|
|
07-04-2013, 13:42
|
#1
|
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Seattle
Boat: Morgan Out Island 41
Posts: 3
|
Propane Usage for Liveaboard Couple?
Hey everyone!
My husband and I have lived with an electric cooking stove for two years. Needless to say, we've struggled with cooking during long off shore trips. We're upgrading to propane in the next few months. We'll only be using propane for our cooking stove (our heating stove is diesel).
Are there any liveaboard couples who use propane here? How much propane do you use per month? We are building a propane locker and want to make sure we build a big enough one to house enough propane to last us about 3-4 months of cruising at a time. We cook about 1 meal a day on the stove and use the oven about 1-2 times a week.
Thanks and cheers!
Denise
SV Pleione
|
|
|
07-04-2013, 13:53
|
#2
|
cat herder, extreme blacksheep
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: furycame alley , tropics, mexico for now
Boat: 1976 FORMOSA yankee clipper 41
Posts: 18,967
|
Re: Propane Usage for Liveaboard Couple?
i cook a lot and feed others. sometimes i heat bath water--heck i am in tropix now--dont need hot water too much except to cook with and coffee....i use one 20 pound (? normal sized) bottle of propane over 3-6 months. i keep 2 bottles on board.
i usually run out while mid passage, so is good to have 2 bottles
|
|
|
07-04-2013, 13:54
|
#3
|
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: out cruising again, currently in Fiji
Boat: Sailboat
Posts: 1,466
|
Re: Propane Usage for Liveaboard Couple?
We used 20 lbs every 2-3 months. We bake our own bread and used the oven a lot more than you plan to.
Dirk
|
|
|
07-04-2013, 13:54
|
#4
|
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Satellite Beach Florida
Boat: Bruce Roberts 434
Posts: 716
|
I use two twenty pound tanks in 3 months when cruising full time.
__________________
Capttman
"When the bow be in the trees we'll be running out of seas"
|
|
|
07-04-2013, 13:56
|
#5
|
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Satellite Beach Florida
Boat: Bruce Roberts 434
Posts: 716
|
Hey dirk good to see you!! How are you doing? Sell the boat yet?
__________________
Capttman
"When the bow be in the trees we'll be running out of seas"
|
|
|
07-04-2013, 13:57
|
#6
|
cat herder, extreme blacksheep
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: furycame alley , tropics, mexico for now
Boat: 1976 FORMOSA yankee clipper 41
Posts: 18,967
|
Re: Propane Usage for Liveaboard Couple?
tman..must be the loong hot showers???
|
|
|
07-04-2013, 14:24
|
#7
|
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Boat: 42 Passage CC
Posts: 177
|
Re: Propane Usage for Liveaboard Couple?
We have been living aboard for 7 years and our average is two 20 lbs tanks yearly. As you should be aware that liquid propane when in its gas stake is 270 times to one unit of liquid. To control the fuel to its best pressure I also installed a house regulator down stream from the one installed on the tank. I also would pass along that I am a propane mechanic as well.
__________________
The Artful Dodger
Passage 42 Centre Cockpit
Toronto, Canada
|
|
|
07-04-2013, 14:28
|
#8
|
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Satellite Beach Florida
Boat: Bruce Roberts 434
Posts: 716
|
Zee I cook 3 meals a day 4 times a day with tea hot water and heat as needed!!! Hmmmmm I guess I'm the one man out
__________________
Capttman
"When the bow be in the trees we'll be running out of seas"
|
|
|
07-04-2013, 16:40
|
#9
|
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Annapolis, Bahamas
Boat: 1983 Gulfstar 36
Posts: 1,253
|
Re: Propane Usage for Liveaboard Couple?
We have (2) 10 pound bottles. We cook quite a lot and bake some. One bottle lasts 7 weeks. Almost to the day. Some places do not fill the tanks completely.
__________________
Will & Muffin
Lucy the dog
"Yes, well.. perhaps some more wine" (Julia Child)
|
|
|
07-04-2013, 17:12
|
#10
|
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Oregon
Boat: Seafarer36c
Posts: 5,563
|
Re: Propane Usage for Liveaboard Couple?
