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Propane cannister holder, a quick winter project

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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4479 Posts

Initially Posted - 01/19/2009 : 18:12:03

I saw this propane holder in one of Don Casey's books & have been meaning to make one for some time. I currently subscribe to Sten's "big bang theory" and keep my spare gas bottles in the fuel locker with the metal gas can. This gets the two extra bottles out of the way and out of the locker.

Basically it's just an ABS tube 4" in diameter with an end cap on one end, and a screw cap on the other. I cut a hole in the end cap using my lathe (you could just drill the hole if you wanted to), so any leaking propane would flow out the bottom easily. I attached the screw cap with a cord through it's top tied around the tube end so you won't lose it over the side when you open it.

I intend to attach it with band clamps to either my stern rail or one of the catbird seats uprights, depending on where it fits best. You can easily reach your hand inside to grab the bottles, even my big mitts fit in there pretty easily.

Here are some photos of the finished project.

Sorry about the glaring white top, there was this really bright thing in the sky that was making it hard to get a good exposure. I'm not really sure what it was, but it was round & hard to look at.

You can see the top of one of the gas cannisters in this photo. The tube will just fit two of them.

This photo shows the relative size of the tube & the two cannisters that'll fit inside it.

In this last photo you can see the hole I milled into the end cap so the flutes of the gas bottles would be exposed to let any propane that might escape flow easily overboard.

David
C-250 Mainsheet Editor

Sirius Lepak
1997 C-250 WK TR #271 --Seattle area Port Captain --

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 01/19/2009 : 20:23:52

David, good job, but .... .are you worried that the coasties will pull you over worried that you might have something else inside? They do look a bit like a .... well ... something that goes bang!

Paul

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redviking
Master Marine Consultant

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1771 Posts

Response Posted - 01/20/2009 : 00:07:37

<font size="1">Quote: "I currently subscribe to Sten's "big bang theory" and keep my spare gas bottles in the fuel locker with the metal gas can. This gets the two extra bottles out of the way and out of the locker."</font id="size1">

Wow! I am positive I posted that once, but I got a good laugh at the reference!

It's vented so it does work. My problem on Lysistrata is EXACTLY the same however. I need those little bottles for the BBQ and we do not have a vented place to store them, so they reside in a bag in the cockpit. Do they make that stuff in white?

Thanks! I needed that!

Sten

DPO Zephyr - '82 C25, FK, SR
SV Lysistrata - C&C 39 - on the hard - temporary timeout in Portland OR to care for mom

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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4479 Posts

Response Posted - 01/20/2009 : 18:34:41

Sten,
They do make it in white PVC (as opposed to ABS), but I found the 2' section of 4" ABS for next to nothing in an HD somewhere. It was a cutoff from something else so it was cheap. I ended up cutting another few inches off so it just fits the two bottles with about 1/2" or so to spare. You should be able to find all the pieces in white, I'm thinking about painting mine white as well. I don't know how well paint sticks to ABS though.

Yes, Paul, it does look like something that goes boom, I'm thinking about putting some labels on it that says PROPANE, but I'm not sure how to go about it. My hand lettering skills are lacking, and I don't have a stencil set anymore (someone decided at some point that they needed it more than I did). I can't imagine the coastie's would be all that concerned about it, but who knows?

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glivs
Admiral

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836 Posts

Response Posted - 01/20/2009 : 19:10:27

Actually, it would be tempting to turn those canisters around, put a set of fins and a nose-cone on that thing and come July 4th....

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glivs
Admiral

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836 Posts

Response Posted - 01/20/2009 : 19:11:52

Actually, your storage container looks like a good idea!

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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4479 Posts

Response Posted - 01/20/2009 : 19:54:40

Some time ago in my "youth", I decided to see what would happen when you shot one of these gas cannisters (full). I punched a hole in one with my .270 at about 50 yards or so. Very anti-climatic, I was hoping for an explosion, all it did was spew gas for a couple of seconds, then nothing. After watching pretty much every single Mythbusters episode, I now know how I should have done it to get my explosion, but I probably won't try it ("youth" has theoretically transformed into maturity, but the urge to try is still there). And the idea of making a rocket from a propane bottle is interesting.

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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4479 Posts

Response Posted - 01/23/2009 : 23:23:56

Some photos of it installed:

I learned that its not a good idea to tighten the top strap too much, the cap won't screw in. Once I backed it off a bit, no problem.

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Windhover
1st Mate

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35 Posts

Response Posted - 01/24/2009 : 05:57:32

David, this should work for labeling. You'll find these locally also at any propane distributor's showroom. Very nice job.
http://www.gemplers.com/product/F1119/Propane-Gas-Adhesive-Tank-Pipe-Label

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redviking
Master Marine Consultant

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1771 Posts

Response Posted - 01/24/2009 : 11:13:25

Nice lead for the sticker! Thanks!

