Just bought a 1980 Cat 30 with propane stove. Previous owner didn’t sail, so they took stove out and put in a refrig. They keep the frig and I’m getting the stove back. I checked the tank in the back lazarette. It is loose and not in a box. Am I wrong to investigate in getting a propane tank box? Any suggestions on where to get one?
Propane stoves & tank
- Thread starter Tjbsailorman
- Start date
Is the propane tank enclosed at all?
If so, it needs to be in a vented enclosure, and the drain needs to be in the bottom. Propane is heavier than air, so should drain out the drain line. Or, you can buy an enclosure and mount it on a rail.
Greg
If so, it needs to be in a vented enclosure, and the drain needs to be in the bottom. Propane is heavier than air, so should drain out the drain line. Or, you can buy an enclosure and mount it on a rail.
Greg
No, you are absolutely right. You can mount it on a rail as Greg suggests or mount it in a vented enclosure. You also need proper plumbing from the tank to the stove. How much are you going to use the oven? Might be simpler to install a butane or alcohol stove.
Suggest you read this article
Safe Propane Installations | West Marine
There is a lot to consider and it must be done right. Just restoring to original may not be good enough. If it looks like overkill read up on why propane should be given great respect.
Safe Propane Installations | West Marine
There is a lot to consider and it must be done right. Just restoring to original may not be good enough. If it looks like overkill read up on why propane should be given great respect.
Catalina used a propane locker (box) made by Seaward on many models until they started making them more built in with a lined, sealed and vented compartment. The link attached is just first place that came up with a picture.
https://www.mysticmarinediscounts.c...products-lpg-locker-kit-waluminum-tank-93271/
https://www.mysticmarinediscounts.c...products-lpg-locker-kit-waluminum-tank-93271/
Go ahead and Google "Propane Lockers". 1980's boats did not come equipped for propane so question the origin, safety and quality of the stove you may be getting. An adequate stove should have "thermocouple" burner switches; they will shut off gas supply if the burner's flame is blown out. In today's standards a safe propane installation requires, remote solenoid switches, gas sniffers, vented to the outside propane tank lockers, unitary run of gas lines with seals along the run for traversed compartments. Back in the day we used simple stoves with a propane tank that sat on deck next to the mast, The obligatory safety features were our nose and a total attention to the stove while in operation and the opening and closing of the tank valve just before and immediately after every use. Today those precautions are provided for you by the equipment requirements which may cost $1,000 to $2,000. The stoves of the day were pressurized alcohol stoves which brought concerns with flareups. Now they have excellent denatured alcohol stoves which are non-pressurized. Google the Origo models, they are not cheap but their cost and installation is a bargain when compared to a propane installation. Start with your needs, are you going to cook a lot or just reheat? With experienced we learned to cook at home, freeze and just reheat at the boat.
Maybe a dumb question here (sorry if it is), but are you sure it's a propane stove, and not pressure alcohol?
My 1982 C30 has a pressure alcohol stove, with a tank in the rear lazarette.
The original tank, I believe, was about 2 gallons and sat kind of horizontally. The original tank on mine is long gone, but I have crafted a replacement.
Good luck.
My 1982 C30 has a pressure alcohol stove, with a tank in the rear lazarette.
The original tank, I believe, was about 2 gallons and sat kind of horizontally. The original tank on mine is long gone, but I have crafted a replacement.
Good luck.
I was wondering the same thing, both my 1983 and my 1984 C30's came with pressurized alcohol.
Thanks for all the good feedback. I had pressure alcohol when I owned a Pearson 365. Many hate it but my wife and I loved it. This is propane. I have other projects to tackle so this will be one for another day. I will use my propane grill for cooking for now.
In that case my current boat still has it. Any advice or tips from anyone on using it, never actually used the one on the first boat, put a fridge in instead. I haven't decided if I'm going to keep this one, replace it with propane, or a fridge so in the mean time I might use it.