Storing gas & petrol- tie them to the stern??

[Adjag]

As a relative newbie I'm struggling with stowing the spare gas cylinder and can of outboard fuel on our yacht (32ft). The previous owner simply stowed them in the cockpit cave locker which seems risky, the gas locker is moulded to snugly hold one can, and the anchor locker is full of windlass. Does anyone have any suggestions other than lashing them to the pushpit??

Thanks

 

[Seajet]

Hi Adjag, welcome.

On my 22' boat ( with a large cockpit ) the original design had the gas bottles stowed in a locker, but nowadays the thinking - including insurance - is gas bottles must be able to drain overboard in case of any spillages.

I made a simple ply box aft of the bridgedeck, it has a gap at the bottom to allow ventilation and any escaping gas to vent through the cockpit drains.

I've never known a leak on my boat but having seen a gas explosion I'm happy to go along with suggestions !

The box also makes a very handy seat, and a place to stow bucket, winch and bilge pump handles.

The copper gas pipe is one piece with no joins with simple bends all the way from regulator ( which is the new ' Marine Standard ' ) to the cooker.

The gas box is lockable in case I ever get into a F10 + again and maybe inverted, also to prevent vandals torching the boat; the petrol locker has a padlock for the same reasons.

Also tie downs on the cockpit locker lids operated from the saloon, when rafted up and going ashore it can look rude to go around with padlocks so this is a discreet means of security.

 

[clyst]

Hi Adjag, welcome.

On my 22' boat ( with a large cockpit ) the original design had the gas bottles stowed in a locker, but nowadays the thinking - including insurance - is gas bottles must be able to drain overboard in case of any spillages.

I made a simple ply box aft of the bridgedeck, it has a gap at the bottom to allow ventilation and any escaping gas to vent through the cockpit drains.

I've never known a leak on my boat but having seen a gas explosion I'm happy to go along with suggestions !

The box also makes a very handy seat, and a place to stow bucket, winch and bilge pump handles.

The copper gas pipe is one piece with no joins with simple bends all the way from regulator ( which is the new ' Marine Standard ' ) to the cooker.

The gas box is lockable in case I ever get into a F10 + again and maybe inverted, also to prevent vandals torching the boat; the petrol locker has a padlock for the same reasons.

Also tie downs on the cockpit locker lids operated from the saloon, when rafted up and going ashore it can look rude to go around with padlocks so this is a discreet means of security.

The gas escapes through the cockpit drains ???? How does that work ?.Presume on a tiny boat they drain out through the bottom .

 

[Seajet]

The gas escapes through the cockpit drains ???? How does that work ?.Presume on a tiny boat they drain out through the bottom .

The cockpit drains exit above the waterline but lower than the gas bottles, as the gas is heavier than air.

 

[ronsurf]

Are petrol fumes heavier than air? I always assumed they were lighter than air.

 

[VicS]

Are petrol fumes heavier than air? I always assumed they were lighter than air.[/QUOT

Heavier.

Think about it. Its a mixture of hydrocarbons in the range C₅ to C₁₂

 

[michael_w]

The titchy gas locker on my boat can only fit the Camping Gaz bottles. I teed off the gas pipe and ran a new length up to the pushpit. The Calor bottle hangs in a rope cradle. It's very well ventilated! On my old boat, I carried the petrol lashed to the cockpit sole. Open transom, so well ventilated too.

 

[Seajet]

I fitted a day / night solar ventilator with a nicad battery to my fuel locker lid; the salesman specifically assured me it was ' spark safe ' but when it and the makers went bust - it's no longer marketed - I gave it to my chum Gordon ( universally known as the best Electrician and Engineer in BAe ) he quickly told me I had been lucky not to be blown into orbit !

I now use an ECS tannoy vent, for a few extra £ it's the version one can shut off in heavy weather.

I did enquire among makers a few years ago, as far as I know no solar vents are spark safe.

As the transparent centre discolours in U/V and I don't fancy sunlight beaming onto the fuel tank I painted the centre bit.

Gas and petrol vapours being heavier than air there is the old story of always giving the bilge pump a few strokes when boarding the boat; I think I'd prefer to do this with a manual rather than electric pump, unless it's a well installed ' bilge blower '.

These are not euphanisms but the same is always good policy.

 

[Tranona]

As a relative newbie I'm struggling with stowing the spare gas cylinder and can of outboard fuel on our yacht (32ft). The previous owner simply stowed them in the cockpit cave locker which seems risky, the gas locker is moulded to snugly hold one can, and the anchor locker is full of windlass. Does anyone have any suggestions other than lashing them to the pushpit??

Thanks

Think you are worrying too much. A gas bottle with the screw cap on is safe to put in a locker. It only becomes potentially dangerous when a regulator and pipes are added. Same thing with a can of petrol for the outboard. If it is in a well sealed container it will be OK.


You drive around in a car with up to 50l of petrol in a plastic fuel tank without worrying about it, so why the concern about it in the locker of a boat?

 

[MASH]

You drive around in a car with up to 50l of petrol in a plastic fuel tank without worrying about it, so why the concern about it in the locker of a boat?

Agree up to a point, but the critical difference between a car and a boat is that the boat's hull is an impermeable vessel that will trap heavy vapours from a tank/bottle stored inside it whereas a car is not an impermeable vessel and anyway the tank is outside the structure so vents externally to atmosphere.

Suspect the argument re storing non-attached gas bottles is valid, and any sensible owner has a has a gas alarm anyway.

 

[photodog]

Think you are worrying too much. A gas bottle with the screw cap on is safe to put in a locker. It only becomes potentially dangerous when a regulator and pipes are added. Same thing with a can of petrol for the outboard. If it is in a well sealed container it will be OK.


You drive around in a car with up to 50l of petrol in a plastic fuel tank without worrying about it, so why the concern about it in the locker of a boat?

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