PROJECT-A-PALOOZA!!! -- Fuel Canister Storage

[Ray]

I use two types of canister fuel on the boat, 1lb propane for the grill, and small butane for the galley stove.

I made two PVC storage "lockers" for two each of the canisters. They live attached to the sidewall of the starboard-aft cockpit seat. Each of the caps have a line attached to keep them from getting dropped overboard:






The standard PVC tubes (forgot which dimensions) fit exactly the propane and the butane diameters, one large, and one small. At the bottom of each, I glued a standard PVC "shower drain" for venting and water drainage.






Here is the propane one. I bought two of those brass reusable screw-on lids on ebay - they are really nice. They still need anti-seize or lubricant to keep them from rusting on.






.....and the butane:







Each of the lid bottoms has a line with a "choke collar" that goes around the neck of the bottom of the two canisters to allow you to pull them up from the tube.




The PVC is screwed into the bulkhead, through a piece of black starboard to raise the lids away from the side. The flathead screws are countersunk (as much as you can in the side of PVC) on the inside to protect the canister. Larger holes are opposite the screw locations on the outside of the PVC for access.

All pics and text also in the album.

Ray

[anchorout]

Can't imagine a neater, safer way to store gas bottles. Good job.

[Sunbeam]

I have considered something like this - it's a very neat implementation. (I currently use the port lazarette, which I basically have fitting ABYC standards, except for the "should not be able to store other things in there as well" provision, which I totally violate).

Technically, I don't think this qualifies under ABYC either, at least on my 22 (it may on the larger 25). They specify that the openings that vent the "locker" should not be less than 20" from any openings into the boat. At least on my 22, the lip of the splashwell would probably be less than 20" away from the vent in the bottom of the tube (I'll have to re-measure though).

That said, "real world" this looks like a great way to store the canisters (and after all, if you use them in the boat to cook or heat with, they are much more in violation at that time). Sometimes on smaller boats you have to make a judgement call about what you are comfortable with, and "letter vs. spirit" of guidelines. I do that now by using these canisters in the galley when I am cooking.

Okay, now that probably made me sound like a total downer, but I don't mean it that way. I'm coming from my own noodling and measuring about how to best carry propane on my 22 (disposable canisters for now; perhaps a "real" propane system later if I decide to use it for heat as well). So far, the port lazarette seems the best and most compliant (especially if I go to larger, refillable propane cylinders and a full blown system), but... that means giving up a whole lazarette The method of storage shown here looks pretty darned good (even if not perfect) and doesn't mean giving up a lazarette (or, like me, storing other things in there along with the canisters, which is a no-no).

Headed back down to the boat now (working on a few projects) -- I'll have to measure and see how these would work.

Sunbeam

[Aurelia]

Adding this to my winter list. I won't put it exactly in the same spot but I do need to sort out better storage for cartridges.

Greg

[T.R. Bauer]

I have never heard of anyone getting a ticket for diposable propane canisters. Does it actually happen? I think what you have is really slick. The only place I have propane is in my ditch bag with my little Coleman propane stove. If that is against the regs I will write the check as I want that stove and propane on shore if the time comes I need it.

[Sunbeam]

[thataway]

The major relevance of ABYC standards (and they are standards and recommended practices) is that many marine surveyors use these to judge if a boat is safe and to the standards. Often the survey report states what needs to be done to bring the boat up to these standards. Survey is required for some insurance company policies, and for bank loans. It is easy enough to remove any LPG canisters from the boat before survey.

This looks like a good solution for some. I store mine in the port Lazarette, which does drain outboard-good enough for me--since it is further from the cockpit than the Fuel tank vents! The only question would be more clutter in the splash well--and that is a very personal choice. (If only there was some real great way to get rid of those pesky hydraulic lines, the shifter and throttle cables.!

[rjmcnabb]

Hi Ray,
I had similar on an old sailboat- the PO had mounted a PVC pipe long enough for four cylinders, zip-tied to a horizontal cockpit hand rail where it wouldn't interfere. In the fixed cap, there was a small drilled hole that took a thin dowel. Remove the loose end, run the dowel in and push out a canister. Replace the cap, Bob's your uncle. Never had leakage or condensation.
BTW Ray, your nifty mods remind me of another Seaweed; are you connected to a Nimble Arctic or Kodiak in another life? Can't be too much of that craftsmanship out there.
Cheers,
Rod

[Ray]

Hi Rod,

Thank you for your kind words.
Yes, that was my Nimble Kodiak, Seaweed. We are now on to a new boating chapter in our lives.
You are too good!

Very Best Regards,
Ray

[bobjarrard]

Ray - I am looking a a few Nimble Kodiak's and would appreciate your comments on them. I am only looking at inboard diesels, have owned a well mounted outboard and will not do that again. Here is a link to the one that most has my attention
http://www.boattrader.com/listing/1993-Nimble-Kodiak-102082383
We live in the California high desert and will be needed to trailer launch using a pickup truck. Thanks for your posts on butane stoves.
Noticed the comment on using oil on butane rubber seals. I would be careful there and used only an approved lubricant. Most of the portables if not all have a system to remove the cartridge easily which I take as an instruction. I use the mountaineering version of these stoves which means always separating the canister from the stove. I have had seal failures and never use the stove inside a nylon tent!
Bob Jarrard

[potter water]

I also looked at several Nimbles (not kodiaks), before I bought my 22 C-dory. The Kodiaks were a bit too heavy for my kind of trailering. Not good in shallow and shoal waters. A couple of feet or less. I'm often in shoal waters.

The up side is I read a very nice cruising article about some guys that powered and sailed a Kodiak to southern california from Washington state, or perhaps not quite that far north. I don't remember, but they had some pretty high seas and winds for much of their trip and the Kodiak handled it well. I believe they are heavily built for such a purpose, but that makes them not quite so good for frequent trailering.

The one you reference looks like a beauty.

[Ray]

If anyone is interested, here is a very large (39MB) download of an [i]entire website[/i] I had up at one time for the complete rebuild of my Nimble Kodiak. The photos aren't as good as the originals, but it should provide a good bit of info on the boats.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/14019901/seaweed.exe

Hope it helps some.....

Ray

[Aurelia]

Alright, I built a set of these canister holders and they turned out great but now I am struggling a bit to mount them. I just can't find a great position in our crowded splashwell where they are not at least partially in the way of something else. I am considering other locations outside the boat but we are already looking a little busy out there if you know what I mean.

If I have to choose one or the other....Do you think propane or butane canisters have a greater chance of leaking/failing? Any actual failures in your experience?

Greg

[Ray]

Sorry - not too much help without a photo or something. Have you thought about maybe mounting them to the rails?

I have no experience with leaking of either canister. I would assume, just from the thickness of the metal, that the butane would go first - it is certainly not intended for the outdoors like the small propane ones are.

Let us know what you decide!

[Aurelia]

We really do have some rails to mount to but I would like to keep them out of the way of the RADAR and keep them from becoming eyesores or be hard to reach while at anchor. I can mount one in the splash well, just not both.

Greg