This is reassuring. We have 2 11lb tanks and they last a good 2 months each. However, we are finally going to be brave and light our oven. Sounds absurd perhaps but I have always been afraid to light it. There is nothing wrong with anything I can see but to leave a gas valve on long enough to light the thing is pretty scarry. If there was a tool I could buy our a willing volunteer perhaps it would be less frightning.
|
|
|
07-04-2013, 17:26
|
#11
|
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Narragansett Bay
Boat: Able 50
Posts: 3,139
|
Re: Propane Usage for Liveaboard Couple?
My 20 lb bottle lasts about 2 months. The big variable is the oven. Use it lightly and you will get around 3 months.
I prefer to enjoy the bread and casseroles and things.
|
|
|
07-04-2013, 18:06
|
#12
|
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: oriental
Boat: crowther trimaran 33
Posts: 4,414
|
Re: Propane Usage for Liveaboard Couple?
Quote:
Originally Posted by BlueWaterGirl
Hey everyone!
My husband and I have lived with an electric cooking stove for two years. Needless to say, we've struggled with cooking during long off shore trips.
|
Do you not have enough solar panels and batteries? I cook off electric powered only from solar panels, and never even drained batteries more than 10% for a meal.
|
|
|
07-04-2013, 18:49
|
#13
|
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Montegut LA.
Boat: Now we need to get her to Louisiana !! she's ours
Posts: 3,421
|
Re: Propane Usage for Liveaboard Couple?
If we use our inverter for Connies bread maker, and for a few other things, we get 3 to 4 months from a 20 lb tank.we have 2 in the propane locker, and 2 more in vented storage. We like to be independant from most shore side services. We cook at least twice a day, we do canning of fish and veggies, We seldom need to use propane to heat hot water in the tank. We love cooking with propane, hate to cook with electric stoves ! Im sure you will much happier with the gas !! Lot's of good meals to come !!
__________________
Bob and Connie
|
|
|
07-04-2013, 19:09
|
#14
|
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Seattle
Boat: Morgan Out Island 41
Posts: 3
|
Re: Propane Usage for Liveaboard Couple?
Thank you for your replies everyone! You gave us much to think about. I think a 20lb tank would do us fine then, based on how much we cook.
Artful Dodger, thanks for the tip. We will definitely look into that when we're ready to get everything set up. We may also be looking for you on here!
Bobconnie, we also can a lot of food before big trips, so that shoud help. Would you exlain a little more about your vented storage? Sorry, I'm a complete newbie to this topic. We are getting a 20lb locker but we'd love to keep an additional one on hand.
Boat Alexandria, we unfortunately do not have enough solar panel power. That is actually our next big project. It doesn't seem like we'll get enough though, especially since we cruise mostly in the Desolation Sound (British Columbia) area. Also, I keep hearing that most people do not get enough solar to power everything they need. Am I wrong? What's your solar/battery set up?
Thanks again, everyone! Cheers!
|
|
|
07-04-2013, 19:28
|
#15
|
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Gig Harbor, WA
Boat: Prior boats: Transpac 49; DeFever 54
Posts: 2,874
|
Re: Propane Usage for Liveaboard Couple?
Living aboard, we got about 2 1/2months out of a 20lb'er. We had 3 but never broke into the 3rd one as I recall. Used primarily for cooking, diesel for heat and water heater. Entertained a fair bit so the stove and oven got a regular workout, even in Mexico. Cruised a lot in PNW, So Cal and Sea of Cortez. Installed a couple of sniffers, one in the engine room bilge and the other in the master stateroom bilge. They never went off but gave us peace of mind. Tanks were stored on top of the wheelhouse.
Commercially, we always had diesel stoves that ran 24/7... galley was always toasty warm and coffee pot was always on the back of the stove. Phil
|
|
|
|
|
Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
Display Modes |
Rate This Thread |
Linear Mode
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
Advertise Here
Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vendor Spotlight |
|
|
|