Convince DW that Propane is OK or Give Up?

[eyschulman]

Fear that is not based on irrational thinking is not easy to modify. Avoiding the fearful issue is a cop out. Unfortunately behavior modification does not come easy in these circumstances. A person who exhibits one irrational fear may well have or develop others. Only the OP can judge how difficult it would be to put his DW in front of a propane stove. If she really quakes with fear or is just stubborn, avoidance (cop out) may be the simplest solution. Statistics have little effect on the irrational. Statistics compiled honestly don't lie its the people who manipulate the numbers or invent their own numbers that lie. The rational answer is that a properly installed and maintained propane unit is safer than some other very common installations on a boat. Most likely safer than the gasoline engine and its fuel system and safer than the electrical systems. Telling that to DW may just put a total kibosh on boating.

 

[seasalt007]

Seasalt007, how`s it going? Something like this,?

Closing on the boat tomorrow. We'll see how it goes.

My initial strategy is to tell her that the propane bottle is not aboard so it can't hurt her. That will be a true statement. I am going to put it in the car (parked) for the 25 mile boat trip home. Whether she will ride in the car when we go back to get it may be another issue. She doesn't mind when I get our home bbq tank filled on the way home from shopping.

The second thing I am going to do is get a nice electric skillet and a large toaster oven for her use. The stove will be there but not connected to propane.

Then...I plan to get a proper top loading propane locker for the cockpit and use the tank for only my rail mounted bbq grill. It still will not be connected to the stove in the boat. Where the seller stores the propane bottle now scared both me and the surveyor.

The comments here have been great. These are some of the ones I like mostly because they are true:

1. She will accept it when her girlfriends from the gym say it is safe.

2. The one about irrational fear vs stubbornness. I tried the electrical fire vs propane fire statistics and got it right back at me.

 

[BandB]

1. She will accept it when her girlfriends from the gym say it is safe.

2. The one about irrational fear vs stubbornness. I tried the electrical fire vs propane fire statistics and got it right back at me.

Wifey B: 1. I doubt. 2. seems to me like stubbornness on your side too, then even planned trickery. You're making being right more important than her fear. Your choice, but great risk in your strategy. My hubby doesn't do Ferris Wheel's or Roller Coaster's. I don't insist he ride one with me. I know he would, if I did, but I respect his discomfort in doing so. Hope you don't end up regretting this.

 

[BruceK]

Good news I hope, a delicate line to walk. Easier buying a boat than persuading DW propane is safe. Congrats on the new boat.
I`m near phobic about gasoline inboard boats, but ok with propane.

 

[Insequent]

Good news I hope, a delicate line to walk. Easier buying a boat than persuading DW propane is safe. Congrats on the new boat.
I`m near phobic about gasoline inboard boats, but ok with propane.

At least the gasoline inboard situation is a real risk, and unfortunately it seems we are reminded of it at least once a year by a tragedy.

The PO of my boat had run a propane line from his very unsafe locker on the flybridge through the cabin area and under the sole to a flush mounted socket in the cockpit. He could simply unscrew the cover plate and run the hose from the rail mounted BBQ when required. He had several connections with direct pathway to the bilge if they leaked. His connections were all carefully done but his wife made him disconnect it. When he was telling me about it he just shrugged and said he didn't make a big deal of it. But even after she died he did not re-connect it. In that case I was on her side. I went one better: I ripped the whole line etc out so nobody was able to use it.

When I bought the boat the PO had two small cylinders for the BBQ stored in the lazarette, another no-no.

 

[Miz Trom]

Congratulations on the new boat, Seasalt007. Any interest in explaining what the acronym "DW" means?...
Drinker of Wine?
Damsel Wassail?
Dame of the Wharf?

 

[psneeld]

How about a reverse adapter from one of those little camp stove bottles to the main line to your installed stove?


Maybe the little green bottle will not look so threatening It should allow a meal or two or maybe more, and after some time with no incidents....the fear may diminish enough to graduate to a 5 pound bottle...then up from there.


Not likely to work...but it's a little out of the box thinking before I dive into all my boat projects today....

 

[johnrupp]

DW. Darling Wife

 

[seasalt007]

Congratulations on the new boat, Seasalt007. Any interest in explaining what the acronym "DW" means?...
Drinker of Wine?
Damsel Wassail?
Dame of the Wharf?

Dear Wife...or Darling Wife like post #58.

I got the DW from a motor home forum. Meant Dear Wife.

 

[ranger58sb]

Closing on the boat tomorrow. We'll see how it goes.

My initial strategy is to tell her that the propane bottle is not aboard so it can't hurt her. That will be a true statement. I am going to put it in the car (parked) for the 25 mile boat trip home. Whether she will ride in the car when we go back to get it may be another issue. She doesn't mind when I get our home bbq tank filled on the way home from shopping.

The second thing I am going to do is get a nice electric skillet and a large toaster oven for her use. The stove will be there but not connected to propane.

Then...I plan to get a proper top loading propane locker for the cockpit and use the tank for only my rail mounted bbq grill. It still will not be connected to the stove in the boat. Where the seller stores the propane bottle now scared both me and the surveyor.

Doesn't sound unreasonable to use a proper propane tank/locker/etc. for cockpit grilling. Assuming your DW is -- or can become -- OK with propane anywhere at all on the boat. (Presumably OK, if she's onboard with you using propane in your home BBQ grill?)

