The easyest way to stay warm, I ever saw, was installing a "burzhuika" - a
wood, or coul burning stove in a Vanagon in Saint Pier Port Joli, Quebeck,
Canada. I met french speaking Canadian in mid - November 1991. The stove was
bolted to the floor and its chimney was protruding 1 foot above the roof.
The fellow had an extention 6 feet long easily mounted on top of chimney for
heating while stationary. It was already 11 deg. F outside but almost 85
inside. I was drowning in sweat, the owner was seating topless.
A small fan was blowing air into the stove. The guy had a trailer loaded
with wood and coal, enough for a week. Cooked there.
Go back fellows. There is a great choice of casted iron stoves and enough
kentucky coal  and get back to that gorgeous way of heating out ancestors
enjoyed. You look at the fireplace, seep strong black tea, a great feeling
tempting you to sleep, be worryless and let others vote for this or that
president - nothing matters, nothing will change! The stove. What can be
easier?! A moron can troubleshoot the problem!
Ark.

----- Original Message -----
From: "David Beierl" <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, January 11, 2010 10:32 PM
Subject: Re: Replacing Propane Regulator Advice?

> At 05:11 PM 1/11/2010, Doug Noganav wrote:
>>I had thought alcohol stoves were the only fuel allowed.
>
> When I were a lad, people used alcohol, diesel, coal and maybe
> wood.  The diesel stoves were primed with alcohol.  Alcohol was
> favored because it dilutes with water and doesn't smell to speak of
> -- but it's expensive and doesn't give lots of heat.  Diesel was
> favored for BTU content, cost, ready availability and low volatility
> -- but it tends to smell up the galley.  Coal was used for heating
> more than cooking, diesel for both, alcohol just for cooking.
>
> Nowadays all the above is still true, but except on small
> diesel-powered fishing boats I'd bet that LP outnumbers all the rest,
> and coal has faded away some.  And diesel stoves tend to be primed
> with a propane torch.  Big commercial fisherman might even use
> electric ranges, though I've seen a bunch of medium-sized fishermen
> with a pair of hundred-pound tanks standing on deck somewhere.
>
> Yours,
> d