Gas Grill on Boat

[moguls2go]

Guys,

What are your thoughts on a gas grill for the boat? I asked for and received a Magma gas grill and plan to use a rod holder mount. Now that I own one, however, I'm asking myself if I'm a fool for planning to light an open flame 10' from 240 gallons of gasoline.

Am I being overly paranoid, or is the consensus that my anxiety is well founded?

Here's what I have: http://www.magmaproducts.com/Products/M ... smate.html

[Tony Meola]

http://bertram31.com/newbb/posting.php? ... =2&t=12077

Here is a link to a discussion about this on the cruising forum.

Remember, you have to store a tank. Can be a pain. Propane is heavy and will lay in the bilge, so before starting the boat, make sure those bilges are cleared out, just like gas fumes.

[bob lico]

my son has the same unit but goes in rod holder of transom. he is extremely skilled in the art of BBQ cooking so overnight in canyon he does the steak thing at 2AM. other that that we remove from boat and attach to table at beach/mariner big advantage over BBQ at mariners on fire island is that you have to clean there filthy BBQ and build a screen to block winds.this magna is also great for breakfast like bacon ,eggs without hassle of BBQ coals,briquettes.my vessel is diesel powered but you still cannot be oblivious to common fire safety.

[Yannis]

I would personally never put a flame in a gasoline boat.
In my previous 25" whaler, I didn't dare to have a gas stove or gas bbq, for fear that with 500 liters of gasoline under my feet I'd end up on the moon, chin first.
There's a saying that translated into English, means approximately the following: Keep your clothes well so you end up with half of them, or in other words, you can never be too cautious about some things. My 2 eurocents.

[Bruce]

If done properly, your being paranoid. Given the general condition of boat wiring and gas engine condition, your more apt to get blown up from that.

[Pete Fallon]

Moguls2go,
Like Bruce said you are more likely to have a problem with boat wiring than a gas grill. I have used the Magma grill on my 31 for 20 years without any issues. I had it hooked to an aluminum tank 3 gallon size made for the Magma grill. I always used it in a rod holder at the transom, away from the fuel vent on the starboard side of the 31' Bertram. There is a certain amount of propane you are allowed to store on a vessel see NFPA, ABYC standard for exact amount. The built in storage areas on trawlers and sailboats (round tub style with a vent at the bottom to the outside of the vessel). I wouldn't carry more than 2 of those small bottles that come with the grill, they rust out very quickly when stored on a boat. I've seen bottles that the owner thought were full of propane with a rusted area on the seam, luckily it was in a locker on the fly bridge of a trawler and dispersed into the air not in a lower locker that would have blown up the boat ( propane is heavier than air and settles in the lowest part of a vessel.
So don't worry about using the grill, just use it away from the fuel vent and fill side of the boat.
Pete Fallon

[moguls2go]

Hey thanks everyone- this puts my mind at ease. I also asked a few folks who I trust locally and their sentiment was identical: don't be stupid about it and you'll be fine.

[Tony Meola]

I would personally never put a flame in a gasoline boat.
In my previous 25" whaler, I didn't dare to have a gas stove or gas bbq, for fear that with 500 liters of gasoline under my feet I'd end up on the moon, chin first.
There's a saying that translated into English, means approximately the following: Keep your clothes well so you end up with half of them, or in other words, you can never be too cautious about some things. My 2 eurocents.

Yannis

Spent many a night out in the 70's and mid 80's in the Hudson cooking dinner on a coleman propane camp stove. Used to place it on the deck right over the fuel tank. Always felt that was safer than on the counter in the Cabin.

[Pete Fallon]

Faithful,
On the subject of stoves or propane grills on a boat, I had a 2 burner alcohol stove that came with the boat when I bought her in 1978. The first time I used it almost burned the galley area up. Both valves leaked and I had flowing fire on the countertop. I put the fire out, fixed the valves and kept it for a very short time for my mate for his coffee, I don't drink coffee so he was the only one to use it, after 3 other fires from leaking valves and flooded burners, the stove is at the bottom of Mass Bay in about 300' of water. A dragger probably got it in it's net by now. I feel that those alcohol stoves were more dangerous than any propane powered stove, plus the thing always smelled bad even when it was empty and the spare jug of alcohol took up precious space in the galley locker. I ended up buying him a real good thermos instead of a stove and I used the Magma grill if I wanted anything hot. The only alcohol that was allowed after that came in 12 ounce cans or gallon jugs of Scotch, Gin or Vodka.

[Yannis]

Spent many a night out in the 70's and mid 80's in the Hudson cooking dinner on a coleman propane camp stove. Used to place it on the deck right over the fuel tank. Always felt that was safer than on the counter in the Cabin.

Tony,

There are two things I wouldn't do: Enter aboard a gasoline I/O boat and have an open flame aboard a gasoline boat.
In my mind, there are simply tooo many risks associated. If someone wants to take that kind of risks its up to them, of course. Statements like "I've done it so many times and nothing happened", or, "if you pay attention to this, and if the wind is like that, and if the good side of the boat is this one, and if this or if that" are not convincing for me. Think about it: so many things you thought you had it right, until it went wrong; here you're in a lottery for a quick ticket to outer space...

[Rawleigh]

I have one and the main precaution I take is to only cook on the port side away from the fuel vent. I have the rodholder mount. Keep a pair of welding gloves handy, and if it ever has a malfunction just pitch it overboard.

[Joseph Fikentscher]

I have one and the main precaution I take is to only cook on the port side away from the fuel vent. I have the rodholder mount. Keep a pair of welding gloves handy, and if it ever has a malfunction just pitch it overboard.

Sounds right to me.

[Tony Meola]

Tony,

There are two things I wouldn't do: Enter aboard a gasoline I/O boat and have an open flame aboard a gasoline boat.
In my mind, there are simply tooo many risks associated. If someone wants to take that kind of risks its up to them, of course. Statements like "I've done it so many times and nothing happened", or, "if you pay attention to this, and the wind is like that, and the good side of the boat is this, and if this or that" are not convincing for me. Think about it: for so many things you thought you had it right until it went wrong; here you're in a lottery for a quick ticket to outer space...

Yannis,

Back in the 70's to run the Canyon, when we had the Big Blocks, we used to carry 30 to 50 extra gallons of gas on the deck. That was SOP back in those days. No smoking allowed. We fed the fuel from the deck directly into one engine. Smart no, but back then, with Diesels, a 30 foot boat could not get out of it's own way. Much different today. Plus their were not many 30 foot diesel boats around.

But what is crazier, that or seeing a 20 foot center console 100 miles off with jugs all over his deck and the seas building to 6 feet.

Yes we were not smart. I would not do it today.

[Yannis]

Tony,

Wisdom is what's left, when you remain alive after a bad decision !