Advice Sought - Gas Safety?

[pjrennie]

I sail a forty year old 27ft Bicker Biga which I have owned for a couple of years, and I am still getting to know her.

Inspecting the boat I found a split in a (now brittle) Plastic Barbed Mushroom-Head Through-Hull Hose Connector located below the waterline; On clearing the cockpit locker I found it connected via a transparent hose to a galvanised steel bucket located in a cockpit locker containing our small gas cylinder for the gas hob.

I am unsure whether this was intended to drain any water entering the bucket (unlikely given the buckets location) or to allow any leaking gas to escape safely, (where the exit below the waterline is unlikely to provide assurance of discharge when moored).

I need to decide whether to i) simply replace ii) Fit a replacement above the waterline and block the resulting below water hole.

Advice appreciated on gas safety, and how best to seal the resulting hole, if required.

Thank You

 

[GrahamD]

If your drain is trying to empty underwater, it won't be draining. The next thing to consider is that if the locker and drain are in such poor condition the rest of the line is likely to be pretty hazardous as well. I suggest that you start again and don't try to cut any corners. Although you don't have to employ a qualified gas engineer to do work on a boat, you may well be better off asking such an engineer who has experience and qualifications on working on yachts, as he will be able to give you a decent appraisal of your system, and then rectify it to a standard where you can go to sleep easily at night. I have just bought an old boat, and having prevaricated over how I could sort out the old gas line, I bit the bullet and got in a professional. Although this is the most expensive option the job is better than I would have done and I get a gas safety certificate

 

[VicS]

Id suggest you read part 7 of the Boat Safety Scheme

Written and mandatory for boats on the rivers and other inland waterways but will nevertheless give you an idea of the standards you should perhaps aspire to as well as providing much useful info ... you'll be back with questions about it no doubt.

 

[pjrennie]

Folks,

Thank you for the advice, The 'Boat Safety Scheme Essential Guide' asks 'is there a drain in the cylinder locker and is the drain outlet above the waterline?' (7.3.1/R)' along with other important information on safe installation.

So while the rest of the installation appears to meet the requirements, I need a new drain, this time above the waterline (not something the purchase survey picked up) and to plug the original 25mm hole. (for which I will now search for a blind through hull fitting)

(always uncomfortable about making holes in a boats hull)

Safe Sailing

 

[ukmctc]

Id suggest you read part 7 of the Boat Safety Scheme

Written and mandatory for boats on the rivers and other inland waterways but will nevertheless give you an idea of the standards you should perhaps aspire to as well as providing much useful info ... you'll be back with questions about it no doubt.

The boat safety scheme for British Waterways gives you an idea of what is required for BW, but as I understand it their examiners are only allowed to check for leaks the same as you or I, as they no longer have gas certification with the new legislation. You can check for leaks yourself or do as we do and get a gas engineer to come on board and check out your system, you will then receive a full gas safe cert if it passes,(higher than BW) which is better for your insurance and its been checked by a licenced agent for gas safety.

That not happening, then use the BW guide, to guide you, I would suggest if it looks ropey replace the lot and insert a drain just above the waterline.

 

[yoda]

Thank you for the advice, The 'Boat Safety Scheme Essential Guide' asks 'is there a drain in the cylinder locker and is the drain outlet above the waterline?' (7.3.1/R)' along with other important information on safe installation.

So while the rest of the installation appears to meet the requirements, I need a new drain, this time above the waterline (not something the purchase survey picked up) and to plug the original 25mm hole. (for which I will now search for a blind through hull fitting)

(always uncomfortable about making holes in a boats hull)

Safe Sailing

You may find that a standard skin fitting of the right size and a blanking cap will do the job nicely. I have done the same before but in 15mm.

Yoda

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

Id suggest you read part 7 of the Boat Safety Scheme

Written and mandatory for boats on the rivers and other inland waterways but will nevertheless give you an idea of the standards you should perhaps aspire to as well as providing much useful info ... you'll be back with questions about it no doubt.

thanks to the OP and VicS my questions also have answers.
S.

 

[yacht surveyor]

I sail a forty year old 27ft Bicker Biga which I have owned for a couple of years, and I am still getting to know her.

Inspecting the boat I found a split in a (now brittle) Plastic Barbed Mushroom-Head Through-Hull Hose Connector located below the waterline; On clearing the cockpit locker I found it connected via a transparent hose to a galvanised steel bucket located in a cockpit locker containing our small gas cylinder for the gas hob.

I am unsure whether this was intended to drain any water entering the bucket (unlikely given the buckets location) or to allow any leaking gas to escape safely, (where the exit below the waterline is unlikely to provide assurance of discharge when moored).

I need to decide whether to i) simply replace ii) Fit a replacement above the waterline and block the resulting below water hole.

Advice appreciated on gas safety, and how best to seal the resulting hole, if required.

Thank You

Gas is a bit of a critical one on a boat as the consequences of it going wrong can be high.

The standard applicable for gas on small craft is ISO 10239 (Small Craft liquefied Petroleum Gas System.

From your description your system does not appear to come anywhere near the standard, and as a result I would suggest that it be checked over by a Marine Qualified, Gas Safety registered gas inspection/fitting company.

For our own boat we use a company on the South Coast called Gas Check Marine, who are honest and knowledgeable to check the system.

Just a few examples for you of why I recommend you get it seen to by a professional:

• The clear pipe will not be a gas hose to manufactured to BS3212.
• The flexible pipework should be as short as possible with copper pipe for the longer runs.
• The drain should be above the waterline.

It is your safety we are talking about here, along with the safety of the other boats around you, so getting professional advice is a small price to pay.

Martin

 

[DownWest]

• The clear pipe will not be a gas hose to manufactured to BS3212.
• .
  
  Martin

• 
  
  You mean the drain hose from the gas locker has to be gas quality?

 

[VicS]

You mean the drain hose from the gas locker has to be gas quality?

Read the BSS I gave you the link to.

Best practice
We recommend you to fit, whenever possible, drain hose that
complies with a recognised standard such as ISO 7840 for fire
resistance or BS 3212 for LPG.

Note the recommended ID of the locker drain as well!

Best practice
We recommend all cylinder locker drains are not less than 19mm
(3/4 in) internal diameter or equivalent area.