Tank Storage On Sailboat

[rleslie]

My wife and I will be cruising in the Exumas Jan till May. I want to purchase two tanks, but the only place that I can store them will be on deck, secured to the stanchions/lifelines. They will be exposed to the sun all day and banged around while underway. Is there a danger storing tanks on deck? Can anyone comment on the safety of such an arrangement or offer suggestions on deck-top storage?

Thanks
Roger

 

[diver 85]

Store them in your bunk & you sleep on the deck??? maybe?......

 

[CAPT HOOK]

We stored 4 tanks in the bottom of a hanging locked when we were in the Bahamas, just an idea to look into.

 

[Scared Silly]

My preference would be to find a storage area to store them in instead. But the banging around would be my concern. So one suggestion. Buy a blue foam pad like this:

http://www.rei.com/product/374053

and wrap them in it. This will protect the boat some and reduce the noise. I would wrap them tight so they do not slide out.

Otherwise about the only thing I would be concerned with is losing air or perhaps having salt water sit in the valve for long periods. A din valve with a plug would solve both concerns.

 

[highdesert]

Depending on the size of the sailboat, you might also have stability issues to be concerned with too. Even the weight of two tanks stored on deck would have an impact on the roll period and stability curve of a small boat. It would also depend on hull form and whther it's a fixed keel or CB rig. Much better if you could find a place in the bilges. If not, how about under a settee or berth? Lower is better, no matter what the boat, and obviously they must be secure.

 

[rleslie]

We're aboard a Brewer 42, so size and stability aren't an issue. We can find someplace below, but with four months planned in the Bahamas, we will have provisions in every place we can find, but...... the tanks are way more important than food!!!!!

My primary concern was having them in the sun all day. From everything that I've read, that is not an issue. I will need to be careful about salt in the valve.

Thanks
Roger

 

[pir8]

I find it hard to believe there is no other place to store them. Must be an awfully small boat.

 

[CAPT HOOK]

Once you pack the boat you will then realize how you should have done it; after you unpack and reload you will have lots of room left. We carried supplies for a year at sea (bought extras when and where possible) and found room for lots of toys: tanks, dive gear, bikes, etc.

 

[diversteve]

My primary concern was having them in the sun all day. From everything that I've read, that is not an issue. I will need to be careful about salt in the valve.

Most liveaboards and all day boats have their tanks out in the sun/elements all day long. So that shouldn't be a factor.

My buddy has a day-boat. He has a metal rack designed to hold 4 tanks upright. He straps it to two cleats in the bow of his boat. This one.

Remember extra o-rings for the yoke fittings.

 

[fweber]

Storing out in the sun isn't a concern as long as you ensure that there's no water in the valve when you attach your reg. Banging about and lashing to the lifelines do concern me. I have previously stored tanks in an aft locker. But, we had the room. If your boat is tight on space, an approach I saw used repeatedly around the south pacific, was to cove a couple of 2x?? boards to fit the coachroof between the handrails and up to four tanks, frequently under the overturned rib. The use of a ratchet strap will allow you to secure the tanks realatively well. However, I caution that you independently secure the tanks to the boards, and the boards to the boat. Otherwise, you can put an excessive upward load on the hand rails.

Hope you have a great time.