22. How I light the wood burning / coal stove on my narrowboat

No video

22. How I light the wood burning / coal stove on my narrowboat

Рет қаралды 198,670

Күн бұрын

#narrowboat #narrowboats #canal #canals #liveaboard #cruisingthecut
After a viewer request I hereby present a (rather long, sorry) video of how I set and light the Villager Puffin stove on my canal boat. I do two examples, one of lighting it from cold and the other of rekindling it from dying embers.
Please leave any tips and tricks in the comments below; anyone saying "you're doing it wrong" will be politely ignored :-)
Villager Puffin stove: geni.us/CtC_Pu...
Big box of Zip firelighters: geni.us/CtC_Zi...
Kindling: geni.us/CtC_Ki...
Matches: geni.us/CtC_Ma...
Dustpan and brush: geni.us/CtC_Du...
Stove fan: geni.us/CtC_St...
Got a question? Read this!
www.CruisingTh...
Filming gear I use:
www.CruisingTh...
Twitter: / cruisingthecut
Instagram: / cruisingthecut
Facebook: / cruisingthecut
Web: www.CruisingThe...
Tip jar at www.ko-fi.com/...
or / cruisingthecut
Get your Cruising the Cut mugs, t-shirts and other merch here: cruisingthecut...
Theme music: "Vespers" by Topher Mohr and Alex Alena, from the KZfaq music library

Пікірлер: 763

@fredwilliams9572 4 жыл бұрын

I don't understand why, but I have spent an abundance of my time these last few weeks watching some delightful English bloke living on and driving his longboat through the English water ways. And now I am watching him light a coal stove! Why? What has my life become? And I am just fascinated by this. From the middle of America I say thank you for your wonderful video productions. Or should I say, "Good show, Bloody good show?" Again, thanks mate!

@ozarkfloat 4 жыл бұрын

I've asked myself the same thing lol .- Tom From Thayer MO. 65791

@andyrbush 4 жыл бұрын

Same here. I am in Bangkok Thailand locked down. Got the air conditioning on, its over 90F outside and loving the coziness of the stove on the narrow boat. And yes thank you for a totally watchable and entertaining set of videos.

@bigtony4829 4 жыл бұрын

@@andyrbush Go and get a ham and cheese toastie from 7-11 ...sounds like your home sick

@t.diddle7998 2 жыл бұрын

In South Carolina here and I'm in the same boat with being drawn into the videos. It's like peeking into another world. I keep feeling like I'm being transported into the novel "The Golden Compass," especially in the part about Lyra's boat ride with the gypsies from London to the fens. I looked it up and the fens are a real place. I wonder if the canal really does connect to them. I did a little research and found that we do have something like the English canals here in the US with the Erie/New York canal system. They even have narrowboats there. But of course, it isn't as cool as the English system.

@MrHabilis 4 жыл бұрын

Others have labeled me as “OCD” but actually, I am CDO which is the same thing, but in alphabetical order. As I watched you line up your charcoal briquettes, you reminded me of, well, me! I know that you uploaded this 4 years ago, but I have just recently discovered your channel and had to go back and start from the beginning. It’s important to me that I watch them in order! (Another trait for those of us with CDO.) - Phil in Indianapolis USA

@hanskniezand2049 4 жыл бұрын

Perhaps you have OCD plus dyslexia, hence the CDO!

@bobham919 4 жыл бұрын

i am doing the same

@tomgould3891 4 жыл бұрын

I’m laid up for a few days after some minor surgery and I’m binge watching your videos. Really enjoying them, thanks so much for the effort you put into them.

@CruisingTheCut 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you! Hope the surgery was / is not painful!

@jeremymitchell995 4 жыл бұрын

You are an absolute treasure....I love the humour and your style of presentation....just great.

@Scampi141 4 жыл бұрын

Watching the “a narrowboat vlog” playlist for about the 6th time, still as enjoyable as the 1st time! 👍

@adibop1 3 жыл бұрын

I do admire your vocabulary. You enunciate your words in a manner that keeps me watching. I mean no disrespect in this comment. I enjoy listening in bed and it sends me off to sleep lovely. Thanks

@Myinspiration2009 7 жыл бұрын

What a lovely way of setting the fire: concentious and meticulous like the Japanese Tea Ceremony!

@CruisingTheCut 7 жыл бұрын

I love that description of it!

