Propane

[jmote1]

Ahoy,

Any ideas out there on how much propane is used per day? We have two ten-pound tanks and are trying to estimate usage on a three-week passage for three people. thanks

[Suijin]

That's plenty.

I have two twenty lb. tanks. I live aboard, don't stint on the fuel, and go through one tank about every 4-5 months. A propane stove and oven use a LOT less gas than your average backyard propane grill.

[dlymn]

Two of us use 100 g a day, but that,s coastal cruising with plenty of taverna stops. For three offshore maybe 250g a day so 10 lb should last 16 days

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by jmote1

Ahoy,

Any ideas out there on how much propane is used per day? We have two ten-pound tanks and are trying to estimate usage on a three-week passage for three people. thanks

Only you will know how much propane you use. Every boat is different as it depends on whether you cook a lot and the type of meals you cook. Obviously a roast will take more propane than bacon and eggs or a couple of pork chops and, if you bake bread, you'll use even more.

That being said, your two tanks should last three weeks without much problem. We use a 10# tank every 23 to 26 days. Have done so for the last twenty years. We cook and bake probably more than most folks, also boil water for dishes.

When we first started cruising I started logging our propane usage as without propane we'd be in serious trouble. The numbers have varied very little. We usually know when a tank will be empty.

Suijin,

I really don't know how you make a 20# tank last 4-5 months. You must be in a marina, using their barbecues or using the microwave but I don't think you can get three meals a day for a couple for 4-5 months out of one 20# tank but as they say, ymmv.

[sparrowhawk1]

I too can get 4 months out of my 20 pound propane bottle. I don't use my oven too much. I use a pressure cooker and I have an insulated cooker that I can put the pressure cooker in. It also helps to not heat up the boat so much in the summer. But I also usually just cook once a day sometimes twice. Not saying OP should base their consumption on that. But I can't imagine using 20 pounds in less than a month. Edit. Also I'm just one person

[a64pilot]

We are four, and we don't use ten lbs in a month, but we do almost no baking and the grill uses it's own little bottles for now.
I bet you won't even use one ten lb bottle

[barnakiel]

LPG galley manufacturers give the data on their sites.

We go thru a 6 liter tank in about two months. We cook quite a lot and bake bread, etc.

Give or take ten days, depending on where we are.

b.

[annsni]

We cruise three weeks a year with 6 of us plus have a bunch of weekends and evenings on the boat and we almost never eat out. I do bake and we use the stove at least 2x a day. We have 2 10 lb. tanks and I was actually smart enough to mark when we started our most recent tank and it was August of 2011. We just picked it up and it's kind of light so we will take it home, hook it up to the home BBQ and use up what's there. We still have the other tank on board to replace it for now.

[sparrowhawk1]

If you want to know how much propane is left in your tank just pour some boiling water over it and there will be a definite spot where the metal is cooler on one side and warmer on the other side and that is where the propane level is

[JPA Cate]

In our usage, we sometimes bake and when it's hot, broil, and use propane for heating our shower and water for dishwashing. Our 9k tank lasts between 2 and 3 months. YMMV, because some people bake, wash dishes, or shower more often......etc.

Ann

[svBeBe]

Two adults on board, now in our 9th year full-time cruising. Almost all meals eaten on board. Some baking during cooler months. The 20# tank lasts 3 months. Like clockwork. The tiny European gas tank lasts 30 days max, usually 23 to 25 days, with no baking. Really a PITA when that is all we can get.

We also have a 10# tank that is the emergency reserve tank for when in areas that refills are not available. Also, have used propane and butane interchangeably with no stove regulator settings changed. No problems, just a tiny bit of soot buildup on bottoms of pots when using butane. Washes off easily.

Judy

[chuckr]

we have been out 7 years - we have 2 10lb propane tanks - most meals are on board and in the usa we averaged about 40-45 days but seldom used the oven --
when we came to the med we refilled with butane and the folks over here fill them a bit more - so at time we are getting a bit more out of them but hard to say how much as we do a bit more inland travel so actual days on board are different than in the usa or carib

but on average we plan on 45 days

[triciarob]

We have two 9kg tanks on board. One tank will last us between 45 and 50 days. We are hardly ever in marinas and don't have an electric kettle anyway so every cup of tea, every dishwash means putting the stove on. I bake, do roasts, make pizza and lasagne. Cook three times a day. I'm quite pleased with my consumption.

Tricia

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by triciarob

We have two 9kg tanks on board. One tank will last us between 45 and 50 days. We are hardly ever in marinas and don't have an electric kettle anyway so every cup of tea, every dishwash means putting the stove on. I bake, do roasts, make pizza and lasagne. Cook three times a day. I'm quite pleased with my consumption.

Tricia

Ha! Finally someone that uses as much propane as we do. As previously posted we use a 10 pounder every 23-26 days. Everyone else seems to use a lot less.

[Cheechako]

without much oven work, occasionally eating out, 10lb would last 4-6 weeks for us.