Hi all

I have a 1.5 kg gas cylinder that i wouldn't mind storing on the boat away from the elements but i don't really want to put it inside

No other covered external compartments on the boat other than the anchor well that is sealed from the inside of the boat and has a drain at the lowest point to the outside of the hull

The boat has a combination nylon / chain anchor rode and i reckon there is enough spare room in the well for the bottle to sit amongst the nylon rode

The bottle has a screw on plastic blanking cap to seal it when not in use so i cant really see and reason not to stick in in there

Regards Don

Had a sumwhat similar setup on a canal boat, except the bottle was in a shallow compartment behind the anchor locker and drained into the locker. That kept the bottle away from all the water and mud and nasty stuff that cane up on the anchor.

Small stainless steel gas bottles are not that expensive and hassle free.

twodogs1969 said..
Swap and go bottles are best unless you are going somewhere remote. Easy to exchange at most centers if the cylinder rust what does it matter hust swap for a new one.
No worries about testing either.

This is true if you trust the company doing the swap and go to do the regular checks on their gas bottles, personally I'd rather own my own and put up with the hassle of getting it checked out regularly and know it's not going to explode some night through lack of maintenance

Correct me if I'm wrong, but when I purchased my new Catalina 445, to get a gas certificate I was told the gas bottles have to be corrosion resistant eg. Galvanised, stainless, fibreglass or aluminium. A standard steel bottle was not legal. The Catalina had 2 fibreglass bottles and my Current Hanse has 3 stainless steel bottles.

I purchased my yacht in Qld, Mollolabah, from a dealer, fitted with a rusty gas bottle and a fresh gas certificate.
The bottle is - one of those 'swap@go' jobs - usually not very rusty but as it sits in a dedicated gas locker with below water vent tube, is in an always moist environment.
This days l plug the tube lightly with a vine cork to keep moisture out and the bottle dry. (it is on the transom, an independent, dedicated gas locker with it's own large lid, before you chastise me for the blocking cork)

The locker is keeping the bottle separated from the bilge so there is no danger of being gassed if something goes awry.

The idea of a S/S or rust resistant bottle is logical, keeping it certified would be a headache.

To buy a S/S bottle according to the web site quoted above - my dear Jode - is indeed very expensive! Just a tiny 1.3 liter bottle $365.- ! is anything but cheap! My size, 4.5 liter would be $460.- isn't cheap either. In ten years time one must have it checked.
Could go for a cheaper solution like galvanised bottle for the quarter of the price $120.- a pop according to Gameco.
To 're-certify same $40.- including refill.

Btw, nobody mentioned that a 'swap@go bottle would be illegal!? Neither in Qld nor in Nsw.
Aren't they galvanised, anyway?