Propane Tank

In a 2011 Post describing the Propane System upgrade, we gave all our reasons for choosing the small (10 LB) capacity tank. We have never regretted that decision. True, the Worthington horizontal aluminium tank was a bit expensive but it is feather light when empty and very easily handled and carried when full, a big consideration for Old Matelot backs! It drops right into the unmodified original propane locker and routinely gives us 2 - 3 months of full time liveaboard use....longer in summer, shorter in winter due to the propane heater. 

Having said all that, we also realised that having some reserve propane capacity would be smart as we aren't always able to immediately refill an empty tank. So, we went ahead and purchased a second tank.......and were immediately faced with the challenge of where to store it. While we were at the slip it could sit on the cockpit floor, and it did for many months, but under way we needed something more secure than a short piece of line restraining it (sort of)! It needed a permanent home.

New Worthington tank sitting on cockpit floor.

While looking for a permanent home for the spare tank we considered several different locations. There are off-the shelf brackets that would have made it easy to mount the tank somewhere on the stern rail, but that meant muscling the tank up and over the rail, our backs creaked at the prospect. It could have been secured on the cabin top somewhere but that wouldn't have been very convenient. Then we suddenly realised that we had been living with the tank in the corner of the cockpit for months, without a real problem, so why not secure it there? We had experienced no difficulty using the starboard sheet winch or the stern seat and being right next to the propane locker, the tank couldn't be more conveniently situated. Decision made, all we needed was a suitable bracket.

We've had good luck with King Starboard for similar projects so we sketched up a simple bracket using 1/2" and 3/4" thick pieces.

A quick trip to TAP Plastics with a cut list and $19 later we had all our parts.  

Here we are positioning the parts for the base foot. We used #8 and #10 pan head screws, recessed for looks, to fix everything together. 

Here we've fitted the top hook bar and are checking clearances with the tank. 

The finished base assembly. As can be seen, we had to relieve the top hook bar as it was interfering slightly with the tank body. It didn't need as much relief as we cut, but 2" radius was the smallest we could swing the router.

Here we are positioning the bracket on the cockpit wall. The two pad eyes are for the 2" securing strap.

The finished bracket, a bit closer to the shore power plug than we would have liked, but it all works.  

We were a little puzzled by this decal on the tank. It must be filled vertically, used horizontally and stored 'upright'..........Go figure!