@TheMikemedia 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you for the escape from the absolute horrors besetting my country. While I may never see a UK canal or set foot aboard a narrowboat, I find your videos fascinating... and calming. So very glad there are hundreds yet to watch.

@bobham919 4 жыл бұрын

let me note one point here. i love the video. its saturday night here in china. my friends are the pub. i am at home watching a fully grown man light a fire in a stove on a boat in the UK. going into depth about arranging the sticks and briquettes of coal in geometric fashion. right. i suggest that you are a master of capturing ones attention. think about it. just how exciting is making a fire? i dare say HollyWood will be knocking on your boat begging you to come and make full on movies and docu-dramas very soon. of which i will be watching intently. carry on dear sir you wonderful.

@Sirlongfarts 4 жыл бұрын

I know, he's makes things compelling to watch. Wish my professors had this guy's charisma.

@217Seahorse 4 жыл бұрын

Must be a better way than coal to reduce carbon footprint.

@JPinFuerteventura 8 жыл бұрын

You are obviously doing something right with your videos David as I just spent 17 minutes watching a bloke light a fire and enjoyed it! 😉

@CruisingTheCut 8 жыл бұрын

Hahaha, someone said something similar to me about the one where I put hooks on the doors!!

@rickhudsondrummer2796 3 жыл бұрын

I’ve lived on a narrowboat in Cambridge and I’ve become weirdly addicted as well

@andrewmonument8847 Жыл бұрын

Reminds me of when I was a kid - we used to have coal fires... We would bank the fire up last thing at night - and it would be just about still glowing in the morning. Saved a lot of time starting the fire from scratch. Ahhhh memories !

@gnufz8623 4 жыл бұрын

Tip: A sheet of newspaper crunched up is perfect to clean the glass, and you can also use that to light the fire. If the kindle is dry, that's all you'll need. Also, for restarting: Open the ventilation briefly to power up the still glowing rest of the coal, when that glow has become brighter, you will have more than enough heat to just top up with just a little bit of kindle and coal.

@marklandgraf7667 Жыл бұрын

Welp, it's October 2022 and the beginning of nesting season. So, it's time to cozy up to binge-watch videos about wood and coal burning stoves.

@pamelapanzenbeck6035 Ай бұрын

I absolutely love him. So sorry he’s not on untuned so much. I hope he is living a very good life.

@CruisingTheCut Ай бұрын

Huh?

@Book7BrokeMyBrain 4 жыл бұрын

I've been ripping through your channel on my TV, so it's a pain to like and impossible to comment (although I do let the commercials play after you mentioned that you get no revenue if we skip). Now I"m going through and liking via my laptop. I'm enjoying your channel so much, I don't mind the effort. If you'd asked me if someday if I'd repeatedly watch a video of a man piling coals into a metal stove I'd have said "Yeah, sounds like my speed" as I'm a pyromaniac and love a real fire. So this is something I've watched a few times, lol. You do you, David. We love you, or we wouldn't be here watching,

@martinlanders 4 жыл бұрын

This is just funny that I can sit and watch u light a fire 🔥 !! Very good and entertaining thank you 🙏

@mikeskelly2356 4 жыл бұрын

A long nose 'Butane match' is not only handy for starting a fire whilst keeping your fingers safe, it can also be used from below the grate to help re-light a finicky fire without letting smoke into the cabin...

@RidgeDogRoxx 5 жыл бұрын

After a stressful day, viewing one or two of your vlogs puts me right again...thanks!

@NathanielKempson 5 жыл бұрын

as a steam engine enthusiast i have to congratulate you on your fire starting skills. though i cringe at the sight of coke, it burns so cold compared to real coal haha

@zagcatt 8 жыл бұрын

Enlightening. I am a top down man myself, but am wood only. The glass cleaning tip was a revelation to me when 1st got mine. Am with you re firelighters.... you light them and they go whoosh ...so why the heck not.

@CruisingTheCut 8 жыл бұрын

Top down?

@zagcatt 8 жыл бұрын

+CruisingTheCut ..Big logs at bottom, getting gradually smaller with kindling on top , opposite to the trad built up on top of kindling....works brilliantly for wood fires.

@CruisingTheCut 8 жыл бұрын

Oh how bizarre, if I ever use wood I'll try it. Cheers

@aaa82yt 2 жыл бұрын

at the beginning i thought it would be a short video... but now i need to make a cup of coffee to continue to watch

@erikr.bergman9100 8 жыл бұрын

this video series is brilliant !! I dream of being on a narrow boat in lovely England thank-you for allowing me to enjoy your new boat with you!

