Gas Coocker in Diesel Boat

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george unthank

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Is there a problem insurance -wise installing a gas cooker in a diesel boat .
I have been informed , that insurance companies are not at all enamored with the idea of offering cover with gas on board .
I have a spirit cooker installed in boat I have + a microwave , which works off shore power and is therefore useless at sea.
I wonder if there is any type of cooker which would comply with insurance criteria and be reasonably fast , as I find the spirit cooker v .slow .
In fact its much more satisfactory to head for an island , come ashore and cook up steaks, for example at a bonfire. There is something of the outdoor spirit - the cave man in me which derives such satisfaction cooking over a bonfire -, and as for smokey tea , well you just cant beat especially if it's strong tea - such that '' you could trot a mouse on it '' as the old anglers used to say.
BBQ -uing ..? is that a safe option say lf it were lit on diving platform ?
Anyone got any suggestions as to what my options are . Even if I were to get an insurance company which would insure me with gas stove , I think I would still be inclined to shy away from it , gas being the most efficient cooker notwithstanding .
Maybe I'm not using the spirit cooker properly , but I have used ethanol and meths . Neither rise to sufficient temp over the whole pan to give you that essential sizzle for cooking rashers / sausages /steak.
I'm attracted to the BBQ idea. I'm sure there are down-sides as v few people seem to use them aboard. Is there a reason for this ..apart from the obvious danger of toppling the charcoal onto a fiberglass deck ?
 
george unthank said:
Is there a problem insurance -wise installing a gas cooker in a diesel boat .
I have been informed , that insurance companies are not at all enamored with the idea of offering cover with gas on board .
I have a spirit cooker installed in boat I have + a microwave , which works off shore power and is therefore useless at sea.
I wonder if there is any type of cooker which would comply with insurance criteria and be reasonably fast , as I find the spirit cooker v .slow .
In fact its much more satisfactory to head for an island , come ashore and cook up steaks, for example at a bonfire. There is something of the outdoor spirit - the cave man in me which derives such satisfaction cooking over a bonfire -, and as for smokey tea , well you just cant beat especially if it's strong tea - such that '' you could trot a mouse on it '' as the old anglers used to say.
BBQ -uing ..? is that a safe option say lf it were lit on diving platform ?
Anyone got any suggestions as to what my options are . Even if I were to get an insurance company which would insure me with gas stove , I think I would still be inclined to shy away from it , gas being the most efficient cooker notwithstanding .
Maybe I'm not using the spirit cooker properly , but I have used ethanol and meths . Neither rise to sufficient temp over the whole pan to give you that essential sizzle for cooking rashers / sausages /steak.
I'm attracted to the BBQ idea. I'm sure there are down-sides as v few people seem to use them aboard. Is there a reason for this ..apart from the obvious danger of toppling the charcoal onto a fiberglass deck ?
Click to expand...

i have been using gas o/b for 40 yrs to date.
it has never been an ins problem
 
I had a 26ft Cabin Cruiser with a Gas Cooker. I went below to put the kettle on. When I lit the ring, there was an explosion and there were flames from the back of the cooker. I ran up the stairs and out of the cabin, running past the helmsman so fast that he thought (having heard the explosion) that I was jumping overboard.
In fact I was getting to the gas bottle as fast as I could to turn it off. The gas bottle was at the stern. On switching the gas off the flames died away.
Inspection revealed that the copper gas pipe had loosened at a joint with the hull flexing.
Could have been worse. After that I checked the connections regularly.
 
If you stick to recommendations and rules, no insurer should reject it.

If my memory serves me:

You can not use a transportable cooker onboard. Must be fixed.
Gas bottle must be installed in its own (tight) locker with ventilation directly to the boat's outside.
All connections, except the last bit by the bottle and the cooker, must be made of tube and fixed - not hose.

Also recommended: A leak tester. Tells you anytime if your system is tight.

Gas will fall to the lowest part of the boat, so means of ventilation there is adviseable.

BBQ onboard (or any other place) is safe and easy with some, among those the Cobb. Doesn't even get hot on the outside :):)
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BTW: You can get a microwave for 12v - eg. Dometic Roadmate. Designed for trucks, regretably at a high price.
 
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Have the cooker installed by a gas-safe qualified engineer, they issue a certificate that is acceptable. At least that's what I have been told. We have had calor gas for cooking and heating for ever no problem from Insurers YET!!
 
As suggested get the installation done by a qualified fitter. There is a British Standard covering installation and you can get a copy and good advice from Southern Calor in Southampton who specialise in cookers for boats. The biggest challenge on smallish boats is finding a spce to store the cylinder in a compartment isolated from the rest of the boat and draining overboard. This is one of the reasons why spirit cookers are common on small boats.

No problem with insurance, although they may ask for a copy of the gas certificate confirming the installation is safe. If you are going to use the boat in inland waterways in the UK it will also have to pass the requiremnts of the Boat Safety Scheme.
 
omega2 said:
Have the cooker installed by a gas-safe qualified engineer, they issue a certificate that is acceptable. At least that's what I have been told. We have had calor gas for cooking and heating for ever no problem from Insurers YET!!
Click to expand...

Hi
You must have the gas installed by a registered gas fitter, who has his ticket for calor gas and cookers.
This is a legal requirement for any gas works to be carried out by a fitter with the correct ticket
 
Most cruisers have gas hobs, some have ovens, so pretty normal. The US made boats tend to shun the gas and stick with spirit jobs, and microwaves. My boat has all electric, despite being UK built. I have 3 x 115 ah domestic batteries, so I can use the microwave without shore power. This might be an easier option for you than a full gas installation.
 
Gas reg's do not apply to sea going boats. Inland yes,
Gas cooking is the standard on nearly all boats. Insurance never an issue.
If you have a Gas Safe installation the installer must be LPG certified, a domestic installer is not acceptable.
 
towzer said:
Hi
You must have the gas installed by a registered gas fitter, who has his ticket for calor gas and cookers.
This is a legal requirement for any gas works to be carried out by a fitter with the correct ticket
Click to expand...

Sorry to be pedantic, but there is no legal requirement for work on a gas system on a private leisure vessel to be carried out by a Gas Safe registered person. On the other hand, if the boat is residential, or used for hire or reward, then any work does need to be carried out by a Gas Safe registered person. I know this because I've just done the Boat Safety Scheme examiners course and the definition of 'work' includes removing the screw from a test point in order to perform a soundness test (so for residential boats I can only do the test if they have a bubble tester fitted in the gas locker).

Of course, if you're getting a gas system fitted to your boat, then it makes a lot of sense to use a Gas Safe registered person (and your insurers may have something to say if you don't).
 
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