bavaria 30 cruiser gas locker modifications

[Irmascherkid]

Hi all,
New to the site and also new to sailing (been around working vessels most of my life). I have just purchased a 2006 bav 30 cruiser within the last week and having been reading on the forum regarding the size of the 907 camping gas bottle, i was curious to find out if any one had actually removed the original gas locker and modified that so it can fit a bigger 4.5kg bottle instead? if so how did it go ?

I will need to change out the connecting hose in the gas locker any way and was pondering if just to put in a splitter valve and have a longer hose that can be attached to the bigger bottle if lying at anchor and then use the smaller one when making way!

Any thoughts on this from more experienced owners is more than welcome,

thanks in advance.

[Symphony]

There is not a viable solution to the gas locker short of totally rebuilding the back end of the boat. To meet regulations the bottle must be in a gas tight locker sealed from the boat but with a drain overboard. That is met on your boat by the existing locker. There is not enough room either above the waterline, nor diameter to fit a 4.5kg bottle.

While it is possible to connect an external bottle to the system, do you really want a big bottle loose in your cockpit - never mind the problems of stowing it when it is not in use?

The standard set up is very simple and reliable, the only downsides being the small capacity (most people keep a spare bottle in the cockpit locker) and the higher cost of Camping Gaz. However thousands of other owners seem to manage!

[sy_Anniina]

Previous owner had made a different mod on my B40 2000. Since the cockpit locker is next to the gas locker, he had rerouted the gas hose to cockpit locker, added vents/drain and installed fastening straps. This way the cockpit locker holds well a Finnish standard 5kg bottle, a spare bottle as well as plenty of ropes. Don't know if your cockpit locker layout would allow this...

[Irmascherkid]

Thanks for the reply guys,
Symphony,  I wholeheartedly agree with you about the locker needing to be gas tight against the rest of the boat, just really surprised that no one (or company) has made a slightly bigger locker that can accommodate a 4.5kg bottle and still uses the original space as imha there is a lot of wasted space between the under side of the cockpit seat and the top of the original gas locker!

Sy anniina, are the bottles in a gas box or just strapped to the bulkhead?

[Symphony]

The problem is that you will not be able to have the necessary drain at the bottom above the waterline.

[tiger79]

... really surprised that no one (or company) has made a slightly bigger locker that can accommodate a 4.5kg bottle and still uses the original space as imha there is a lot of wasted space between the under side of the cockpit seat and the top of the original gas locker!

Why not take some careful measurements, decide whether you can fit a 4.5kg bottle in the space, then modify your existing locker?  All you need to do is cut the top off and make a new fibreglass cover.

[sy_Anniina]

Sy anniina, are the bottles in a gas box or just strapped to the bulkhead?

In my boat, the bottles are just strapped in the rear end bulkhead / hull of the cockpit locker. The forward end hold most of my ropes.

[Baddox]

My B30 has the standard gas bottle locker tucked under the removable transom seat.  I?ve a spare bottle at home that fits the locker and I?ll see if it fits into the anchor chain locker to keep as a spare when we go away in the summer for a week or two.  I may seal it in a poly bag to give it some protection from corrosion.

[pjl]

The previous owner of my  B38 Cruiser / 2003 installed a 5 kg composite gas bottle on the small "step" on the port side of the transom right behind the original gas bottle locker. The bottle is strapped to the hull and covered with the same canvas as my sprayhood. The hose is also covered with the same canvas and routed from the gas bottle locker which servers as the place for my spare bottle.

I've been very pleased with this: stealth looks and no worries about the gas leaking anywhere inside the boat.

[Bobb]

I'm having a similar issue trying to fit a larger tank into the existing locker. One post suggests carrying a spare tank .. is there any regulation on how that must be stored given that it's not hooked up at all?

Thanks ..
Bob

[Symphony]

I'm having a similar issue trying to fit a larger tank into the existing locker. One post suggests carrying a spare tank .. is there any regulation on how that must be stored given that it's not hooked up at all?

Thanks ..
Bob

No regulations. Just store it upright in a cockpit locker. Perfectly safe with the cap on.

[Baddox]

Or store it in the anchor locker which is vented to outside.

[sunshine]

Or store it in the anchor locker which is vented to outside.

I've been considering doubling up the existing locker so that two bottles sit one behind the other. Seems the best place to carry a spare in the sense of being secure, dry and vented. From looking behind the wooden panel in the aft cabin there is plenty of space to extend the existing locker, although I may need to add a support to carry the extra weight.

[MarkTheBike]

If you can store one behind the other then there's the option of connecting them in tandem, which potentially solves Irmascherkid's original post about fitting a bigger bottle...