@CruisingTheCut 8 жыл бұрын

Thanks Erik!

@espowari 5 жыл бұрын

So glad KZfaq suggested your channel. Watching in order, so please forgive the questions and comments on older videos. Keep up the good work!

@CruisingTheCut 5 жыл бұрын

Forgiven! Glad you like them.

@MrAg272 4 жыл бұрын

So much to learn about living on a narrow boat. I enjoyed watching the Vlog how to light a stove. This is Great to see if and when I make it to the UK.

@offthegridwithbert924 3 жыл бұрын

Anthracite nut coal is by far the longest burning but you do need a shaker grate for it, these briquettes your using are a good idea for your particular stove design. Hopefully soon you will do some more "poking around other peoples boats" videos and I really loved your classic engine videos you did a while back, by far my favorite documentary style video you did recently was the coal finger video about the fuel boat, really enjoyable. Hoping all is well with you 🖐👍

@CruisingTheCut 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks 👍

@DeanArnold1066 6 жыл бұрын

My work colleagues take the pi$$ out of me due to getting excited about my wood/coal burner. Nothing like setting up a fire and feeling cozy watching it on a damp windy night drinking a cup of tea. Great video

@CruisingTheCut 6 жыл бұрын

Wood stoves are the best thing ever on a cold night! Cheers

@annepegum3351 5 жыл бұрын

A very heart-warming vlog David. Or should that be hearth-warming ??!! 😎😂😃

@battlewaterloo 4 жыл бұрын

This should be a very boring video. A nerdy bloke lighting a fire! However, I have just watched the first 21 of your Vlogs and I am hooked! You are actually quite funny and interesting! I must be getting old

@for.tax.reasons 4 жыл бұрын

This feels positively witchy, what a ritual

@ukbeeps 5 жыл бұрын

If you put the coal and kindling into brown paper bags, that way you can just light the bag, it's clean and quick way to light your fire.

@savetommyrobinsonfreespeec7660 Жыл бұрын

I’m from a family of 10 siblings, before and after school we all had our chores to do (in rotation). In the winter, when it was my turn, one of the best jobs I had was build fires in our fireplaces so they were ready for use, and if it was cold enough, light them. I think I was at the middle school, (whatever age that was)? You’re not far off with your methods, and at least it didn’t go out! 😂 I remember, my mum teaching me her old world ways! Shame I didn’t get as much time doing my school homework!

@for.tax.reasons 4 жыл бұрын

Formal petition for an asmr video of fire crackling sounds

@drewnield2915 8 жыл бұрын

You make it look so inviting

@deepestandy 8 жыл бұрын

Great vid. Love this series! One tip I have learned over the years of living with a stove - Coal ash, when used to clean the glass will scratch and dull it. This will make it soot up more quickly and more difficult to clean.

@CruisingTheCut 8 жыл бұрын

OK, useful tip - thank you!

@mikenelson8786 4 жыл бұрын

The way you set up a coal fire, have you ever thought of taking up landscaping?

@937mike 5 жыл бұрын

To avoid smoke coming out the front door and setting off the smoke alarm, warm your chimney before lighting the fire by lighting some newspaper or other such fuel and stick it up the chimney for a bit. The heat will draw the air up the chimney and keep the smoke from the initial fire start from leaving the stove through the front door.

@markdarlington9914 8 жыл бұрын

amazing i remember then i was a lad lol ,my mother rolled up the previous days newspaper paper then it was tied in a knot , then placed at the base, with the ends poking to yourself to light then kindling with coal on top we only used firelighters if anything was wet or damp , but as you stated the ways and combinations are countless

@CruisingTheCut 8 жыл бұрын

Perhaps I'll nick spare copies of Towpath Talk from the moorers' lounge and use them ;-)

@richswain7154 5 жыл бұрын

Dave, if you use newspaper to polish the glass, the print acts like a cutting agent and speeds up the clean. Use the ash also, as you so rightly suggest. Great, thanks

@simoncoe7872 2 жыл бұрын

Can I say I’m absolutely hooked by your vlog. We are looking to buy a narrow boat in about 5 years for when we retire. Happy boating and please keep up the excellent vlogs.

