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29-04-2022, 20:16
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Australia
Boat: building Roberts Mauritius 43ft
Posts: 2,932
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How much LPG (Propane/Butane) do cruising yachts carry?
When I constructed the self draining LPG locker I made it big enough to accommodate two 9kg bottles thinking that would be realistic.
But when I melted down 3 tonne of lead I was astonished at how much lead a 9kg bottle melted (Maybe 1 tonne!) I've heard that gas is not available in many remote (off the beaten track) islands.
But is carrying 2X 9kg bottles ridiculous?
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29-04-2022, 20:25
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#2
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registered user
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: back in WA
Boat: plastic production boat, suitable for deep blue water ;)
Posts: 901
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Re: How much LPG (Propane/Butane) do cruising yachts carry?
When fulltime on board, a 9 kg bottle lasted me easily 3 months (cooking, no oven). I had a 9 kg and a smaller bottle. Now I carry two 9 kg bottles. If you are crazy to carry that much, so must I be.
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29-04-2022, 20:39
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Langley, WA
Boat: Nordic 44
Posts: 2,080
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Re: How much LPG (Propane/Butane) do cruising yachts carry?
Well, hopefully you won't be melting lead in remote locations.
My experience is that two, 20 lb (about 9kg) propane tanks last for a very long time when cooking. Heating uses propane very quickly.
When I cruised full time I would wait until after I switched tanks to start looking to get a fill. Never ran out of propane. Can't say exactly how long a tank would last but my estimation would be a couple of months. Of course YMMV based on how much cooking you do.
Now flash forward to cruising in the Pacific Northwest. I have a Force 10 Cozy Cabin propane heater. It consumes about a half pound of propane per hour on full heat. So a tank is used up in under two days. I normally use it on the very lowest setting to just take off the chill. My last cruise to Alaska made hunting for propane supplies more important. And marina friendly propane was hard to find a few times.
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29-04-2022, 21:42
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#4
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Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Port Credit, Ontario or Bahamas
Boat: Benford 38 Fantail Cruiser
Posts: 5,656
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Re: How much LPG (Propane/Butane) do cruising yachts carry?
2 X 20lb. tanks last us about three months.
We cook daily and use the oven a lot.
__________________
Your doubt does not negate my experience.
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29-04-2022, 22:09
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Cruising the world
Boat: Hylas 54
Posts: 323
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Re: How much LPG (Propane/Butane) do cruising yachts carry?
It's nice to have two tanks so you can use one while the other is being filled. In some locations getting tanks filled takes more than a day.
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30-04-2022, 01:26
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Australia
Boat: building Roberts Mauritius 43ft
Posts: 2,932
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Re: How much LPG (Propane/Butane) do cruising yachts carry?
Quote:
Originally Posted by boatpoker
2 X 20lb. tanks last us about three months.
We cook daily and use the oven a lot.
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WOW!!! That looks fantastic!
I tasted grilled squid the other day and I don't think I've tasted anything tastier. (I tasted it years ago but it wasn't as nice?  )
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30-04-2022, 02:05
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Malmo Sweden
Boat: Regina 43
Posts: 469
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Re: How much LPG (Propane/Butane) do cruising yachts carry?
My existing system is a single 12kg tank that lasts well over a whole season (4 months easy). I’m upgrading to 3 x 6kg tanks which on present usage should last about half a year.
Cooking with propane is very efficient. Boat heating should be done with diesel.
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30-04-2022, 02:35
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#8
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Moderator

Join Date: Jul 2007
Boat: Bestevaer.
Posts: 13,177
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Re: How much LPG (Propane/Butane) do cruising yachts carry?
Quote:
Originally Posted by coopec43
But is carrying 2X 9kg bottles ridiculous?
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Not at all. Exchanging/refilling butane/propane bottles is a pain. Carrying enough to last a long time eliminates most of the problems. We carry 3x 10kg bottles and our ventilated lockers have room for many more. The 3 bottles are enough to last us several years of full time cruising, as we also use induction and diesel cooking.
This means we can delay the exchange of bottles until we are in a country and location where it is convenient.
I am surprised that many boat builders incorporate such small butane/propane lockers on cruising boats. They are sometimes not even large enough to fit the larger bottles that are the only readily available option in some countries. At best the size often forces owners to be constantly on the look out for where their bottles can refilled/exchanged. Most boats also need a suitable location to store petrol for the tender.
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30-04-2022, 02:42
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#9
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Nearly an old salt
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Lefkas Marina ,Greece
Boat: Bavaria 36
Posts: 19,204
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Re: How much LPG (Propane/Butane) do cruising yachts carry?
