Pie Warmer for the new boat

[Dignity]

Ok, now we've got the pie ovens sorted it's time to put in a pizza cooker. I was on a boat recently where the lady pulls out the pizza oven, about double the thickness of a pizza box, starts cutting up the toppings and by the time she's finished the oven is ready to go. It takes literally 4 mins per pizza once warmed up. This boat had a genny and an inverter etc but it was awesome. We had fresh calamari and sweetilp as entree being cooked on the BBQ,

[disorderly]

I was actually surprised how little heat came from the door on the travel buddy on a mates one ….. & sure the insulated door would do a better job or so you'd think - then again the TB can run at 200 deg vs 180 + there is a constant run mode .

Knowing that there isn't a big difference between them aside really from the insulated door & latch - I'd still expect the price to be significantly lower for the Chinese made Road Chef …… not $20-30 more. So that's just a price gouge from the ex employee.

Anyhow - time will tell

Chris

Some real figures from old mate that tested them side by side tell a different story..

I don't know whether its just the insulated door or the element as well but the Roadchef seems to heat up much quicker and stay nearly 20 % hotter...that translates to a lot less Ah used per cooking....

BTW, originally the roadchef was cheaper so it does now seem like a price gouge...or maybe because to retrofit an insulated door and catch makes the prices about on par...

In the big scheme of things we will all be enjoying hot pies or whatever so alongside my baitboard and clears its one of the best additions to my boat by far..

travel buddy.JPG

[Moonlighter]

If you like home made sausage rolls, check out the recipe from Jase at ALL4Adventure.

Ive made them quite a few times and cooked them at home on my Weber Q. Simple quick and tasty.

They always get the thumbs up from the crew.

https://youtu.be/XhxoTbN8lz0

[disorderly]

Geez sausage rolls with bacon and cheese..yummo..!

So because it is a pretty slow process to cook frozen food I'm just curious as to what battery setup are people using to run an appliance that draws about 10 amps..?

[ranmar850]

I have a Travel Buddy. The smaller one. Fits in well on the boat as per the photo. They pull 6 amps, the larger one pulls 9 amps. They will heat a cold pie to mouth burning in 45 minutes. Frozen will take over an hour. We use it with pre-cooked meals when we camp out, do the meal in a foil container with a cardboard top. Spag Bol, curry, whatever. I've had it for two years--6 amps is taxing most cigarette lighter outputs, regardless of what they say, problems can arise, so I fitted an andersen plug to mine, stays plugged in, supply controlled by a mini-isolator--you can't see this in the pic, I've upgraded that since the pic was taken. I have had one problem with it--the timer packed it in, it still worked, wouldn't cut off on timer. it was replaced under warranty. I spoke to the bloke who builds them--he said the timer was the only thing that ever failed, and then only rarely, but he did admit they were better off hard wired or via an andersen plug rather than a cigarette lighter plug. But a cigarette lighter plug will fit anything, so that's what he fits.
Mine is secured by two ss self tappers onto the base, easy to remove if I want to take it in the ute.

[NAGG]

Some real figures from old mate that tested them side by side tell a different story..

I don't know whether its just the insulated door or the element as well but the Roadchef seems to heat up much quicker and stay nearly 20 % hotter...that translates to a lot less Ah used per cooking....

BTW, originally the roadchef was cheaper so it does now seem like a price gouge...or maybe because to retrofit an insulated door and catch makes the prices about on par...

In the big scheme of things we will all be enjoying hot pies or whatever so alongside my baitboard and clears its one of the best additions to my boat by far..

travel buddy.JPG

I saw the retrofitted door vid …… (were both ovens set to 180 deg ? ) not sure if it is game changer when most of the time the TB will be in the back of the canopy & in use often when driving - so power draw isn't an issue . I guess if you were in really cold climates I'd be all over like a rash .

I've ordered the retro fitted catch / tray / trivet & roof mount through Somerville metal works ( who do the insulated door cover) …… so now its a $380 oven oh & an andersson plug

Chris

[disorderly]

I saw the retrofitted door vid …… (were both ovens set to 180 deg ? ) not sure if it is game changer when most of the time the TB will be in the back of the canopy & in use often when driving - so power draw isn't an issue . I guess if you were in really cold climates I'd be all over like a rash .

