MacGregorSailors.com

Mods - not sure where to post this.

Wow - tragic. 41' in FL destroyed and a boy died.
http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/natio ... FB_DCBrand

Propane, gasoline fumes, it's all dangerous and can be fatal. Sad story.

Yachting Monthly did a propane test when they were destroying a boat. It was an interesting series.

http://youtu.be/Yxm3uMy6MPI

How sad for that family.

Ray

Something that has been discussed at length on here with those who think it's ok to have it below deck and those like myself who wouldn't do it in a fit even on land, mind you even on deck and coupled with petrol it has huge potential for disaster especially on the water.

On "another forum which shall remain nameless" some boaters point out that RVs have "internal" propane tanks routinely. This actually not the case. While the tank may seem like it's inside, its open to below the RV, and if it leaks the propane spills away onto the ground.

In a watertight hull, it fills the cabin and sits there. It can asphyxiate occupants or detonate, and it doesn't clear out on its own very easily. Our new boat has factory installed propane. The bottle is in an airtight locker in the aft gunnels, but it does go down into the cabin. We keep the bottle valve off except when we're using stove directly to prevent leaks into the cabin.

We never used a propane bottle on the MacGregor, but if I did, I wouldn't permanently install it. I'd use hose clamps to secure it in one of the stern rail seats nearby the outboard grill.

mastreb wrote:In a watertight hull, it fills the cabin and sits there. It can asphyxiate occupants or detonate, and it doesn't clear out on its own very easily. Our new boat has factory installed propane. The bottle is in an airtight locker in the aft gunnels, but it does go down into the cabin. We keep the bottle valve off except when we're using stove directly to prevent leaks into the cabin.

My Hunter had a vent line to a thru-hull in the stern, above the waterline, in addition to the seal on the lid of the locker, which was outside the cockpit (part of the swim platform). Manual valves on the 4lb cylinders, plus a 12V solenoid valve, as usual. I believe the vent is a requirement, but can't back that up

I don't even keep the little 1lb canisters below decks when I can avoid it.

mastreb wrote:On "another forum which shall remain nameless" some boaters point out that RVs have "internal" propane tanks routinely. This actually not the case. While the tank may seem like it's inside, its open to below the RV, and if it leaks the propane spills away onto the ground.

In a watertight hull, it fills the cabin and sits there. It can asphyxiate occupants or detonate, and it doesn't clear out on its own very easily. Our new boat has factory installed propane. The bottle is in an airtight locker in the aft gunnels, but it does go down into the cabin. We keep the bottle valve off except when we're using stove directly to prevent leaks into the cabin.

We never used a propane bottle on the MacGregor, but if I did, I wouldn't permanently install it. I'd use hose clamps to secure it in one of the stern rail seats nearby the outboard grill.

My RV has what appears to be an internal tank.. in reality it is only inside the skin, it is completely isolated from the interior of the RV and there are large round holes in the bottom of the compartment so any propane being heavier than air will drop below.

Can't really poke holes in the bottom of a boat to drain it out. I would think an external propane locker on deck should drain directly from the bottom of such locker and overboard should it leak rather than through the boat.

I store my 1 lb. tanks under the cockpit seats on top of the fuel tanks, or, if I'm carrying more than 2, in PVC holders I clamp to the aft stantions. The holder bottom has a hole drilled in it, and the top is screwed on. I cook on a camp stove either on shore or on the cockpit seat.

Cook on the cockpit seat, directly above 12 gallons of gasoline vapors sounds like a not very safe option either as long as we are all being paranoid about safety concerns with fuel sources-vapors.

raycarlson wrote:Cook on the cockpit seat, directly above 12 gallons of gasoline vapors sounds like a not very safe option either as long as we are all being paranoid about safety concerns with fuel sources-vapors.

Obviously, I wouldn't use the stove if there were any gasoline vapors present. In an open air environment such as the open cockpit, the chances of fuel vapor build-up from a closed container is extremely LOW. ( I actually have the stove FORWARD - and upwind if we're on the hook- of the fuel tanks, not directly over them.)