www.iFourWinns.com

Anyone ever use a 12 volt coffee pot while on the hook? I was thinking about buying one but wondered if they work.

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2003 268 Four Winns Vista
F-350 King Ranch Diesel (Tow)
1990 Four Winns Fredom 180

I read that they really aren't any good

http://www.boatered.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=137856

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2008 V358 Two-tone Blue V/P Dual Prop 320 HP
Lake Winnipesaukee, NH

Avoid like the plague. I don't drink coffee but my wife does so we bought one for our previous cruiser. It took an hour to brew one cup of coffee! It would have taken less time to pull the anchor go to the ramp load the boat on the trailer and drive to McDonalds. I can't vouch for the taste. But we bought a portable generator and a cheap Mr Coffee later that season.

Uhh.. Actually, I mean they're great. I have one I can sell you.

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2008 Horizon 260 VP 8.1 Gi

For perspective, a 26" LCD TV can use less than 50 watts of power. A typical coffee maker uses about 900 watts.

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Previously:
2008 V358/Volvo 5.7 GXi Inboards

We use two different methods. #1: I use a percolator (sp?) pot right on top of the propane kettle grill. The pot is made by Coleman and I got it for 15 bucks at Bass Pro. Option #2: I bought a cheap two cup coffee maker that runs off a 1500 watt inverter. The electric conversion from 12v to 110v is not battery friendly. I have two 31 series deep cycles on the "house" side and an additional one for the engine. This set up (both) has worked flawlessly for the four years we have had the boat. The option #1 makes FAR better coffee but takes longer and is a little more of a pain in the butt. Its worth it, can't go w/o coffee!!!!

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-Todd

1993 Vista 245
351 CID, OMC King Cobra

I agree with dbird on the percolator/coffee kettle. You remove the grill from your Magma Kettle (grill/stove combo) and there will be a burner that you can place the coffee kettle on. We don't sleep on the hook anymore because we have too many young children to worry about but I still have the coffee kettle and use it to this day (but on the electric stove now).



Magma Burner (remove dome to cook on it like a stove)

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Current Boat: 2000 Four Winns 298 Vista
Previous Boat: 2000 Carver 406MY

And if you've got a genset be sure to have a spare impeller on board. Nothing quite so irritating as not being able to make my coffee and discover that was the morning the impeller crapped out. Grrrrr..... and no nearby restaurants open yet....

I don't know that I'd want to undertake the hassle of fiddling with a pot on a grill. But then I despise perc coffee anyway (bleech, reboiling already brewed coffee, NO THANKS.)

Another possibility to consider is one of the pod coffee makers. I don't know how much power they drain but it's probably less than a regular coffee maker. Then you're just making them on-demand.

And if you do decide to use a regular drip maker, be sure to get one that uses an insulated carafe and not a hot plate. The carafe will keep the coffee warm (enough) without using any power. The hot plate kind draws a lot more power.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

I have a stove top coffee maker. I will use it.

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2003 268 Four Winns Vista
F-350 King Ranch Diesel (Tow)
1990 Four Winns Fredom 180

Use the filter packs so you don't have to worry about the grains getting in your coffee (Maxwell House has them). I use two packs when I brew my coffee and I fold them in half and place them on each side of the percolator bin. I use 2 1/2 bottles of 16 oz bottled water but wouldn't hesitate to use water from the tap or even from the lake. Given it is Memorial Day weekend, I guess there are many a Veteran who brewed coffee from sources of water that we would never consider.

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Current Boat: 2000 Four Winns 298 Vista
Previous Boat: 2000 Carver 406MY

I use a 110v MrCoffee! Carry a portable gen set, #1 to make coffee, # 2 run A/C when its 100 deg F

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2000 248 5.7L DP
'92, '94 SXI 750, '08 STX 15F, '12 Ultra LX 300
Videos

When camping we end up percolating also - takes a long time....

I haven't used this, but it looks intriguing:
http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product ... rchID=4005

Question is: how bad do you want coffee in the morning?

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2002 Funship 214
VP 5.7 GX Si
2003 Tahoe