@CruisingTheCut 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you

@hanskniezand2049 4 жыл бұрын

I use balls of newspaper under the kindling. Then I set fire to it with our weedkilling flamethrower. It saves having to buy firelighters, repurposes it over the winter and is generally good fun.

@bobham919 4 жыл бұрын

a simple little hand held propane torch will start that coal quicky and easy. i have in the past when building a fire in a stove. when the draft would not start well. i would use the torch to heat up the flue pipe to start the draft.

@UmmCarl 5 жыл бұрын

I have two words for you my friend.. "Chimney Fire". Easy on the coal, start your fire and add it as the fire gets more established :) And yes, I did live in a cabin outside Boulder, Colorado that had no water, no heat or electricity. In the winter.

@CruisingTheCut 5 жыл бұрын

No worries, the stove is cleaned regularly. If you don't get it roaring away to start with, the boat would take forever to warm up.

@ccka1970 5 жыл бұрын

@@CruisingTheCut as long as chimney is clean that's fine, I live in Ireland and have in the past set the chimney on fire as it was dirty when we moved in, but a lovely little stove and very cosy

@heli-crewhgs5285 4 жыл бұрын

Chris Allatt Are chimney fires dangerous, or do they eventually burn themselves out?

@andyparsons6293 4 жыл бұрын

@@heli-crewhgs5285 They can, and usually will burn themselves out but the excessive heat can cause unseen damage like small gaps and cracks in the joints or liners that can, and do, lead to the building/boat burning down even in normal use, it only takse a spark. In the case of metal flue pipes, the excessive heat form a roaring fire can cause proplems let alone that of a chimney fire. Real fires are fantastic but the rules and regs ought to be followed for your own saftey. Chimney fires are a very serious issue.

@johneastman1905 2 жыл бұрын

Your fire laying from a cold stove was delightful and amusing as you festered about … Now returning from a few days away on a cold rainy January evening in winter is the test.

@stephencopland1053 3 жыл бұрын

I’m a bit late to the party, I watch your van vlogs and have now started watching this. Incidentally loving it. I haven’t read the 690 comments to see if anyone else has suggested orange peel as fire lighter. Dry it on top of your stove until the water evaporates out of the peel and you get the orange aroma and you are left with the hard peel containing orange oil which can be used as a fire lighter. Of course this only works if you like eating oranges and the smell of oranges whilst drying them.

@annwagner5779 2 жыл бұрын

You know, while I grew up with wood fires and charcoal grills, I don’t think I have ever seen a coal fire in my life. You just don’t get them in the areas where I have lived in the United States. I’ve read about coal fires in British books and now I get to see one. Thank you!

@JMVideos7676 5 жыл бұрын

This blog is addicting.

@Nerd3927 8 жыл бұрын

It is a fine Art and you explain it very well! What I use on the window is cold tea. Works great! Try it out, do one half with water and the other have with cold tea. Oh, that is without milk btw, as we drink it here in the Netherlands. And tea is a hot drink and not a meal. Learning English is not that hard, understanding the English is a differed cup of tea :-)

@CruisingTheCut 8 жыл бұрын

Hmm, interesting idea. I shall certainly give that a try. And you have clearly learned English subtleties very well indeed! Although, depending on where you are in England, tea sometimes IS a meal. And let's not forget "afternoon tea" as well which is part meal, part drink ;-)

@Shakrii 5 жыл бұрын

That ash trick just made this episode worth watching, never ran across it before.

@mike325ut 3 жыл бұрын

Those coal lumps look like the King Edwards I left in oven too long. LOL!

@ChampagneProperty 2 жыл бұрын

Ive paused the video at 7 mins to write this- very impressive work, its almost a work of art :) x

@nathanberry4339 2 жыл бұрын

I have to say this is my FAVOURITE video of yours

@offthegridwithbert924 4 жыл бұрын

Here in Australia we can buy brown coal briquettes, funnily enough they actually come from Germany which makes no sense as we have extensive coal deposits here, but they are very cheap, and as a single bloke living in a very big 24 foot caravan, the brown coal burns crazy hot for many hours and gets me right through the night as my heater is similar to yours. Your videos are very inspiring, would love to move to the UK and live the narrow boat life as it's basically the same as caravan life without the major space restrictions of a caravan, maybe one day I will get to try the narrow boat life even if it's just a holiday at first hehe

@CruisingTheCut 4 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoy them!

