Water In The Gas Locker

[Andy Baptiste]

Hi All

 

I have a canal boat on the Leeds Liverpool that has just failed its boat safety cert because the heater oil and exhaust are sites in the gas locker, so I have to have them removed and the holes welded.

 

While fishing about in there I noticed that there was about 3 inches of water in there because the drainage hole in the back of it is actually below the level of the canal. I actually spent 15 minutes baling water out before I realised that it just came back in again.

 

Does this sound correct? I would image that the floor of the boat inside the locker would rust away if always under water?

 

 

Many thanks for any advice..

[RLWP]

Some gas lockers are like that, it's the only way to get a full height bottle in.

 

The floor of the locker is no more vulnerable than the rest of the hull, blacking it is a common solution

 

Some part of locker drains must always remain above water - they can be long, vertical slots on some boats to achieve this

 

Richard

[Guest]

Hi All

 

I have a canal boat on the Leeds Liverpool that has just failed its boat safety cert because the heater oil and exhaust are sites in the gas locker, so I have to have them removed and the holes welded.

 

While fishing about in there I noticed that there was about 3 inches of water in there because the drainage hole in the back of it is actually below the level of the canal. I actually spent 15 minutes baling water out before I realised that it just came back in again.

 

Does this sound correct? I would image that the floor of the boat inside the locker would rust away if always under water?

 

 

Many thanks for any advice..

 

It is not unknown for the vents to be partly under water but they must not be totally obstructed by it, ie any gas must still be able to 'spil' out of them. Ours are very close to the water line and when the water tank is full even closer, and we get water in the locker usually from the wash of passing boats, particularly the big commercial boats that pass our mooring.

[RLWP]

I thought there was a useful diagram on the BSS website illustrating this. I can't find it at the moment

 

Richard

[Guest]

I thought there was a useful diagram on the BSS website illustrating this. I can't find it at the moment

 

Richard

 

I remember it from when you posted about it last time but I can't find it either.

 

ed they did something to the BSS web page a while;e back and it now says -

 

Individual chapters are unavailable at the moment

 

Not very helpful I might say.

Edited July 17, 2013 by The Dog House

[RLWP]

I have it from somewhere else:

 

 

http://www.insightmarinesurveyors.co.uk/gas

 

Richard

[BargeeSpud]

Provided there is no chance of these holes being fully submerged so that gas cannot escape, there's no need to worry about the fact they let water into the gas locker.

[Ray T]

We have a similar arrangement to Richard's diagram, bottom left, Reeves Hull. We have two slits, one near each end of the locker. The holes are about 1/2" above the stationary waterline. The rear of the slits is often below the water line when the boat is under way.

 

I have always assumed the flow of water would help dissipate any gas should it be there.

 

The gas bottles sit on a hardwood frame. Each year, usually when we shut the boat down for winter, I check the state of the locker. To date I have found minimal rust.

 

I black the locker every two years.

[Guest]

Provided there is no chance of these holes being fully submerged so that gas cannot escape, there's no need to worry about the fact they let water into the gas locker.

 

 

It has been mentioned on here recently though that it is an area that the BSS are paying more attention too as if the floor rusts through it can allow water and gas into the bilges (depending on hull construction of course)

[BargeeSpud]

 

 

It has been mentioned on here recently though that it is an area that the BSS are paying more attention too as if the floor rusts through it can allow water and gas into the bilges (depending on hull construction of course)

 

Very good point Martin, which illustrates the need to pay particular attention to the state of the locker to ensure corrosion is dealt with promptly & kept on top of.

[Andy Baptiste]

Hi All

 

Thanks very much indeed for all the replies!

Put my mind at rest, though I will have to check the condition of the locker floor as suggested, next time the boat is out of the water.

 

[RLWP]

No problem Andy

 

Richard

[steelaway]

How is the boat ballasted - You may have to move some weight to the stern to level it correctly.

 

Alex.

[Andy Baptiste]

Not 100% sure but I think its just bricks and hardcore under the floor boards ( which makes me sound like a pervert I know )

The water tank is at the front so that might influence it to a degree.

 

Andy

[Guest]

Not 100% sure but I think its just bricks and hardcore under the floor boards ( which makes me sound like a pervert I know )

The water tank is at the front so that might influence it to a degree.

 

Andy

 

It will be influenced by both how full/empty both your diesel and water tanks are (assuming they are both in the usual places.

[Dekazer]

We used to have a gas locker like this - I don't have time right now to find an old thread about it, but I'll try and hunt it down.

 

When we last had our boat out, we had a survey done (for peace of mind - ours is an old boat). The surveyor pointed out that, in the gas locker, the thickness of the hull is effectively the thickness of the metal of the gas locker. In our case, it was too thin for comfort, so we decided to weld shut the hole and redesign the whole locker.

 

Our boat safety inspector was, in theory, happy to certify the boat with a wet gas locker, but it was the hull thickness issue that the surveyor brought up that prompted action.

 

Sorry to be brief - do ask any questions if you want and I'll write something longer later

[trackman]

A 2 part epoxy primer seems very effective in keeping the rust at bay in our gas locker, and ours gets wet when under way.

We used one called Sea Jet recommended by the painter, Dave, at Sileby Mill.

[blackrose]

If anyone is going to the trouble of de-rusting and repainting the floor of their gas locker (whether that's above or below the waterline), then do yourself a favour and put some of these on the floor before putting the bottles back in.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hardwearing-Rubber-Scraper-Doormat-Dandy-Grid-60cm-x-40cm-Outdoor-Floor-Mat-/290869869851

 

Wilkinsons sell them for about 3 quid each and you can cable tie 2 or 3 together.

 

They'll protect the new paint on the floor from gas bottles being dropped and moved around.