I was shooting the breeze with an old salt down at the marina who is preparing for another solo trip around the world. He uses alcohol for all of his cooking needs, more specifically a highly refined "cat cracking" methanol which he gets from a chemical supplier for about $1.80/gallon. He contends that 15 gallons will last him 30 months. 15 gallons of kerosene furnishes his cabin heater for the same length of voyage.

Some of the benefits he cited are no need for pressurization, it evaporates quickly without trace if spilled, can be used as a general solvent/cleaner and even diluted as a face/body wipe for those long periods between serious showers.

The natural Y2K question arises as to how to guarantee an inexaustable supply of such cooking fuel(s). I know that fuel-grade ethanol can be produced [legally] from a simple still, but how efficient is ethanol for use in alcohol stoves which generally require "boat stove" alcohol @ $3-4/qt?

How would one make methanol on the fly?

By the way, here is an interesting webpage about making your own gear, including plans for 2 alcohol stoves and a "Plumber's Stove".

Comments?

-- Zach Anderson (z@figure.8m.com), October 23, 1999