@Silvergirl70 5 жыл бұрын

Hello! I’ve tried your method today, it works really well and I’ve had stoves for over 20 years now. Just shows you can always learn something new. Thank you very much, I’m really enjoying your vlogs!

@CruisingTheCut 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you :-)

@puttputt357 6 күн бұрын

love your videos from the U.S. re watching all

@CruisingTheCut 6 күн бұрын

Glad you like them!

@CP140405 6 жыл бұрын

I grew up in Canada's far north... we heated with a wood fire during winter. One suggestion... run a metal duct from the outside of the boat to just in front of the fire/stove. Fires consume a tremendous volume of air. If there is no external air source, the fire pulls the air it needs from the surrounding (already warm) air, which is replaced by cold air leaking into the boat. That cold air then needs to be warmed up and you'll get a nasty draft on the back of your neck as you sit watching the TV. Run a duct from the outside to directly in front of the stove's air intake and the stove will draw cold air from the outside world... leaving the air inside (already heated) available to keep you a wee bit warmer.

@CruisingTheCut 6 жыл бұрын

Cheers. There's not really a good, unobtrusive route for such a pipe on my boat. Also, narrowboats are required under the safety regulations to have extensive ventilation to outside so the air doesn't so much "leak" in as flow through the open grilles, so the pipe wouldn't make much difference I don't think.

@CP140405 6 жыл бұрын

Fair enough... I admit to not having paid much attention to heating while we aboard our hired boat last summer...

@skyterrapin 4 жыл бұрын

Best method of cleaning the glass is using OOOO grade wire wool and a bit of water. Will not scratch glass at all.."can be used on car windscreens without issue as well.

@donmedford2563 4 жыл бұрын

Skyterrapin, why spend the money for steel wool when his method works just fine?

@donna30044 4 жыл бұрын

Instead of a commercial fire starter, I use a homemade starter. Work a small dab of petroleum jelly into a bit of cotton wool, dryer lint, or the like, then fluff up the greased wool and stack on the kindling and fuel (coal, charcoal, wood, etc.) I travel a lot in an RV and always carry a small container of petroleum jelly and a ball of lint for building campfires. A little goes a very long way. Any mostly dry resinous wood makes superb kindling.

@paulsherwood6010 4 жыл бұрын

You do make me smile😁in a good way..

@adrianheywood9234 4 жыл бұрын

What have you done to me?! I’ve lit about a millionty fires, and yet all I can do is sit - transfixed - watching a man I hardly know light a tiny bloody fire. I think I need some kind of professional help.

@CruisingTheCut 4 жыл бұрын

Hahahahahahahahahahahaha

@woychck4 8 жыл бұрын

I have noticed on my stove, when I get it up on the temp for a little while the glass cleans it self. Then I cut back and don't have to worry about cleaning it. It has something with not getting a complete burn with your source of fuel. Like you said its a fine art. Thanks again for your video's.

@matthewmitchell6899 5 жыл бұрын

Watching this reminds me of my Gran. She used to save money by not buying firelighters. Instead she used to keep her old orange peelings. Once dried out they made an excellent substitute firelighter due to the waxiness of the orange peel. I don't know whether it also flavoured the smell of the fire. Certainly nicer to handle than the paraffin based firelighters. Also more eco-friendly than plastic-wrapped paraffin blocks.

@suethomson6013 5 жыл бұрын

Smiling to myself reading your comment about orange skins. My Dad told me, in the arm in the 30's,, the men used to keep the orange peels, dry them, and they helped to start a fire when out in the field.. In my home it is something I still do, just because I like to see them burst into life. I keep a container by the fire.

@kennypaul428 8 жыл бұрын

Thank you. I do love your methodical approach. Good luck to you in your travels and thank you for sharing the knowledge you gain.

@CruisingTheCut 8 жыл бұрын

Excellent, thank you!

@beyergarret123 4 жыл бұрын

Sounds like the ideal starting procedure, as has been said if it works then all's well, I've never lived anywhere that didnt have an open fire and learnt from a very early age how to lay the fire, probabley due to having a father who was an ex LMS loco fireman, although funnily enough the fire starting was usually my mums job!

@CruisingTheCut 4 жыл бұрын

Yeah, up until I had the boat, every house I'd lived in had gas-fired radiator heating so this was a novelty!

