Kent RangerKent RangerOn page five of the Small Boat Journal article it is mentioned that the designers of the boat had isolated the cockpit lazarette and provided it with its own ventilators, in anticipation of its use as the storage locker for fuel.
This is an error.
The ventilators are real enough, but two large openings communicate between the lazarette and the boat's living space. A spill during fueling, escape of fuel through the tank vent, around the filler cap, via a hose connector leak, or through cracks in an aging or damaged hose, or fumes being vented during operation (as the fuel sloshes or as temperature changes cause venting of fuel vapors)--any of these can permit gasoline fumes to enter the cuddy. I believe that this may not have been changed throughout the R-20's production run.
During the day--while the boat is being used--this may not seem like much of a problem. Movement of air through the cuddy, even with the dodger and curtain in place, could be sufficient to prevent fumes' collecting. The still of the night might be a different matter entirely.
In the short-term view, a gasoline headache upon arising is a terrible way to begin a day's cruising. In the long view, gasoline is known to be a potent carcinogen. In between, it is thought that sufficient concentrations with sufficient frequency can cause brain damage. Kidney damage may be in there somewhere, too.
These two tunnels, each high up inside the cockpit coaming and aligned with the lazarette's forward bulkhead, should be sealed as soon as possible to be absolutely certain that fuel vapors stay where they belong, out of your bloodstream.
The method I used in my Ranger 20 was to tightly stuff large pieces of open-cell foam into those two voids. Doing a neat job is not to the point as much as doing a complete job; use a mirror to scout it in advance and to check the work afterword.
A better job might be to use oversized plugs cut to shape from large blocks of foam. In this case, closed-cell foam might be best since you won't be relying so much on compression's squeezing the cells shut. (This foam is the kind that cannot absorb much water, since only the cut cells on the outside layer are open.)
In either case, use canned spray insulation around the edges to made certain the seal is complete, and if further insurance is desired, spray-paint the whole deal after the insulation has cured.
Owners who enjoy working with GRP or epoxy might have their own ideas about the best way to close these holes, but because of the placement of the job could find it pretty challenging indeed.
The R-20 is not the only boat to suffer from this design deficiency. I had to treat my Ericson 25 in exactly the same way, in exactly the same places. Apparently, designers/builders of outboard boats have always assumed that we would remove our tanks from their compartments before filling them, and this precaution certainly does make a lot of sense. (In fact, I believe that USCG rules require it.) However, besides the potential for being awkward and time-consuming, this practice doesn't entirely solve the problem, because, as observed above, filling is not the only source of fumes.
After having suffered from gasoline headaches on a couple of memorable occasions, I very strongly recommend that this minor modification be performed on every Ranger 20, and furthermore that the 24s and (gasoline) 26s be checked for this. That one has not yet smelled fuel inside his Ranger may not be proof that one never will--it may not even be proof that vapor isn't there.
Be safe, and awaken refreshed. Isn't that why we go cruising?
- Mark Kelsey_ Ericson 25 Ruby 14 September 2000
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