David, looks good, BUT I fear that those hose clamps are too close to the cockpit and could wind up being a meat hook. And given the weight of two full cannisters, the clamp system could get sloppy over time, but I'm impressed that two hose clamps actually works! I was wondering how you were going to mount it. I'm wondering if they make a little plastic piece that could go around the rail and bolt to the inside of the cannister, which would clean up the installation a bit.

Nice lifesling position!

sten

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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4479 Posts

Response Posted - 01/24/2009 : 12:32:09

Sten,
I actually moved the screw leads from their original position for the same reason. They're now both outside the lifelines (missing in the photo, we brought them home to do maintenance and re-sew the covers), and the ends are point outward. One of the reasons I mounted them where they are was imminently practical, I didn't have a lanyard on my 90 degree drill, and if I dropped it I wanted it to fall into the cockpit and not Neptune's domain. Poor excuse, but I've had drills torque out of my hands on a number of occasions, and since it was Rita doing the tightening while I held things, it seemed prudent.

I thought about little clips, or machining some grooves in the tube itself to allow attachment, but these clamps were all SS & relatively cheap at my local hardware store, so I went with them.

Windhover, thanks for the tip for the markings. I was thinking about getting some of those peel & stick letters to do it, but it seemed sort of tacky.

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Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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Response Posted - 01/24/2009 : 12:52:28

Nicely done David!

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Windhover
1st Mate

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35 Posts

Response Posted - 01/24/2009 : 14:30:39

if you can find this bracket: http://www.yachtsofstuff.com/userPostings.asp?xID=yachtsofstuff&cexs=drb

(Page to the bottem to see the flat rail mount bracket)

for less than $49.95 each in ss you'll have a solid life long mount for this AND your next boat!

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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4479 Posts

Response Posted - 01/24/2009 : 15:57:32

OOOOH...yachts of Randy-candy. Randy, are you paying attention?

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John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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3444 Posts

Response Posted - 01/24/2009 : 16:40:29

I see your lifesling isn't tied to the cleat. Where do you tie it off?

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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Response Posted - 01/24/2009 : 16:49:03

John,
It's tied off to the port split backstay eye near the transom, you can't see it in the photo, the line's running right behind the aft inboard catbird seat support.

I love sea-jargon, who else would understand what I just said except us?

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John Russell
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Response Posted - 01/24/2009 : 17:02:10

You're right about the jargon.

I think I'm going to move my Lifesling <i>abaft</i> the catbird seat as well. I going to a single backstay this spring and that will leave the backstay eye with nothing to hold.

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Nautiduck
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Response Posted - 01/24/2009 : 18:06:14

OMG!

Those SS mounts are sweet! They look a lot like Edson rail mounts. That Universal Mount would be a great combo with your propane holder.

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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Response Posted - 01/24/2009 : 18:36:02

I looked around today for a "Propane Gas" sticker/label in town and was unable to find one. So I thought I'd check out what the ones from the online store would run me.

$2.45 for the sticker, and $8.85 for shipping. Ouch.

I think for more than half the price of the whole tube, it's contents can remain a mystery for a while longer.

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Windhover
1st Mate

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Response Posted - 01/25/2009 : 10:50:59

Ouch is right... may be a topic for another thread, but when I bought my C25 last April, I thought it was a great deal... then the PO took me across the street from his marina to the West Marine outlet and the bleeding hasn't stopped!!! Oh well, a labor of love, to be sure.
I know for on-highway use you wouldn't need to placard your hazmat's unless for hire, etc so keep it mysterious.

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britinusa
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Response Posted - 01/25/2009 : 10:57:14

David, you can get an image for one on the net. Would look very pro!

[url="http://flickr.com/photos/15823425@N00/116836251"]

[/url]

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redviking
Master Marine Consultant

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Response Posted - 01/25/2009 : 11:26:36

Just have to find a way to laminate it....

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britinusa
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Response Posted - 01/25/2009 : 13:05:59

plain paper and varnish or overlay with a cut out from a letter size transparent label.

Don'a ask how I know!

Paul

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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4479 Posts

Response Posted - 01/25/2009 : 13:42:05

I have some drafting mylar, I thought about printing up a sign in reverse so the plastic would cover the lettering when applied. What I'll probably do is keep my eye out for something at Lowes or HD next time in one of those. There's also a propane place in downtown Redmond somewhere, they might have them as well. Overall, I'm not all that worried about it, I just thought it was a good idea to label it.

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dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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4593 Posts

Response Posted - 01/25/2009 : 14:54:13

Make a second holder and mount them horizontally, one on each side. then you could rename the boat PT-C25!

On the other hand, you probably wouldn't have enough boat speed.

Edited by - dmpilc on 01/25/2009 14:55:11

glivs
Admiral

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836 Posts

Response Posted - 01/26/2009 : 07:58:34

David,
Any university laboratory or industry that handles or distributes compressed gases (think welding shop) should have appropriate labels. I suspect an official "label" retailer would gladly sell you a dozen or more, but all you need is 1 or 2.

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