Maybe you could offer to, sometime down the road -- after she has a chance to decide whether she's happy with the idea of portable appliances (skillet, toaster oven) at first --

Remove the propane stove and replace it with an electric (maybe induction) cooktop... and maybe a mounted combo microwave/convection oven... if she want to go that way.

That at least would let her get an idea about pros/cons of electric cooking on board... before deciding how much to invest in that route...

She might like the idea of additional storage below a cooktop if you can manage that, reduced clutter (appliances) on counters, etc.

-Chris

 

[rjwilliams11741]

We've had boats with both propane and electric stoves. Much preferred the propane. If properly installed with the required shut off devices and bottle containment compartments the propane is no more less safe than electric. We cruised for years and even now anchor out a lot, it's always been great to not have to fire up the generator every time we wanted to cook something, especially coffee in the morning when most others in the anchorage are still asleep. On the other hand, when at anchor most of our cooking was done on the BBG grill which was propane but used the little portable bottles. If you go electric you might consider getting a single burner propane stove like the Kenyon which uses the small portable bottles to do the coffee before the anchorage wakes up

 

[seasalt007]

One guess on who won this one. Propane coming off. Electric cooktop and a convection?micro combo going in under it.

I am selling the new looking Princess Seaward gas stove/oven, all controls and regulators and the Worthington Aluminum 20# tank (2016 model)

Located in Punta Gorda, FL

 

[CPseudonym]

No offense but I saw that coming from the day you posed the question. Whatever it takes to make your wife a happy boater is money extremely well spent. This forum is littered with unfollowed up threads and I'm willing to bet 50% are due to the significant other not being a happy boater. You chose well.

 

[psneeld]

I just hope if her seamanship skills aren't up to yours that every little fear doesn't ruin your cruising years...I have witnessed it all too often.

 

[Insequent]

I once looked at a boat under construction. The yard owner had bought it off the builder after the guy got a new wife. The yard owner did a little bit more on it to take it to sailaway stage, but all the interior needed to be fitted out.

What was funny was hearing about the boatbuilder's new wife: You have a boat? That has to go. You have a motorbike? That has to go. You have a dog? That has to go. Now there probably aren't many times its going to be better to make the wife an ex:wife, but the yard owner and I both figured this poor guy was one of those times. Seemed like he was headed for a lifetime of misery.

For Seasalt, Craig was right - money well spent to get rid of what was probably a good propane cooker. But mentally note: strike 1

 

[GANDK2PNW]

It will be a historically cold day in hell if any of her gym (or any other kind) girlfriends successfully overrides my final decision or veto power under our roof for anything the needs to be decided affecting our lives.
The same goes for the unqualified opinion of any of my male buddies.

 

[sunchaser]

I see few negatives in going with a convection microwave and electric cooktop. Preferably induction as Chris suggests. If it were my boat I'd jettison the propane setup with no urging from the Admiral.

Further I'd get rid of the gas grill and go with a George Foreman or two.

 

[BandB]

It will be a historically cold day in hell if any of her gym (or any other kind) girlfriends successfully overrides my final decision or veto power under our roof for anything the needs to be decided affecting our lives.
.

Wifey B: WOW

 

[psneeld]

In this case a bunch of seasoned boaters have a variety of experienced opinions...what would an unrelated bunch of women or men have to offer on the subject?

 

[ksanders]

This is easy, and the OP I think figured that out.

If you want your Significant Other to embrace the boating lifestyle, and actually do it with you, then you need to let them make some decisions.

My wife chose our boat. It was not my first choice in boat models but it was hers. I named the boat Lisas Way in a joking protest, or an acknowledgment of her choice.

Five seasons later she is actively discussing (and not me initiating the discussions either) how we are going to accomplish details of cruising the pacifc coast from Alaska to California.

If I would have "overruled" her of forced my choice of boats chances are I'd be cruising alone.

If your SO is adamant on something like Propane Vs Electric I think it might be a good idea to listen to them, and unless there is a significant reason not to go with their wants, it would be a good idea to accomodate them.

 

[GANDK2PNW]

Wifey B: WOW

Me too, lol.
The idea of letting girlfriends (or buddies) affect important decisions under our roof is nothing short of offensive.
We have a quick and short answer for anyone who tells us 'You know what you should do....?" - "Yes, we do. Thank you for your concern".
This can easily be taken out of context, though. And, of course, it doesn't apply to those qualified experts we reach out for advise, based on their field of expertise. Whatever it may be, from house cleaning to complex legal matters.

 

[FF]

We use our propane Hiller Range 100% of the time while cruising, except when it really cold and the Dickinson diesel range is on anyway.

The joy of propane is with tanks aboard a refrigerator / freezer that requires almost no electric an do the hard work , refrigeration .

With no electric draw for the refrigeration , most boats can do without a noisemaker , unless air cond is required.

Modern RV systems are self lighting and far safer than 50 years ago..

With no noisemaker cruising there are even flash hot water heaters , if the big engine has not been operated recently.

There are strict requirements for the propane locker , as well as for the installation of a propane using items.

In the future I believe many boats will be built for even more propane use.

A propane noisemaker does not have the stench or killing power of gas or diesel exhaust.

If its only used a few hours a year the lack of maint compared to gas or diesel is a huge positive.