Gas on an Elizabethan 30

[nicknell]

I have just installed a calor gas bottle stowage box in the cockpit locker with an air drain to the cockpit. The Corgi engineer says this doesn't comply with regs. but as the cockpit is only one inch above waterline there seems no alternative. Has anyone got any ideas how I can comply without rebuilding the boat?

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[Evadne]

This is the arrangement I have on my liz 29. The surveyor reluctantly agreed with me that
a) although an overboard drain is preferable, it would be underwater a lot of the time and would thus have to be closed when sailing. This is not desirable, as you can forget to open it and leaks don't just happen in harbour. The alternative would be only making tea on the port tack. A drain from a gas-tight container into a self-draining, open cockpit is as safe as you are going to get.
b) There is more likelihood of a leak from the cooker itself, which has no containment. Commonest cause is leaving a gas tap on. There are no regulations to cover this, and unless you are on inland waterways, I believe corgi regulations do not apply to your boat.
The only things I worry about are: is it safe in real conditions? Does the surveyor agree with me and is the insurer happy? (Being over 20 years old she has to have an insurance survey every 7 years.)

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[Rustyknight]

Much the same idea on my Jaguar 25..... The gas bottle sits in a deep cockpit locker, with a box built around it to stop it jumping around. Far too deep to vent overboard, or even into the cockpit, and no room to build a proper self-draining locker.

When I bought the boat, no mention this installation was made in the survey.... but after 7 years the insurance company requested a survey update, and this time it was pointed out that if a leak occurred it would be straight into the bilges.

The insurance company weren't entirely happy with this, but after consultation they agreed to leave things as they were, as long as we installed a gas alarm.

When we're on the boat, the valve on the gas bottle stays open, but we have fitted an inline tap just before the cooker connection.... this is always closed when the cooker is not in use.

So far, so good!

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[silverseal]

As you know the regs are changing again next year. I am adopting the system used in N America, for all pleasure and similar craft. The gas bottle is held in a stainless cage on the pushput, so that any leaks are vented to air. A simple gland in the deck leads to 8mm copper tube to the cooker, with an on/ off tap going to flexible hose to the cooker. The gland also must have an on/off tap and a flexible from the gas canister to the deck gland. The "three taps" arrangement meets the new regulations. In N America, a simple tap on the gas canister is considered to be quite enough, and the failure rates are very low. Why three taps is needed here is a typical beaurocratic overkill. However, cheap to install, and allows the old locker to be used for something else without rebuilding!

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[Jools_of_Top_Cat]

As you know the regs are changing again next year.

Are they, to what?

<hr width=100% size=1>Julian

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[richardandtracy]

Of course the regs are changing next year. Then they will change regularly after that. About every 2 years at my guess. It's the only way we can keep bureaucrats from doing something useful, and it ensures that suppliers, surveyors et al are all kept emplyed selling you un-necessary equipment & services.

The root of the problem is that you still have money in your pocket and there is a danger you might enjoy yourself.
Give all your money to the state, go dig a small hole, bury yourself and maybe they'll leave you alone.
For a while.

Do I sound a little jaundiced?
Well, I'm not. I can just see the world as it really is.

Regards

Richard.


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[LittleShip]

“There are no regulations to cover this, and unless you are on inland waterways, I believe corgi regulations do not apply to your boat”.

Wrong, this is covered by the gas safety regulations.


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I wish I'd been born rich instead of good looking ?

 

[nicknell]

Thanks for the help guys. Having taken this concensus back to the insurance company, they have agreed to the cockpit drain so long as I fit a gas alarm.
Nick

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[Spyro]

Re: Gas alarm

I'm not sure how a gas alarm works and I agree that a gas alarm is a great idea for saving lives but what use is it when there is no one on the boat and it is locked up. If you have a gas leak when you've been away for a few weeks do you have some sort of warning as soon as you step on board?

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[Evadne]

Re: Gas alarm

When no-one is on board and the boat is locked up, you should turn off the tap at the bottle! Leaks in such circumstances are rare in the extreme.

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