FWIW
I really like my athwartships cooker. Admittedly, I'm such a harbour hugger these days it rarely gets used underway, but when I was a Real Sailor, I much preferred one to a fore and aft installation. This would solve the issue of vents (as Arne pointed out).
I used a little wick, as provided by Tilley lamps. to light my Taylors cooker. I 'never' had a flare up. I still rather miss having a paraffin/kero stove, but the cost of spares makes it too expensive for me to run. unless I decide to claim a pension!
I am now very fond of my Origo stove (and made some bread a couple of hours ago). I do like the fact that I can turn it on and off as I want to and not have it on all the time while cooking (eg I can turn it off while the pressure cooker depressurises). I've come to the conclusion that, for me, the perfect ratio is about 10% water to meths. The pans still get slightly discoloured, but not sooty, while things cook noticeably faster. I don't have the plastic lids, but of course I light the stove several times a day. Once it's been going for a while, it becomes hotter, so I heat the water for my morning pot of tea in two batches. By the time I've stood in the pramhood, contemptated the day and eaten my mandarin and banana, enough has been boiled for 2 cups of tea (I have 4 or 5 most mornings!). I cook a lot, so I get through about 1/2 litre a day. However, I never think twice about lighting it: it may be expensive to cook, but one meal in the local boating club would buy me 4 litres of meths. The worst thing is that these days you have to buy it ready packaged, so I have all these perfectly good plastic containers to get rid of.