Gasfitters and regulations......Australia

[reiner]

We bought a Yacht that came from NZ in the Whitsundays and got a gas certificate up there. Gas fitter said we have to replace the gas lines as the Kiwi ones don't comply with the australian standards .
Who can argue with the gasman if you need his signature to change the boats registration over.
Yesterday I sold our boat and the gas fitter said I have to replace the rubber gas lines with copper ones to meet australian standards. Another $350 spend with the second gasman here in OZ.
Plus he disconnected the hot water system ( gas) that came from NZ and said that doesn't comply either even the first gas fitter never had a problem with it.
I bet if I get another fitter out he will come up with some other bull%$#to charge me another $350
Is everybody out there having copper pipes for gas lines? or NZ made hot water systems on boats here in OZ?
Cheers
Reiner

[Hoohaa]

I have just become the proud owner of a Swarbrick 40. The surveyor noted that there was no gas compliance plate on the stove. Applied to get insurance and they wouldn't do it until I had a gas compliance certificate. Boat has been insured for atleast the past 2 years that I know of.
I started to ask around about who could do it, with the main answer being that I need to talk to a Gas fitter. Well, I could see where this was starting to head "$$$".
Solution, The system looked pretty good with some new bits frown in, solenoid, gas detector system & sensors ect. I checked everything with soapy water (paranoia setting in) satisfied myself that everything was perfect, Boiled the kettle for the first time, had a coffee and then changed insurance company’s.

[bodgy]

HooHa's right.

Most insurers don't ask about gas compliance.

You should be aware that piracy is alive and well on the Oz waterfront, particularly in N Qld.

[Jim Cate]

G'Day Hoohaa -- way to go, mate! I like your attitude!

And Reiner -- well, from the sound of it you now own that Cheoy Lee! Good onya, and we wish you the joy of your new love. And wow, to be able to sell Kakahi so quickly... I'm impressed and happy for you... so don't let the bureaucrats grind you down.

And for what it's worth: in Calif, copper gas lines are verbotten and proper flexible lines required. Here in Oz, flex is verbotten, copper mandatory. Must be something to do with the reverse Coriolis forces or some such. What a load of crap!

So, hang in there, grit your teeth and go cruising.

Cheers,

Jim and Ann

[Ian R]

I was told the copper also has to be sheathed(pvc?)This is in Queensland.

[reiner]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

G'Day Hoohaa -- way to go, mate! I like your attitude!

And Reiner -- well, from the sound of it you now own that Cheoy Lee! Good onya, and we wish you the joy of your new love. And wow, to be able to sell Kakahi so quickly... I'm impressed and happy for you... so don't let the bureaucrats grind you down.

And for what it's worth: in Calif, copper gas lines are verbotten and proper flexible lines required. Here in Oz, flex is verbotten, copper mandatory. Must be something to do with the reverse Coriolis forces or some such. What a load of crap!

So, hang in there, grit your teeth and go cruising.

Cheers,

Jim and Ann

Hi Jim and Ann
Yes we did sell Kakahi and it is going to Hobart. South of Hobart near Franklin. I'm sure you been there .
We got the Cheoy Lee checked out by a rigger and he found the main mast was rotten and full of water. The standing rigging needs replacing too.
We found more problems and decided to keep looking.
Tomorrow I have a look at a 39ft Challenger, we can't be without a boat for to long.
I think you should sell us yours.....still my favourite yacht :-)

Cheers mate
Reiner and Sam

[reiner]

Originally Posted by bodgy

HooHa's right.

Most insurers don't ask about gas compliance.

You should be aware that piracy is alive and well on the Oz waterfront, particularly in N Qld.

The insurance might not ask for a gas certificate but our department of transport will not change the registration without a gas certificate, the same on Caravans and Motorhomes.

[bodgy]

Originally Posted by reiner

The insurance might not ask for a gas certificate but our department of transport will not change the registration without a gas certificate, the same on Caravans and Motorhomes.

Sorry, not true. I bough a Vic registerd boat in Qld and change rego to NSW without any mention of gas certificate.

