Calor’s decision to stop filling 4.5kg gas bottles has forced owners to find alternatives such as Campingaz and Flogas –but owners should avoid the temptation of cheaper non-marine regulators, a marine surveyor has warned.
The Flogas Gaslite 5kg bottle looks ideal for cooking on board as it is fibreglass, lightweight and doesn’t stain your locker with rust. It’s for sale in B&Q, Homebase and B&M stores and advertised for boat use but surveyor Nick Vass is urging sailors to be aware that Flogas do not make regulators and there are no marine grade regulators that clip on directly to the Gaslite 27mm bottle outlet.
Safety requirements
Yachts built after 1998 are fitted from new with a marine Annex Mcompliant regulator to comply with the UK’s Recreational Craft Regulations (RCR) and the EU’s Recreational Craft Directive (RCD) standards. Swapping to a non-compliant regulator would be a modification, which might invalidate any future insurance claim. Nick told PBO:
“Unfortunately, Flogas, Calor Gas and Campingaz all have different size outlets and so need different regulators.
“There is no such thing as a standard LPG regulator that fits all. Using a Gaslite bottle would be possible by fitting a separate bulkhead marine regulator bolted to the inside of the gas locker rather than clipped onto the bottle itself. You require a length of high pressure hose with crimped ends connected to an adapter that clips onto the bottle. This is actually a good system as it minimises the possibility of gas getting past the regulator into the low pressure side of the system.”
Onboard gas regulators need to comply with ISO 10239 Annex Mand be marked with the word ‘marine’. While the majority of larger chandleries offer marine grade and RCR/RCD-compliant equipment, Nick has warned that most also supply “ordinary outdoor barbecue or camping stove regulators” and problems arise when “owners assume that regulators must be safe if sold in a chandlery shop.”
He said: “I recently visited 10 shops belonging to six different chandlery retailers and all were selling cheap, non-compliant regulators.”
The temptation to buy a cheaper camping regulator is also a hazard. Nick added: “Campingaz sell empty bottles new in Halfords and they sell camping regulators on the same shelf attracting passing yachties. Many boat owners swap their discontinued Calor bottle for small Campingaz bottles as they will fit into gas lockers. ISO 10239 Annex M stipulates that a mari