@carolinegreenwell9086 2 жыл бұрын

gosh that took me back to my childhood when we had a coal fire with a back boiler ... if you need a tip, if the embers don't light the kindling straight away, chuck a handful of sugar on

@andrewmonument8847 2 жыл бұрын

I remember my childhood days... mum would 'bank' the coal fire up before we went to bed - and it would still be just about glowing in the morning. Two minutes 'maintenance' and we'd have a roaring inferno at breakast.

@kenirving5240 3 жыл бұрын

Stovax glass cleaner is really good at cleaning the glass. Couple of squirts, leave a couple of minutes and wipe off. Don’t use gritty material, it will scratch up the glass over time which in turn will embed more soot and so on.

@Bigredkarl 2 жыл бұрын

Was about to say that same thing. Though I just use oven cleaner but definitely dont want micro abrasions in the glass if possible to avoid it.

@clairetrimby111 6 ай бұрын

The most helpful and accurate way of lighting the fire 👌

@mrmocki 4 жыл бұрын

Actually, cotton wool balls dipped in petroleum jelly are far better than firelighters , and open the bottom up 10 mins before reviving a almost dead banked fire gives the old coals a healthy orange glow , and saves wasting kindling the next morning

@OneEyePI 7 жыл бұрын

Watched this out of idle curiosity as someone who heats a Victorian Terrace primarily with wood and coal (knackered boiler - long story). Great vid! Really entertaining.

@CruisingTheCut 7 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

@terrystephens1102 5 жыл бұрын

I was surprised and very impressed with the amount of heat generated by a coal fire during one of our stays in the Lakes district a few years back - coal hasn’t been used here in Australia for domestic heating for at least 30 years- loved the smell and the warmth.

@rameshkandadai 4 жыл бұрын

how interesting....we used the artitic touch when we lit camp fires too ....only no coal!!! very informative. Thanks to you i could probably light up the stove on my boat if i had a boat and stove!!

@zargon4 7 жыл бұрын

I love "all" your videos, and this is the time to pun that they reignite the fire in my heart to live aboard again! Initially, I jumped around, per the appealing titles, but have now started at the beginning of your vlog. Excellent info for newbies, and for those who may return to life aboard, as well as for those thinking about it. One often only sees the romantic part of living aboard and doesn't realize the work & maintenance that comes along with it.

@CruisingTheCut 7 жыл бұрын

Thank you, glad you like them.

@CardiganBear 8 жыл бұрын

Doh! I never thought of lighting those individually wrapped firelighters while still in the wrapper! Thanks for the tip!

@CruisingTheCut 8 жыл бұрын

Have you been taking them out?!! Hilarious

@allotmentbushman5462 8 жыл бұрын

+CruisingTheCut I can teach you how to light a fire without match or lighter, bushcraft and viking style only, with hand forged stuff made by myself.

@CruisingTheCut 8 жыл бұрын

Interesting - but I find a match works quite well!! :-)

@paulshuter6807 8 жыл бұрын

I bet you cut off those annoying strings from tea bags too.

@CruisingTheCut 8 жыл бұрын

I buy Tesco tea bags, not a string to be seen.

@theloosemoose8200 6 жыл бұрын

I use a metal single serving coffee diaplay rack INSIDE the stove and instead of coffee cups for the machine I put the coal in, it holds the coal perfect in the shape of a tree !!! WORKS GREAT

@CruisingTheCut 6 жыл бұрын

Wow, what an amazing idea!

@kayakingforthebirds2506 3 жыл бұрын

It's funny how memory works. I've heated with wood for most of my 65 years. Started thousands of fires, though I've never smoked. When you struck the match, I could smell it.

@susanbarganier2282 5 жыл бұрын

You are absolutely a hoot! A kind and gentlemanly and gracious hoot! I laughed aloud at your comments on the individuality folk have about fire starting. That was almost as funny as how you explained your "swearing and fettering about" while applying the stick-on insulation behind the stove (in another video). I love a good sense of irony. Thanks! Keep vlogging, my dear. So much fun!

@happysporran 2 жыл бұрын

To be fair that's an improvement on my collapse technique, thanks.

@pensandcalls 6 жыл бұрын

I should also add that I am loving your VLOG's! My family rented a 60' narrowboat about 15 years ago and cruised the Trent and Mersey and onward. It was, without a doubt, the most relaxing vacation I've ever had even though I was on the helm throughout. Being an ex-Navy sailor on a submarine, I learned how to handle a single screw monster. :) Keep them coming, my friend!

