Sweeping a Villager Puffin stove

One job I did before leaving Shadow was to sweep the flue. I'd discovered a new-looking flue brush in the front locker, so I removed the chimney and ran it up and down the flue a few times. To get the brush right down to the stove I had to insert my arm up to the elbow. Yes, the fire was out and the stove was cold!

For the benefit of Jim of Starcross I got Jan to take a photo showing the baffle plate removed complete with its pile of soot. The plate slides out easily, and there is no need to scrape the soot off with it in situ in the stove.


This little lot tipped nicely into the ash can.


And look: my hand is hardly dirty.

This shows the baffle plate back in position, sitting on its supports:


In the photo it's shown not quite pushed fully home. I push it all the way back, so that hot air is forced the long way round to escape up the flue.

This is one of the quickest and easiest boat maintenance tasks. I'll have to get my own flue brush for Jubilee - the last time I swept Jubilee's flue I used a tree branch. The proper brush does a much better job.

Next I blacked the top of the stove to hide the rust marks.

By the way, Jim, I'm reasonably confident this is the (4kW) Puffin. According to the Villager website the Heron at 5kW is bigger.