I am just chasing everyone's opinions and ideas on their favourite ways of cooking on board. I have recently picked up an S80 and am looking at options for cooking whilst cruising. I already own a BabyQ and have used this extensively whilst camping onshore in some really shocking wet, and windy conditions with no dramas. I have thought about using it inboard and have read a recent article on the use if them inboard in Octobers issue of cruising helmsman. What are the issues of storing gas inboard in regards to gas compliance? I would be storing the gas bottle in the locker used for storing the outboard fuel I already have inboard, this locker is ventilated already. I'm assuming I would need a gas compliance certificate for any use of LPG, or is that only for fixed appliances?

Gas inboard has A- carbon monoxide issues B- compliance issues.

Easily solved = hang it out back.

My gas bottle resides at the back of my cockpit which has drains that are above water. If you don't have drains like that, hang the bottle/s off the pushpit.

If you have any gas appliances (stove, heater or hot water system) below deck, you should or may have to get compliance done. If the gas is only for an outside BBQ I don't think there are any compliance issues.

In the land of the Queen you can NOT sell a yacht without Gas Compliance Certificate. It is against the law.
Whoever in NSW there is no such thing required.

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sirgallivant said..
In the land of the Queen you can NOT sell a yacht without Gas Compliance Certificate. It is against the law.
Whoever in NSW there is no such thing required.

That is if a gas appliance is fitted. Many boats are listed with no stove fitted but available in a separate transaction or it is sold with a metho stove.

Gas compliance is an expensive exercise and I know a gas fitter who will not do boats because of legal liabilities.

Call me crazy but I love my metho stove. Not only is it safer and cheaper, I just enjoy the aesthetics of the whole experience.

I rekon I'll just stick with the WeberQ in the cockpit for now and store the bottle in the ventilated locker.

Use the single burner camping style stove with the disposable gas cartridges available anywhere.

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andy59 said..
Call me crazy but I love my metho stove. Not only is it safer and cheaper, I just enjoy the aesthetics of the whole experience.

+1 for andy59

why would you temp fate with gas.

As loosechange said. Those little burners with the disposable cans are cool. Cheap as from Kmart. I loved the smell of metho stoves in galleys as a kid.

Just be aware that there may besome safety concerns with using the portable canister type cookers

www.sail-world.com/USA

Regards Don

Double post

Regards Don

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Donk107 said..
Just be aware that there may besome safety concerns with using the portable canister type cookers

www.sail-world.com/USA

Regards Don

I don't know which version of those they sell in the UK but all of the ones I have seen here in Aus have an interlock which prevents them from being lit with the spill tray upside down.

I think the biggest danger with these stoves is not the stove itself but the gas canisters. The one in the stove should be OK but it is the spares that are the danger.

The cans are thin steel and will rust quite rapidly. If they are stored below deck, they are a time bomb waiting to go off.

the aerosol cylinders are no more danger than 90% of all aerosol cans...since the banning of CFC's most propellants in the cans are butane.....spraying any aerosol in a confined space is a concern...the butane ones can cause an explosion...the others (mainly CO2) can suffocate you.

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andy59 said..
Call me crazy but I love my metho stove. Not only is it safer and cheaper, I just enjoy the aesthetics of the whole experience.

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keensailor said..
+1 for andy59

why would you temp fate with gas.

Well I have a different view. Starting a metho burner is a tedious process that takes several minutes. Get it wrong and, if you don't notice (because all can look well for a while) you'll end up with flaming metho dripping from the stove. On our last boat, with a metho stove, we had several flare-ups that almost resulted in a galley fire. The only upside is that it's safe to put these fires out with water. Every victualling trip to the shops involved litres and litres of metho: bulky, inconvenient and expensive. On top of all that, the metho flame is not very hot, boiling water took an age, and it isn't possible to seal and brown meat.

The gas stove on our current boat is fantastic, and a single gas bottle lasts us about 3 months full-time live-aboard. Getting the gas compliance certificate, and using common sense will address the safety issues.

2 burner metho maxie stove and one pot meals. I poached eggs in baked beans the other morning.
I've had plenty of days where I could have used the solar oven but haven't been bothered.

I use a two burner metho stove , I didn't really want gas below , yes it's slow but you get used to it . I have an extinguisher and fire blanket in the galley . One day there will be a BBQ fitted to rail and the bottle on the stern , until then I really look forward to having a BBQ with friends , they want to come out on the boat , I want to sit in their backyard surrounded by the smell of charring meat lol

I agree with Qldcruiser. We do not live aboard but have been on the boat the last week or so and like the convenience of gas cooking. The bottle is in a ventilated locker, I have fitted a gas alarm which is turned on 24 hours a day and we turn the gas off at the bottle when not in use. Yes there are safety concerns but with a bit of care I think that they can be managed.

Gas Alarms. Mine went off the other day. Scared the crap out of me. I found that one of my sealed AGM house batteries had shorted internally (& popped its case) and the other 4 batteries in the bank plus the shore powered 30A battery charge were doing their best to bring it's voltage back up. I shut off the shore power and open the isolator to the faulty batter and got off the boat for a few hours so it could ventilate. Glad I have a gas alarm. You don't need to have LPG on board to warrant a gas alarm!!

As far as the little can burners go I've used them quite a bit camping onshore and as soon as you get the smallest breeze they really struggle to produce much heat. And I've had a few leak gas at the coupling even when the interlock was engaged whilst cooking. I don't like the thought of using them below deck and can't imagine much success cooking in the cockpit if a breeze pops up. Good for toast, but boiling water can take forever.

As far as the little can burners go I've used them quite a bit camping onshore and as soon as you get the smallest breeze they really struggle to produce much heat. And I've had a few leak gas at the coupling even when the interlock was engaged whilst cooking. I don't like the thought of using them below deck and can't imagine much success cooking in the cockpit if a breeze pops up. Good for toast, but boiling water can take forever.

A bit of soapy water on all gas connectors and bottle connections for a "bubble leak test", checked regularly, goes along way in preventing a potential disaster. Also shutting the gas off first at the bottle to bleed pressure from the system all helps too, just remember to turn the stove off too after it has flamed out.
I had a bit off a nervous flare up with my kero stove when I was learning how to light it. I have never had a flare up like that with a gas cooker,, they're simple to light. I find with the kero stove I am not really game to leave it unattended even for a really short period, but I probably would be more relaxed with a gas burner, maybe that would be my downfall. I still seem to prefer the kero in my boat though, You can fight a fire but you can't fight an explosion, but how many boats explode because of gas cookers??

I use the butane cylinders. I have two of the camping stoves in the galley with purpose made gimbals, pot holders and bench lids. When not in use all cylinders (including the spares) are kept in the gas locker in the stern and vented overboard. Cheap and safe.

I feel the smell of a freshly baked damper in my nostrils...

Gas bottle in vented lazarette, gas alarm on switch board, fire blanket, extinguisher handy, gas Cert. supplied by seller.

Damper maybe after Xmas

In my last yacht I used the single gas camping unit in a permanent mount. After use I released the cannister but left it in place. I think they are under $15 at BCF at the moment. Cheap enough to carry a spare unit!

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zilla said..

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I use the butane cylinders. I have two of the camping stoves in the galley with purpose made gimbals, pot holders and bench lids. When not in use all cylinders (including the spares) are kept in the gas locker in the stern and vented overboard. Cheap and safe.

You can buy a double version of these now for $50 to $100. The $100 ones come with a BBQ plate and a reasonable case.

I was fortunate in that my boat came fitted with a beautiful NZ made "Mariner" stove. Two top burners, oven and grill.