When a vessel is surveyed for insurance purposes the principle of 'best practice' is applied. Where gas installations are concerned, 'best practice' is largely based upon the advice given by Calor Gas and Corgi.
This is a lot more detailed and demanding than what is required by the RCD (Recreational Craft Directive) standards, but is not legally binding. Corgi and Calor Gas have also helped to create the much tighter regulations used for the Boat Safety Scheme which applies to boats used on the inland waterways.
Boats built before 1999 do not have to comply with the RCD. Boats built after 1999
are subject to the RCD. In my opinion standards of safety as regards to gas installations have been lowered since the introduction of the RCD.
The RCD allows for British boat builders to build craft to a lower standard than they used to. For example, Hurley boats were built to the Lloyds 100A standard. Bavaria Yachts of Germany used to be built to German Lloyds standards but Lloyds recently withdrew this award as standards of build had dropped.
A good gas system should include:
- Gas bottle should be stored secured upright in a dedicated locker
- Gas locker should be drained from the bottom and vented at the top outside the hull
- Drain skin fitting should be at least 75mm above the waterline even when the vessel is heeled
- Drain hose should have a continuous fall and be at least 19mm internal diameter
- Flexible hose should be no longer than 1m. Copper pipe should be used for longer runs
- Gas bottle regulator and the join between the flexible hose at the bottle end and the copper pipe should be within the gas bottle locker as if the system leaks it will most likely be at these points
- Copper gas pipe should be secured to the vessel's structure at intervals of no more than 300mm
- Copper gas pipe should be protected by conduit where it goes through a bulkhead or piece of joinery to reduce chafe
- Flexible hose should not be fed through a bulkhead
- A gas shut off tap should be fitted in the galley if more than one gas appliance is present
- Armoured flexible hose should be used at the cooker end if the cooker is gimballed to reduce chafe
Corgi and Calor Gas also advise fitting gas alarms and a bubble leak detector. Also, a Corgi registered gas fitter will not repair or install a cooker that does not have a flame failure device.
Some people argue that armoured hose should be used at the cooker end as the rubber hose can't be seen.
A plastic after-market gas bottle locker can be purchased from chandlery shops. For example Force 4.
.
They cost around Ł80 and can be fitted to many yacht cockpits. However, they are only useful for Camping Gaz bottles, as shorter bottles are needed to allow for a drop in the drain hose.
It is not always possible to fit a draining gas locker into boats, especially older yachts with low, deep cockpits and narrow transoms such as the Hurley 22 and 24.
They were built without draining lockers and adding such a drain would cause problems in itself.
The freeboard on older yachts is a lot lower than that of flat-bottomed beamy modern yachts. Many Westerly Centaurs and Pageants that I survey have a skin fitting fitted to the transom near to the waterline. This is an attempt to create a gas locker drain but is useless as the lazarette locker is deeper than the waterline and any spilt or escaped gas would just go into the bilge.
It is very problematic to fit aftermarket gas lockers into such designs and in my opinion it is best to leave as manufactured. I recently inspected a Westerly Tiger, which had sunk on it mooring on the river Hamble.
The only reason for the sinking that I could find was the gas locker drain drilled into the transom about 1” above the waterline. The boat must have filled up slowly as ebbing tidewater lapped up its stern whilst on its fore and aft trot mooring.
You are able as a boat owner to repair, modify or repair your own gas system and there are no rules about what qualifications you need. However, if you are paid to work on a gas system you have a duty in law to display a level of skill and knowledge, which usually means being Corgi registered.
The RCD is the standard to which boats have to be built to be sold within the EU and its requirements are themselves broken up into standards. The standard for gas systems is EN ISO 10239. But this is a grey area as in some cases vessels only have to comply with local standards to be deemed to comply within the EU.
For example, I recently surveyed an Italian luxury motor-cruiser and found that its gas system fell short of EN ISO 10239. After a great deal of debate between the vendor, purchaser and importer of the vessel and after involving the BMF and RYA we came to the woolly conclusion that the vessel's gas system satisfied the local gas regulations in Italy and as Italy was part of the EU the gas system of the yacht was deemed to comply within the rest of the EU. To me this is a loophole that needs to be closed.
The builders in my opinion were trying to cut corners and costs and took the easiest route. The frustrating part was that no official body involved with the RCD would take ownership of the debate and give a definitive answer!
Quite understandably the broker and owner were not happy that the gas system needed to be changed, as this is how it was built. There are a few of these boats in the UK. The importer admitted that the gas system has had to be upgraded on boats used on inland waterways but none have been changed on seagoing boats. The gas system has been revised on 2007 boats.
In my opinion the gas system failed for the following reasons:
- Gas locker drain was not fitted to bottom of locker
- Gas bottle not strapped down
- Gas locker was not airtight
- Gas locker shared with electrical equipment such as 230-volt socket and fridge
The gas pipes were all rubber. Apparently the gas system does not need to have a copper pipe section according to the RCD but you do need to be able to access the hose along its entire length for inspection.
I found out that the locker was not airtight when the water hose under the sink in the shared gas/cockpit locker broke and filled the cockpit with water. Water flowed through and under the door seal. I found loads of flammable stuff in the locker such as flares pack and meths.
I recommended that the flexible hose be replaced by copper pipe. A short length of hose could be used at bottle end. An enclosed gas locker should be fitted inside the cockpit locker. The gas bottle should be strapped down and a new gas locker drain should be fitted to the bottom of the locker.
According to the RCD it is permissible to have electrical items within the gas locker, which was a big surprise to me!
Clearly the RCD falls short of what we in the UK would consider to be good practice and falls a long way behind what is recommended by Corgi and Calor Gas.
It appears to me that the RCD is a method of breaking down barriers to trade within the EU rather than a method of ensuring safety.
Nick Vass is a marine surveyor and vice chairman of the Hurley Owners' Association. See
www.hurleyownersassociation.co.uk
and www.omega-yachtservices.co.uk