Yes my BAV has a single locker for a 3 kg cylinder a real pain forcing me to carry the spare in a locker.
Yet there is stacks of space to make a bigger gas locker.
One of my winter tasks is to make a mould and glass a bigger locker in place that’s takes 2x 3kg cylinders
__________________
Interested in smart boat technology, networking and all things tech
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30-04-2022, 03:01
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#10
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Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Little Compton, RI
Boat: Cape George 31
Posts: 2,278
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Re: How much LPG (Propane/Butane) do cruising yachts carry?
Carry as many tanks as is practical: it doesn't go bad, and it's really hard to find in some places. I've spent more on taxis in central america trying to find a filling station than the LPG itself cost!
__________________
Ben
zartmancruising.com
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30-04-2022, 04:19
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Minnesota
Boat: Hunter 26
Posts: 2,844
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Re: How much LPG (Propane/Butane) do cruising yachts carry?
Quote:
Originally Posted by coopec43
But is carrying 2X 9kg bottles ridiculous?
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It is my experience that most cruising-oriented sailboats in the 40'+/- range around here have a locker set up for two 11 lb (=5kg) propane cylinders, with a large minority being set up of for two 20 lb (=9kg) cylinders. Boats in the same size range that aren't really intended for extended cruising sometimes have room for one cylinder in either of these sizes.
We had a poll on the forum about a year ago and some discussion on propane use. Most cruisers reporting using about 10# (=4.5kg) per month, with a few conservation-oriented individuals reporting 5# and the odd boat using more. I don't think there were any boats in the survey that used propane for anything other than cooking.
For cooking ashore, national averages in the USA are 2-4 gallons per month among households with propane cooking appliances. (=8-16 lb or around 4-7kg). This matches my experience also when we have tried to measure.
As Benz and noelex report, getting propane fills can be a real hassle. The trend worldwide has been away from bottle fills and towards bottle exchange. Transporting bottles to and from a place where they can be filled is problematic due not only to weight and bulk but also the fact that they not always allowed on public transit including taxis.
__________________
Never ascribe to wisdom that which is adequately explained by good luck.
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30-04-2022, 04:29
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#12
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Nearly an old salt
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Lefkas Marina ,Greece
Boat: Bavaria 36
Posts: 19,204
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Re: How much LPG (Propane/Butane) do cruising yachts carry?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jammer
It is my experience that most cruising-oriented sailboats in the 40'+/- range around here have a locker set up for two 11 lb (=5kg) propane cylinders, with a large minority being set up of for two 20 lb (=9kg) cylinders. Boats in the same size range that aren't really intended for extended cruising sometimes have room for one cylinder in either of these sizes.
We had a poll on the forum about a year ago and some discussion on propane use. Most cruisers reporting using about 10# (=4.5kg) per month, with a few conservation-oriented individuals reporting 5# and the odd boat using more. I don't think there were any boats in the survey that used propane for anything other than cooking.
For cooking ashore, national averages in the USA are 2-4 gallons per month among households with propane cooking appliances. (=8-16 lb or around 4-7kg). This matches my experience also when we have tried to measure.
As Benz and noelex report, getting propane fills can be a real hassle. The trend worldwide has been away from bottle fills and towards bottle exchange. Transporting bottles to and from a place where they can be filled is problematic due not only to weight and bulk but also the fact that they not always allowed on public transit including taxis.
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Which is why the 3.5 kg bottles are handy.
__________________
Interested in smart boat technology, networking and all things tech
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30-04-2022, 04:32
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Long Island, New York
Boat: Beneteau 423 43 feet
Posts: 723
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Re: How much LPG (Propane/Butane) do cruising yachts carry?
Have 2 10lb tanks….. feather be safe than run out in the middle of nowhere.
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30-04-2022, 04:43
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: The boat - New Bern, NC, USA; Us - Kingsport, TN, USA
Boat: 1988 Pacific Seacraft 34
Posts: 1,273
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Re: How much LPG (Propane/Butane) do cruising yachts carry?
Two 10kg plastic tanks used only for cooking. We have in the past run out which can be most inconvenient. We have once given propane to another cruiser who had run out decanting gas from our tank to his.
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30-04-2022, 05:08
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Malmo Sweden
Boat: Regina 43
Posts: 469
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Re: How much LPG (Propane/Butane) do cruising yachts carry?
New for this season with us will be having an induction hob or two aboard and getting a pressure cooker. We are often on shore power where we sail so the induction hob, along with electric kettle, is a no brainer and should mean that our 18-24 kg lasts about a year. I’m not so sure about the pressure cooker.
Lots of people rave about them for both their efficiency, safety underway, and the meals they produce but I have no experience of them myself. I figured I’d just give it a go.
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