Misterbreeze
Member
Insurers are asking me to get a gas safety certificate for the boat but I'm having trouble finding someone with the necessary marine qualification in the Medway towns...anyone know of one?
Gas safety cert Medway
- Thread starter Misterbreeze
- Start date
MattS
Active member
I don’t know whether there is a formal marine qualification, but I know lots of people in Medway use Gaslec for their boats (including me). They did a gas safety check for me and re-attached my cooker hose.
Gaslec Kent Ltd - Boiler installation medway & Boiler Service Rochester
Gaslec Kent Ltd - Boiler installation medway & Boiler Service Rochester
wingcommander
Active member
No formal marine qualifications as such , just need to be ticketed for lpg and marine experience is beneficial. Ime not lpg certified though gas safe reg , as such I can turn down my boat neighbours request without feeling guilty. Thought only inland waterways required a cert. Things may have changed.
Misterbreeze
Member
They haven't asked to see the cert itself but my survey mentioned the wisdom of having one and insurers now want to know that all issues have been addressed. Fortunately they're all minor and can wait until lift out.
Concerto
Well-known member
Another case of a surveyor mentioning something that is not required to cover their arse and the insurance company know no better and defer to the surveyor's "greater" knowledge. If you are on inland waterways a gas certificate is a requirement, but on tidal waters it is not. Your surveyor should know this.
If you are unsure about a gas system then definitely change any rubber hoses as these can perish. Hoses ashould have a date of manufacture printed on them and should be chnged when they are 7 years old. Check for any leaks using soapy water and this will bubble if there is a leak. Change the regulator if it is slightly corroded. None of this costs much money and should be part of your regular maintenance scheme.
If you are unsure about a gas system then definitely change any rubber hoses as these can perish. Hoses ashould have a date of manufacture printed on them and should be chnged when they are 7 years old. Check for any leaks using soapy water and this will bubble if there is a leak. Change the regulator if it is slightly corroded. None of this costs much money and should be part of your regular maintenance scheme.
PetiteFleur
Well-known member
As mentioned the gas regs are only mandatory for inland waterways. For tidal waters, I've just followed the gas regs for inland waterways. Certified gas Installer would not go afloat so I just DIY. I've just renewed the hose as it was7 yrs old. Renewed the motorhome hose at the same time as that was much older. (And found a leaking Calor propane cylinder which has only just been resolved after about 4 weeks of arguments.)
Stuart Campbell
New member
I am in the unique position of being [Unwelcome content removed] a Gas Safe registered engineer for LPG on boats [Unwelcome content removed]). I would like to clarify that there is indeed UK legislation governing gas installations on boats. Prior to amendments made to the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations in 2018, anyone could work on gas systems aboard sea-going vessels, as these were considered outside the scope of the regulations. While gas work on sea-going boats remains out of scope, the 2018 amendment specifies that anyone performing gas work must be competent. Competence is defined by a combination of training and experience, meaning that only qualified gas engineers should undertake such work. In practice, insurance companies also tend to require that gas safety checks are carried out by Gas Safe registered engineers.
I understand the scepticism surrounding gas safety on boats and why yacht surveyors often recommend further checks. Thirty years ago, before I became involved in the gas industry, I too believed, like many, that such requirements were simply "jobs for the boys." However, after undergoing training and gaining experience, I now fully appreciate the complexity and critical importance of gas safety.
When gas engineers take our exams—both the initial qualification and the retesting every five years—we aren’t taught how to repair faulty appliances. The focus is entirely on safety and adherence to regulations. For example, one important fact I learned during training is that carbon monoxide (CO) binds to your blood cells more readily than oxygen. In a confined space such as a boat cabin, even a small amount of CO can be fatal. If the air you breathe contains just 1.28% CO, it can be lethal within 15 minutes. This highlights the serious need for proper gas safety measures aboard vessels.
For the record, if a yacht surveyor raises concerns regarding any safety-related issue, I would advise listening to them. They have nothing to gain personally from recommending that your gas system be checked by a qualified gas engineer.
Fair winds,
Stuart Campbell
I understand the scepticism surrounding gas safety on boats and why yacht surveyors often recommend further checks. Thirty years ago, before I became involved in the gas industry, I too believed, like many, that such requirements were simply "jobs for the boys." However, after undergoing training and gaining experience, I now fully appreciate the complexity and critical importance of gas safety.
When gas engineers take our exams—both the initial qualification and the retesting every five years—we aren’t taught how to repair faulty appliances. The focus is entirely on safety and adherence to regulations. For example, one important fact I learned during training is that carbon monoxide (CO) binds to your blood cells more readily than oxygen. In a confined space such as a boat cabin, even a small amount of CO can be fatal. If the air you breathe contains just 1.28% CO, it can be lethal within 15 minutes. This highlights the serious need for proper gas safety measures aboard vessels.
For the record, if a yacht surveyor raises concerns regarding any safety-related issue, I would advise listening to them. They have nothing to gain personally from recommending that your gas system be checked by a qualified gas engineer.
Fair winds,
Stuart Campbell
Last edited by a moderator:
