Propane storage C-18

Feb 19, 2008
292
Catalina Capri 18 ann arbor
I replaced my aging outboard with a Mercury 5HP Propane sailpro. For the rest of this season I’m using 1lb cans of gas that I can take home at the end of the day. Next year, I was considering getting a larger tank - but then you go down the rabbit hole of safely storing propane on the boat.

I had been assuming that the standard fuel locker on the Capri 18 would meet the requirements: it is sealed off from the cabin, and it is vented at the bottom. But it’s not vented directly through the hull, it vents into the cockpit, very near the scuppers. I’m not sure it can be retrofitted to meet the regs, and its really hard to find a tank that fits in it anyway.

Has anyone come up with a solution that doesn’t involve strapping a can to the rails? I’ve read the other threads on this topic and that seems to be the most common answer.
 
May 25, 2020
4
Hunter Legend 375 Moss Landing
Hey John,
I ran into the same scenario on my boat with the small propane tanks for the BBQ. You have a few options!
1. Maybe the easiest,(And what I do) if your anchor locker has a drain you can place them in there.
2. They make mesh propane bottle bags that mount to your rail.
3. If you have any sort of a bridge deck in your companion way, the cockpit scuppered still drain overboard not into the cabin. I would just want a bridge deck or the bottom 1 or 2 boards in for reassurance. You could always install a propane detector too.
4. Many people just carry the larger propane tanks on their deck tied to a stanchion. They make mountable bases to support the tank.