the cannister is just a flat spot. It gets pierced when installing the canister which is held in place with the wire clamps. The canister is not removed until empty. The whole deal looks poorly conceived to me. Probably why it is not popular, at least here in the US.
I could attach a Svea stove or similar to it, but those seem to have become collector's items with prices to match.
There is a screw mechanism - it is where the burner assembly fits to the blue body section in your picture 3. The procedure is to unscrew and remove the burner from the body; fit an unpierced cartridge into the body by locking it in place with the two chrome bail arms; ensure the gas control on the burner is turned off; screw the burner down into the body, which will cause the cartridge to be pierced. Stove should then be ready for use. You think it was poorly conceived - introduced in the 1950s they were incredibly popular across Europe and beyond there are thousands of them still about and in use in stoves, blow lamps and lanterns. Most have probably received no maintenance although the rubber seals around the piercing point are beginning to harden now and if you find a cartidge with rust in the dimple, that might accelerate degradation of it. Maybe now I have explained how it assembles, you might think a bit better of it.
But, my understanding is the canister does not screw on, as it does with the lindal valve. The canister is pushed into position. I would be suspect of the 'rubber type' seal. How hard is it?
@snwcmpr The coarse threads on the valve to enable it to be screwed down onto the top of the canister, already clamped fast in the housing. In the process the piercing spike dies its job and the spring loading on the sealing piston ensures a seal. A clone Camping Gas. Veritas.
Thank you When the canister body it attached to the burner the canister is only pushed in, pierced, and secured???
snwcmper Remove the burner from the case. Remove the empty canister from the case by swinging out the metal rods. Fit new canister to the case and swing the rods back in. Check the rubber washer is on the burner. Screw the burner back onto the case firmly and quickly or all the gas will escape.
