Firstly we are new recruits to yacht sailing and have just invested in a Parker 275 called 'Redshank' (currently ashore in Brightlingsea)having been cruising in a wayfarer for the last 12 years. We are on a rapid upwards learning curve and have found this forum page invaluable. We have also spoken to some current owners and would like to thank them for their advice.
So now we are looking for some advice about the storage of the gas bottle having found it very difficult to access in the aft locker, which strikes us a deterent to turning it off at the end of a trip. In addition, the only way I could remove the bottle was to actually climb into the locker and prize it out. The gas pipes may need replacing as we suspect that the whole set up has not been serviced in 20 years. Any advice would be welcome

Anne & Dennis Kell Redshank 275/19

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Anne & Dennis

The gas bottle needs to be somewhere where if there is a leak the gas will drain down through a vent to the outside of the boat. Mine is in a separate gas locker behind the port cockpit locker.

If the gas gathers at the bottom of the main cockpit locker and there is a leak, there is a potential for a very load bang and bits of the boat disappearing!

Your storsge needs to be consistent with safety in the event of any gas leak.

I hope this helps.

Tim

Hi, and welcome to the PSSA.

If your gas bottle is not in its own dedicated locker at the port after end of the cockpit, but in a moulded container inside the main cockpit locker, it may interest you to know that it is possible to get 12v electrically operated remote shut-off gas valves.
And I would suggest that the absolute minimum that you should do is to renew the regulator and all the flexible hoses.
Oh, and your cooker is new enough to have flame failure on all the burners, including the oven, isn't it....?

An excellent starting point to a safe gas installation if you are an RYA member is:
http://www.rya.org.uk/in...Equipment/Pages/gas.aspx 

If you are not an RYA member, then it may help you to know that:
For boats built before the RCD [Recreational Craft Directive] came into force in June 1998, there are no pan European or national UK gas standards that a boat used on UK tidal waters is legally required to comply with [although you may still be subject to your local harbour authority requirements...] so you could just cross your fingers and hope for the best....

But you should check the small print of your insurance, since many UK insurers will now refuse claims caused by fire or explosion if your boat does not comply with the current European Standard for new build boats -
EN ISO 10239:2000 Small craft — Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) systems
and also with the British Standard -
BS 5482 Part 3 (1999) Code of practice for domestic butane & propane gas burning installations — Part 3 Installations in boats, yachts and other vessels.

The best way to demonstrate compliance with these is by a current Gas Check certificate, which can only be issued by a Corgi certified Gas Safe engineer.

http://www.gascheckmarine.co.uk/home.html 
On the East Coast I suggest that you seek recommendations as many certified Gas Safe engineers have no understanding of marine installations.

Boats used on UK inland waters are almost all subject to the BSS {Boat Safety Scheme] which need not concern you except to say that Chapter 7 of the BSS deals with LPG installations and contains much useful explanation, guidance and diagrams.
http://www.boatsafetysch...part-7-lpg-installations 

And finally, another very useful source of information is the Calor Gas website.









Geoff Sheddick
Parker 27/146 "Stroller'

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Thanks Tim and Geoff. Tim, you say your gas bottle is in a separate locker. Did you have this modification done yourself or did Parker change the arrangement in later boats? Our boat only has one cockpit locker with an internal, self-draining, moulded shelf well aft of the opening, designed to take the gas bottle.
Sadly, Geoff, the cooker is probably original and does not have a flame failure device either but there is an isolation switch.

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Anne & Dennis

I think Parkers must have included the separate locker at a later stage.

My sail number is 28 and I know Ken Surplice's Vol au vent No 25 is the same as mine.

Maybe you could add an internal divider and cut a new hatch into the cockpit. The hatch on mine is held in place by elastic with no hinges.

Hope this helps.

Tim

Anne & Dennis
I too have a separate locker aft in the cockpit on the port side - Sail number 27. I keep my unopened spare bottle on the shelf in the main locker
Anthony Marshall
Sanderling

I sail 275 no 21 and I had a separate locker built at the aft end of the cockpit locker with a rectangular hatch into the cockpit side wall. It drains any gas leakage through the transom. Once I had a faulty regulator and a whole bottle discharged itself safely out the back. Phew!!

All I did was have a wall around the shelf the bottle sat on glassed in and a hatch cut. It didnt cost much. I also fitted a bubbler in the pipe so I can see if there is a leak. I dont have a gas alarm though.

Kate

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Thank you for your reply, Kate. We had found your pictures in an earlier posting and used them to explain our problem to the local gas fitter.

Unfortunately, he felt this system would not meet the fire retardancy requirements for the gas certificate our insurance company requested. However, we have solved the problem (we hope) by installing a separate gas locker beneath the tiller at the end of the cockpit. This is secured to the transom and the cockpit deck, drains through the cockpit drain holes in the transom and the gas pipe is led through the cockpit locker to the galley. The new locker hold two gas bottles.

This provides very easy access. We shall try to take a picture and post this when we can. Sadly, our cooker would not hold pressure when the new system was connected, so we have had to replace this. Fortunately, the new one fitted the existing gimbals.

Thanks again for everyone's advice.

Anne and Dennis

Anne & Dennis Kell Redshank 275/19

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Dear All,

As promised, here is a picture of our new gas locker at the aft end of the cockpit (we hope). It is secured to the bottom and transom by two bolts through each. The pipe is surrounded by a hose and is led straight into the cockpit locker and along to the galley. There is a drain at the bottom directly over the port cockpit drain hole.

It is strong enough to stand on if we climb in over the stern and meets the required fire retardancy regulations. The two gas bottles fit very snugly inside and don't seem to rattle too much, although we may need to add a little packing once we actually get going.

If anyone wants details, do feel free to contact us.

Thanks again for everyone's help and advice.


Anne & Dennis Kell Redshank 275/19

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