Solid Fuel Stoves

Solid fuel stoves are the centrepiece for many boat cabins and living areas and provide reliable, dry heat throughout the winter season for many residential boats.

What Size Stove Do I Need?

There are many different manufacturers and models of solid fuel stoves on the market, which one you chose will depend on the space you are trying to heat and your budget. Every stove should come with a kW rating for its heat output. This gives a comparison of how big a space a stove will heat, although there will be some variation based on how the solid fuel stove is used. It is important to get roughly the correct size solid fuel stove for your boat/ If you have a high kW rated stove for a small space, it will be difficult to get small fires to stay lit for a long period of time. In order to keep the fire lit, you will need to use more fuel and thus over heat your boat. Stoves too small for the boat will have the opposite problem: you will simply not be able to get enough fuel in to adequately heat the boat.

You can find our range of solid fuel stoves here:

• Morso Squirrel Stove
• Salamander Hobbit Stove
• Bubble Stoves

How Do Marine Solid Fuel Stoves Work In My Boat?

You should also consider the shape of your boat when choosing which stove and where to locate it. Narrowboats are a type of boat where this is especially import. A long, narrow corridor with many doors to cabins is difficult to heat with one stove sited at either the bow or stern. Stove fans can alleviate this to an extent, but we would recommend either a second, smaller stove at the far reaches or an auxiliary heating system such as a diesel heater or backburner and radiator set up.

Solid fuel stoves do much to earn their popularity, mainly in terms of reliability. With basic designs, there is little to go wrong. Some models also have features such as air wash (where the air flow is directed over the stove glass to keep it clean,) or fiddle rails and hotplates (a rail around a hotplate to prevent any kettles or pots on top from falling.), but the general design is the same robust design which has been successful for many, many years.  Many users report operational periods in terms of months, rather than hours.  Speak to our team today to help find which solid fuel stove is right for you and your boat.