Today it was work around the property, but when it came time for a break, and afternoon tea, I decided to go to the boat to sit in the cabin and evaluate and admire the work done so far.
The cabin was cold inside, about mid thirties fahrenheit. No sunshine today to heat up the boat barn. So I lit up the oil lamps and drank my hot tea. I looked around at all the different parts coming together and enjoyed the atmosphere in the little cabin. The dark wood, the deep green fabric on the settee, the tartan plaid curtains, the bronze and brass fittings and lamps, the light of the flames in the lamps, all of it coming together to make a space that feels as comfortable as a favorite sweater.
The heat of the lamps got the thermometer moving upward. My eyes focused on the wood stove. I have yet to make the new arrangements for the stove. The new arrangements will drop the stove down lower and closer to the floor where it has always remained cold no matter what the temperature up at the ceiling. The stove arrangement is probably next on the list.
I have not lit the stove since the boat has been in it's barn. There is plenty of air circulation in the barn to allow for use of the stove, or so I suspected. It seemed like a good day to try lighting it and finding out, after all I could just light a small fire and then monitor the air in the barn and if it was fine build it up a bit. After all the lamps had warmed the place up a bit already, what ever the stove could do would only help.
The small fire was fine and though the barn got a tiny bit smoky when I started the fire, it cleared up right away. This boat has a Dickinson solid wood stove. The stove is fine for ornamentation but it is lacking for practical use. The stove top is only 3 inches deep, and that makes it hard to fit a pot or kettle. The fire box is small and the stove is made of stainless steel sheet so it doesn't have much mass, a key feature for a wood stove. Still, I can heat up the cabin a bit and the open front screen/damper gives a view of the flame. Sitting in the cabin with the wood stove burning watching the flame in the fire box or the flames of the lamps made the place really quite wonderful to be in. It is such a small cabin but on a cool or wet day coming down below to the welcoming space makes it all the better for it's size.
I wasn't going to stay long so I let the stove die down. The cabin got warmed up to just above fifty degrees in the time I was there. If I'd had a bigger fire going instead of just the little test fire I had I am sure the room would have gotten quite comfortable.
If I had it to do again, and the cost wasn't a problem I would probably get a SARDINE wood stove from Navigator Stove works. I have a LITTLE COD from them for my kitchen and it is lovely. The SARDINE would be on the large size for my boat, but just, and if I was willing to give up the port settee completely then that stove could be just great.
I will make the DICKINSON stove work and it will be fine, it is fine.
No comments:
Post a Comment