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LPG gas system on board: gas locker, gas alarm and regular inspection
Short answer
Cooking on gas is convenient on board, but the risk is real: LPG sinks into the bilge,
and a single spark is enough.
A regular inspection, a gas alarm and a closed valve are the main defences,
and your best evidence after a claim.
On many sailing and motor yachts the galley runs on liquefied petroleum gas, and some boats use it for heating as well. The risk is easy to underestimate: propane and butane are heavier than air. If gas escapes from a leaking joint, a cracked hose or a burner left open, it does not drift away. It sinks to the bottom of the hull, into the bilge and under the floorboards. There a spark from the fridge, the bilge pump or the engine starter is enough, and the explosion can lift the deck and the coachroof off the hull.
Rules on inspection differ from country to country, and for privately used boats there is often no legal duty at all. Many countries, marinas and charter companies still expect the system to be checked at regular intervals by a qualified gas engineer, and some ask to see the certificate before they give you a berth. On inland waterways in Britain, the Boat Safety Scheme examination includes the gas installation. A sound LPG system keeps the cylinders in a sealed gas locker that drains overboard, with a regulator, a solenoid valve switched from the galley and approved hose only where rigid pipe cannot be used.
Between inspections, safety is in your hands. Close the cylinder valve after every meal and whenever you leave the boat. Fit a gas alarm with its sensor low down, near the stove and the bilge, where gas collects. Replace hoses by the date printed on them, even if they still look fine, and keep the gas locker drain clear. If you smell gas: touch no switch, do not start the engine, open the hatches, close the valve and pump the bilge by hand. When you read a hull wording, look at how it treats fire and explosion and what it says about gross negligence, because a system with obvious defects is exactly where that question comes up. Keep the latest inspection certificate on board and a copy at home.
Worth remembering
Gas ashore
rises and drifts away
Gas on board
sinks into the bilge
Close the valve when the pan comes off the stove.
Questions
What owners ask us about this
Is a gas inspection compulsory on a private boat?
It depends on the country and the waters. Often there is no legal duty for private boats, but many countries, marinas and charter companies expect regular checks by a qualified gas engineer.
Where should the gas alarm sensor go?
Low down, just above the floor, near the stove and the bilge. Propane and butane are heavier than air and collect at the bottom of the hull.
Will hull insurance pay for a gas explosion?
Fire and explosion are named in most hull wordings. If the system was clearly defective, the payment can be reduced for gross negligence, so keep the inspection certificate and the receipts for hoses and parts.
Related
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Whether it is “LPG gas system on board: gas locker, gas alarm and regular inspection” or another question: send us your residence and the flag your boat flies. You will get a straight answer in one email; including a no, if that is the answer.
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