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FINDINGS LIBRARY · GAS AND SAFETY

Out of date LPG gas hose on a boat: the date stamp, the five-year rule and how surveyors write it up

UPDATED 11 NOVEMBER 2026 · 3 EXAMPLE FINDINGS · 2 SOURCES

Why flexible LPG hoses on boats are replaced at five years from the date printed on them, where to find the date, the BS 3212 rating, what else a surveyor checks on the gas line, and three example findings graded A, B and C.

AT A GLANCE
Out of date gas hose
USUAL GRADE
A for a cracked, chafed or perished hose, or a hose with no readable date. B for a sound hose past five years from its date. C for a sound, in-date hose with a rusty clip or poor support
FOUND WITH
Reading the date printed on rubber hoses or stamped on the ferrules of armoured ones, at the regulator and the cooker
JUDGED AGAINST
Replacement five years from the date of manufacture, as PBO and Yachting Monthly give it. Yachting Monthly names armoured hose to BS 3212/2
REPAIR COST
No source gives a price for a hose

Flexible gas hose perishes from the inside and the outside, and the cooker hose flexes every time the stove swings on its gimbals. Both PBO and Yachting Monthly put its life at five years.

The rule

Yachting Monthly says all flexible gas hose is date-stamped and should be replaced every five years, or earlier if it shows wear or damage. Peter Draper, the marine gas engineer interviewed in PBO, says the hoses should be less than five years old, and shows one dated decades back. Yachting Monthly describes the right hose as a short length of armoured hose rated to BS 3212/2, connected directly to the appliance.

Neither is law for a private sea-going boat. Yachting Monthly notes there's no UK-wide legal requirement for privately owned yachts under 24 m to follow the Recreational Craft Directive, and PBO that private coastal boats have no required gas checks. The five-year rule is what surveyors, insurers and gas engineers work to.

Finding the date

PBO says the date is printed on rubber hoses and stamped on armoured ones. Look at both hoses: the one from the regulator in the gas locker, and the one at the cooker. Bend a rubber hose gently and look for cracks on the outside of the bend.

Out of date gas hose: example findings

The same defect written up at each grade, the way Axsail writes it from what the surveyor says on board. The grade follows what was found, so use these as wording, then grade what you see.

GAS AND SAFETYA
Galley, flexible hose from the bulkhead fitting to the cooker

Rubber hose cracked at the cooker end where it flexes with the gimbal. Date not legible.

Recommendation: Isolate the gas at the cylinder. Replace the hose with a marine-rated armoured hose and have the system leak tested before use.

GAS AND SAFETYB
Gas locker, regulator to bulkhead hose

Armoured hose sound, ferrule stamped with a date more than five years ago.

Recommendation: Replace the hose within 12 months.

GAS AND SAFETYC
Galley, cooker hose

Hose in date and sound. Hose clip at the cooker inlet rusted.

Recommendation: Replace the clip with a stainless one at the next service.

ASafety. Safety or compliance deficiency. Fix before the vessel is next underway.
B12 months. Deficiency that needs timely attention. Fix within about 12 months.
CRoutine. Note or observation, cosmetic or maintenance. Routine maintenance at the owner's convenience.

Writing it up

Give each hose's location and date, and say whether it's in date. A hose with no readable date gets the same treatment as one that's out of date. If anything is replaced, recommend a leak test by a qualified gas engineer before the system is used.

Photos to take

The date stamp on each hose, close up, and any cracks. With Axsail, read the date aloud as you photograph it and it goes into the finding.

Frequently asked

How often should a boat's gas hose be replaced?

Every five years. Yachting Monthly says all flexible gas hose is date-stamped and should be replaced every five years, or earlier if there's wear or damage. PBO's gas engineer says the hoses should be less than five years old.

Where is the date on a gas hose?

PBO says it's printed on rubber hoses and stamped on armoured ones, usually on the ferrule.

Is gas hose replacement a legal requirement on a private boat?

Not in general. Yachting Monthly notes there's no UK-wide legal requirement for privately owned sea-going yachts under 24 m to follow the RCD, and PBO notes there's no requirement for gas checks on private coastal and sea-going boats. Inland boats come under the Boat Safety Scheme.

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