Maybe its a State thing

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by bodgy

Sorry, not true. I bough a Vic registerd boat in Qld and change rego to NSW without any mention of gas certificate.

Maybe its a State thing

It is a state thing. In Qld they require either a certified gas system, or you have to state there is no gas system fitted.

Even dumber, (for someone building a boat) a gas certificate is only good for 3 months. So you either need to have the gas installation finalised and inspected just before launch, or you need to find a gasfitter who is willing to hold the certificate for you until launch day.

Easy answer - don't register in Qld. Register in NSW or better yet Victoria.

Rego for our boat in Qld = $420 per annum. Rego in NSW about $160.

[Wotname]

Not wishing to start any debate but what you all are are posting is one of the many reasons I had that helped me to decide on a gas free boat.

I love the smell of kero early in the morning as it brews the coffee!

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

........

Easy answer - don't register in Qld. Register in NSW or better yet Victoria.

Rego for our boat in Qld = $420 per annum. Rego in NSW about $160.

Even better, rego in NT = $0, well maybe a couple of bucks for painting Darwin as home port!

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Wotname

Even better, rego in NT = $0, well maybe a couple of bucks for painting Darwin as home port!

That was our original intention, but since the NT doesn't have state rego, if you use the boat anywhere else you can be booked for being unregistered.

We had a similar problem with our dinghy when we went to NSW - it didn't need to be registered for use as a tender in Qld, but because it carried no state rego, once we got to NSW we were liable to be booked. So we had to register it there.

Aus rego is not acceptable as state rego either.

[sobraon]

The gas regulations in Qld are BS.
We had all of the above problems when we refitted in Qld before heading off. One of the stupidest rules was that we had to have a 2 stage regulator. More expense and of no extra benefit.
We are now cruising through SE Asia. When we returned to the boat in a marina a few weeks ago we found that the gas locker was full of gas. Had anyone walked past on the dock with an ignition source the back of the boat would have exploded. A real potential show stopper.
Guess what? The required 2 stage reg had failed and released all of the gas from a 9kg bottle into the locker and as per design was venting overboard onto the dock.. A google search showed that this is a known problem for these regulators especially when mounted with a loop in the flexible line connecting it to the bottle. The very way that the gas fitter said it had to be.
We are now circumnavigating and don't ever intend to register the boat in Qld again. The Qld Govt was almost responsible for the loss of our boat and if there was an explosion I am sure they would not have agreed that their Rules had caused the problem.. Thanks Captain Bligh!!!

Garry
SV Spirit of Sobraon
Home Page: Spirit of Sobraon's Travel Log The...

[cal40john]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

G'Day Hoohaa -- way to go, mate! I like your attitude!

And Reiner -- well, from the sound of it you now own that Cheoy Lee! Good onya, and we wish you the joy of your new love. And wow, to be able to sell Kakahi so quickly... I'm impressed and happy for you... so don't let the bureaucrats grind you down.

And for what it's worth: in Calif, copper gas lines are verbotten and proper flexible lines required. Here in Oz, flex is verbotten, copper mandatory. Must be something to do with the reverse Coriolis forces or some such. What a load of crap!

So, hang in there, grit your teeth and go cruising.

Cheers,

Jim and Ann

Does Calif have laws that are more restrictive than ABYC?

One of the fuel line options in ABYC (the other is gas hose)

From page 4:
http://www.abycinc.org/committees/A-01.pdf

A-1.9.2.1 be corrosion resistant metallic tubing such
as annealed copper tubing, standard type, Grade K or L,
conforming to ASTM B88-75a, Specifications for
Seamless Copper Water Tube, with a wall thickness of not
less than 0.032 inches (0.815 mm).

[chala]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

That was our original intention, but since the NT doesn't have state rego, if you use the boat anywhere else you can be booked for being unregistered.

We had a similar problem with our dinghy when we went to NSW - it didn't need to be registered for use as a tender in Qld, but because it carried no state rego, once we got to NSW we were liable to be booked. So we had to register it there.

Aus rego is not acceptable as state rego either.

Curious?