I've ordered the retro fitted catch / tray / trivet & roof mount through Somerville metal works ( who do the insulated door cover) …… so now its a $380 oven oh & an andersson plug

Chris

Not sure Chris..all of our cooking so far has been with the knob turned full on...unkess you are slow cooking then most will be cooked at max temp...

The missus just got some spare ribs which we aim to try and slow cook so hopefully that turns out OK..

I'm not sure if you are on FB , if so there is a travel buddy page and a similar but less judgemental Roadchef TB copy page where people share some of their yummy dishs to give you some great ideas..

[NAGG]

Not sure Chris..all of our cooking so far has been with the knob turned full on...unkess you are slow cooking then most will be cooked at max temp...

The missus just got some spare ribs which we aim to try and slow cook so hopefully that turns out OK..

I'm not sure if you are on FB , if so there is a travel buddy page and a similar but less judgemental Roadchef TB copy page where people share some of their yummy dishs to give you some great ideas..

Thanks for the heads up - I'll certainty check em out .

I don't know if I'd go all Neil Perry with the pie warmer - If I'm away camping ….. I'm more likely to go camp oven to do a roast .

How I see this being used is shove pies etc in when travelling or at the end of the day when I'm going to swag it at the boat ramp …… put lasagne on when I pull the boat out at the end of the day …… then dick around cleaning fish , tidying up the boat etc etc and then having a hot meal ready.

Chris

[NAGG]

Well not in the boat - but in the car

Installation was completed over the last couple of days & the thing works .

I bought a few accessories through Somerville Metal Works - incl offset roof mounts , tray & trivet ….. plus the latch as used on the Road Chef ( I'll install that if I have an issue) . I have to say SMW do some pretty nice accessories & worth looking at if you buy one of these ovens.

20200611_134537.jpg

[Lovey80]

You blokes are doing my head in. I’ve been drawing up my dream boat for years. I’m a bit over half way saved up for building it. It seems every month I’m adding a new bell or whistle to the rig. It’s already hard enough to find space considering it’s a cat. Where the F am I going to fit a pie warmer now?

back to the drawing board 😂

[disorderly]

Starting a pie van are we..?..

Very nice fitment there..looks very solid..

Do you intend to unscrew it and also take it out in the boat, Chris..?

Lovey, they are a surprising compact unit...mine fits very snugly inside my seatbox in the top 6 inchs or so..the seatbox is probably only about 35-40cm square and it was pretty much wasted space and I can still use the area below...are you planning space for a fridge freezer on the cat project...we are sizing different ones at the moment but will have to design the passenger seatbox to accommodate it and being a centre cab don't want it to take up too much space....

[NAGG]

Starting a pie van are we..?..

Very nice fitment there..looks very solid..

Do you intend to unscrew it and also take it out in the boat, Chris..?
....

I used to laugh at a mate who had a wind off canopy (with all the shelves) & call his the "Pie Van"

When I started my - tow vehicle project , I wanted to create a set up that would make life easier with everything in it's place for a minimal pack up . ….. All whilst leaving enough space in the back to lay out the air mattress for the overnighter or when Travelling ( lift out a couple of tote box's - set up the awning - roll out the self inflating air mattress …. done.
This thread gave me something to think about - not so much for the boat but would it make life better when travelling . ….. With my new job there is no getting away early which means a 10 or 11 pm arrival (Port Stephens / Crowdy / Batemans bay) - The oven allows me to on my fuel stop - pull out a meal of the waeco put it in the oven & on arrival once set up - bingo a hot meal .

Yeh - ta on the set up . The nice thing with the Norweld canopy is the use of Unistrut rails on the roof which meant I can use just 4 x M8 Unistrut bolts to mount it making it moveable / removeable .. .but solid. I do have some remote long range boat trips in mind (Yeppoon - Port Clinton / Island Head creek) where the pie oven would be a good inclusion & I think I have the spot to mount it .

Chris