@RandomDoive 4 жыл бұрын

Well done on lining things up, I drive my wife crazy :)

@beboboymann3823 3 жыл бұрын

Me thinks in real life you are an architect. Here in the mountains of Western North Carolina, USA, temperatures are dropping, the leaves are turning and your post makes me feel all cozy.

@agriben7591 4 жыл бұрын

We light up a Chimenere and how we set it out is on the bottom we lay down some cardboard or paper and then we use kindling and then a little bit of coal and when the wood and cardboard has burned we add more coal

@vixenlarue1998 8 жыл бұрын

This is how I used to get the fire going except we do not generally use coal as fuel in Australia, just blocks of firewood. Good firelighters are essential for sure. Great video! Keep them coming!

@CruisingTheCut 8 жыл бұрын

Thank you! Why is coal not used? Environmental grounds?

@vixenlarue1998 8 жыл бұрын

Combustion heaters are the most popular heaters here in Australia which generally do not have a grate. I had no idea why coal was not a preferred fuel so I had a bit of a search and it seems that 90% of homes use wood over coal or other alternatives because of it being a renewable and in abundance. When I had a fire in my old home, it cost me about AUD$150 (about $75 pounds) to heat for the whole winter. I did a bit of looking around on sites where I thought you might buy coal in Australia and as far as I can see, its not readily available. Considering we export so much and have a massive stockpile, I really do not see why we don't! (I apologise for the wall of text) :)

@MrRoyboy55 8 жыл бұрын

+Vixen LaRue I saw a tv newshow about minining in australia ,yes mine and export a lot of coal ,, I am suprized to hear its not easily available for homes

@vixenlarue1998 8 жыл бұрын

I know farmers who literally bulldozer down wooded areas then burn the wood off, that is how much available lumber we have here too.

@CruisingTheCut 8 жыл бұрын

Yes, I was sure you had massive coal mines over there, how odd that you don't use it!!

@frankkreyssig7626 6 жыл бұрын

I use a single edge razor blade scraper to clean my fire box glass. It is very quick and will not scratch the glass like ash will do over time.

@doncoldwell7270 6 жыл бұрын

I clean my glass with one of those "Stanley" blade paint remover thingies for windows. It does the job nicely.

@CruisingTheCut 6 жыл бұрын

Good tip, cheers

@Didomum 8 жыл бұрын

Love the way your so precise and careful on setting the coals and wood. I'm the opposite I would chuck and throw it all on and hope for the best. I noticed you mentioned the smoke detector several times so I'll take it you have managed to set it of a couple of times ;)

@CruisingTheCut 8 жыл бұрын

I've set it off with the fire, I've set it off with toast under the grill... still, at least I know it works :-)

@McRocket 5 жыл бұрын

Being a North American, I have never seen a coal fire - let alone it being lit. I have seen natural gas, charcoal and wood fires started...but never coal. Interesting. Thank you.

@mclare9817 5 жыл бұрын

Dear Sweet Jeezus.....! WTF has being N.American got to do with it.???😂😂😂

@AntiComposite 4 жыл бұрын

@@mclare9817 At least in my (New England) experience, coal stoves are not very common. Wood or pellet stoves are very common though. I certainly wouldn't be able to easily find bags of coal at a hardware store.

@jengaryadventurers4603 4 жыл бұрын

@Vanargand COAL use is regional in USA. I've lived in 30 states......it's regional.

@firesurfer 4 жыл бұрын

Ha, I grew up across the street from the coal yard. I got hell for sliding down the piles there. I would be covered in coal dust. This was in NYC in the '60s.

@teenaramsay2469 4 жыл бұрын

In the 1950's in the UK, when steam locomotives ruled, smart kids used to put up "targets' on the back fences bordering the railways. These used to provide the loco crews with entertainment trying to hit them from a speeding train....the "ammo" being nice hunks of A-Grade coal...which was then collected by the kids and burnt in the home fireplace.

@bdhall77 5 жыл бұрын

This made me chuckle!! That's exactly how I start a fire! Very precise placement of lighters, kindling and coal!!

