This is no longer a joke. Boaters and caravanners to an extent will be champing a the bit in frustration at the news from Calor that the small 4.5/3.9 butane/propane cylinders are discontinued as of now.
The size that has replaced these are 7kg/6kg butane/propane which are appreciably taller and will not fit most locker compartments built into boats especially. A new regulator will also be needed for the butane cylinder. The larger sized bottles are 495 x 256 mm whilst the smaller 4.5/3.9 kg butane/propane bottles are/were 340 x 240 mm. A bit of a difference.
Note: width 250 mm achieved by scalloping cockpit structural fore & aft member.
The calor cylinder at 240 mm (nominal) diameter just slips in.
Now, I launched a ‘campaign’ last year, following on from problems of the previous year, and I asked the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) to investigate and put pressure on the gas supplier.
The RYA could not even be bothered to respond to my letters (emails) so it was clear that an organisation that is supposedly looking after boating interests is not interested in the problems of its cruising members one minute jot. Gold medals is the only thing that activates them.
I terminated my forty year RYA membership in response.
See:
During 2021 whilst away for the summer cruising on the east coast we had to change to propane due to acute shortages of the 4.5kg butane cylinders at all marinas we enquired at. Propane 3.9kg was little better, but we managed…
The available bottles from Calor are ‘huge’ in comparison to their small bottles and there is absolutely no way for me to fit one or even two with a locker bottom above the waterline to achieve gas drainage.
See range and Q&As:
Calor says: If you’re unable to increase your storage facilities, an alternative could be found through Campingaz (907 = 2.72kg). We recommend reaching out to a local gas safe registered engineer who can safely advise on any changes required to your gas cylinder set up.
Wonderful!
Camping Gaz R907 holds just 2.75kg of butane (they do not do propane) and will keep a two burner cooker going for just eight hours. Bloody wonderful.
Yes, the bottle which has a diameter of 203 mm will fit into gas lockers specifically designed for the Calor 4.5/3.9 (butane/propane) bottles, but this is not the point.
Aboard Whimbrel, our Calor bottles have consistently lasted around three weeks when away summer sailing. The Campingaz will need changing almost weekly in comparison and at around twice the price.
New camping gaz bottles with an exchange agreement cost around £90.00 and a refill costs anything up to £45.00
Yes, one could turn to diesel cookers. I investigated these and as a flue local to cooker is required, it would be under water when sailing….
We could go backwards and use a paraffin cooker, but, bloody heck, they take time to get going. Methylated spirit is needed – dodgy stuff – or even a meths cooker. Meths and cooking do not make good partners. No thanks…
My good mate says that tomorrow whilst out for a sail on the tide we will take a look aboard and decide where to keep a third campingaz bottle!
I will follow up…
This is the response received from Calor Gas after I sent a complaint:
Since writing the above, I have looked at other gas bottles on the market of the smaller sizes.
Flo Gas: has a 5 kg (patio) cylinder measuring 384 mm in height and 305 mm diameter.
Flo Gas has a Leisure 6 kg cylinder measuring 495 mm height and 256 mm diameter.
Calor have a 5 kg patio cylinder (propane) 314 mm in height and 306 mm diameter.
I found a BOC 4.5 kg propane cylinder: height 390 x 270 mm diameter, but BOC are not easy to obtain other than online/direct. Again, size is a problem.
None of the above could be fitted without major cockpit reconstruction!
It would appear that Flogas has a ‘calor’ sized bottle: Propane, height 340 mm x 240 mm diameter. It would need marinas to stock these to be of any real use.
However, I am currently investigating the possibilities of a ‘Calor’ sized cylinder with a different supplier. I will follow up…
The only alternative, as Calor say on their web site, is a Campingaz 907…
Update 17 Feb 23: Company I wrote to failed to respond – well what a surprise!
Practical Boat Owner has an article in its April 2023 issue which gives the ‘Calor Line’ but does not cover the other issues I found by talking to the marina outlets and other suppliers over the past two summers.
It is a great shame that the media and our industry did not take up this issue when it first surfaced. We have been failed by all those that supposedly look after our interests.
Good luck to this coming summer. Be prepared to rejig systems, change regulators and cylinder size and ‘lash’ a bottle wherever it can be safely fitted!