This is something I've had a bit of experience with... adapter hozez for
propane... you can get/ or / have made an adapter that will let you fill
one tank from another... we used to use this for a truck that ran on
propane and would occationally run out in the field... we would use the
adapter hoze to give an emergency refill to the truck tank and then
drive to the gas station to refill it. if you are concerned about being
able to refill I would procure one of these and use the tank that has
the proper nozzle and then just refill the other using the adapter
hoze...just be careful not to over fill ...that can be disasterous! use
the release nozzel to tell you when it is becoming too full!
Tom

Skip Gundlach wrote:
Well, as we get nearer to our departure, I find myself reading of some of
the adventures of folks trying to get propane in parts of the world not the
continental US. That brings two questions.

First and foremost is the US current mandate not to fill tanks with the
'old' style valves. Not bothering to be specific about the legislation, the
new valves look different, and apparently have some safety features built
into them. They're recognizable in part by a triangular handle and some
markings. One may buy replacement valves in discount and home improvement
stores for only a slight premium - say, 30-50% - over surrendering an old
tank and taking a full replacement, complete with new, compliant valve, from
their refilled tanks stand out front. How that makes sense is beyond me,
but, there you go.

As our boat has one each 20 and 10 pound aluminum tanks with the old style
valve, but one 20 with the current style, I wonder if the same refilling
restrictions exist outside the US. So, the question is, will our 'old
style' valves prove problematic outside the US? In particular, until we get
the itch to do something else, it's unlikely we'd go beyond the Caribbean
basin - but that includes many countries' rules and regulations.

Which brings me to the second question. I've read in these parts about the
inability to find propane which can be installed into our tanks in other
countries due to different valving normally found there. I've also read of
some enterprising souls, usually on the foreign soil, who have fabricated
adapters to make it possible to have the local fitting mate to ours. Is
this sort of exercise likely to be necessary in the Caribbean (anywhere from
Mexico in a loop through Venezuela to/through the Bahamas - and as a long
shot, perhaps Bermuda)? If so, in which countries/islands is this likely to
be an issue? And, are there any commercially available sources for such
adapters?

Thanks.

L8R

Skip and Lydia