@CruisingTheCut 5 жыл бұрын

:-)

@pingpong5000 8 жыл бұрын

I only discovered your Vlog this week and have been working my way through and find it most enjoyable, if I might suggest a paint scraper the type with a stanley knife blade to give a quick clean when you are relighting your fire and dont have time for the proper glass clean. Now you have been on your boat for a year it would be of interest to me if you could include some of the general costs and pitfalls you have learn to avoid now you have time served as it were.

@CruisingTheCut 8 жыл бұрын

Thanks.

@danhoppy5517 3 жыл бұрын

I get Lulu in to 'Relight My Fire'!

@wraitholme 5 жыл бұрын

Ahh, some rather nice crackling fire (plus a bit of passing-boat-engine bass) ASMR there just after the nine minute mark. Very soothing.

@canalboating 8 жыл бұрын

Thanks for posting this, really enjoying your Vlog, may there be many more to come. :-)

@CruisingTheCut 8 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

@argrundy 8 жыл бұрын

Love your OCD! Found that very entertaining :D Incidentally, I lived in a cottage with a stove with a top vent. The purpose of this top vent was to draw a rush of air up the glass which prevented it from blacking up. Not very useful information for you, but in the future, if you ever consider replacing your stove, worth thinking about...

@CruisingTheCut 8 жыл бұрын

+argrundy I definitely need one like that, cleaning the glass is a right pain. Ta!

@suebt8794 8 жыл бұрын

As there is a rise in Narrow boat sales and general interest in this scene as a way of life and pass time please get a TV series commisioned!! The history of the canals and these tips would be an amazing series of films!!

@CruisingTheCut 8 жыл бұрын

I'd love to get a TV series commissioned and if any producers with the right connections are reading, just let me know! Sadly my prior employment in TV news never leads to the executives :-(

@orange70383 5 жыл бұрын

Very nice, I don't know anyplace here in the U.S. where you can by coal, charcoal for bbq grills is the closest thing I know.

@suethomson6013 5 жыл бұрын

Cleaning the glass is a pain, but I do my multifuel fire door, when it is still a little warm, using newspaper wet with hot water. Usually works well. If really stubborn burnt on black, I use a steel wool pad, very carefully I might add. Happy cleaning.

@ExilSvensk 7 жыл бұрын

I'm from the Nordics where don't use coal as we're covered in forrest, so wood is the thing, but in my experience the glass gets more smut on it when you have low air flow. This as there's less fire burning up the waste gasses and less air flow sucking the smoke out. It makes all the smut float around in the stove longer and thus dirtying up the window. So my guess is that if you increase the flow of air you'll not have to clean the glass as often.

@CruisingTheCut 7 жыл бұрын

Unfortunately the only temperature control on the stove is the air inlet control so I have to set it to whatever's needed for the amount of heat I want.

@ExilSvensk 7 жыл бұрын

Yeah, sadly it's a trade off. Well at least now you know what is most likely to cause it :)

@EezeeListen 8 жыл бұрын

I envy you being able to squat down and do things nice and steadily. My hips do not allow this, so I have to do everything from a standing stoop! Matches are out of the question in this method, so I use a Bic Megalighter, non refillable gas lighter, looks a bit like a wand. Cost 3.90 euros and lasts me about 3 months. I have to throw in a few pieces of fire starter, hopefully light them with the Bic, then throw in some sticks (as we call them here in Eire) and then I have to use peat briquettes as I can't get the coal in properly. Still it works fine and oh! - I bought a stove fan - brilliant!! Keep warm, best wishes.

@CruisingTheCut 8 жыл бұрын

Oh my, how awkward. Sounds like you've got it sorted though! Glad the fan's working for you :-)

@TIGRAS55UES 8 жыл бұрын

Very informative as ever. Really enjoy your vlogs. Keep em coming. Just want to curl up in front of a real fire now with a hot cup of tea!!!

@CruisingTheCut 8 жыл бұрын

Hmm, so do I! It may be a while before the next Vlog now, I'm all comfortable ;-)

@verncook1528 2 жыл бұрын

I grew up with a wood burning heater and cracking the ash pan door is a must

@ShabbyShambles 8 жыл бұрын

I use stove glass cleaners by Trollull very cheap to purchase and you get a pack of two. Great video as usual, when I woke up this morning the K&A was frozen over!!

@CruisingTheCut 8 жыл бұрын

Thanks. Same here in the marina in Northants! I posted a couple of pics on my Facebook page. I hope you didn't need to move the boat today :-)