Yachting 2026.5

it was a day like any other. I arose and headed to the stove to make a pot of coffee. First step: press the button on the round control that opens a solenoid and allows propane to flow from tank to stove.

But the expected click of the relay didn’t occur.

Press, press, press. Nothing.

There we were, in the middle of nowhere (more or less) with two full propane tanks and no way to get the gas to the stove. Boo Hoo, no coffee, you say? But no burners or oven means no hot food for dinners.

The culprit was the propane control module (the black round thing). It’s more than an on-off switch for the relay, it’s a propane gas sensor and will sound an alarm if there’s a gas leak. If it were working. And it was not.

Our boating guru, Jeff, suggested shorting the wire that opens the relay. But how? The control is mounted into a galley wall that has no access from the rear. I thought maybe it was pressed into the wall and could be pulled out. Nope.

Surely Nordic Tugs wouldn’t install something that could never be replaced.

Or would they?

Wait! Maybe if I removed the AC outlet I could reach behind and figure out how to release the propane control.

Out came the outlet and I was able to reach the control. It was held in place by a plastic ring from the back side. Things were starting to look up!

I found the propane control installation manual in the massive notebook that came with Étude from the factory. I learned that if I connected the yellow wire to ground, the relay would open. The now-exposed AC outlet had a grounding terminal and by removing the fuse, I could access the yellow wire. Now all I needed was a piece of wire.

Which I did not have.

Étude carries a spare fresh water pump, a stern anchor, zillions of tools, and extra filters for all manner of things. But no wire!

So close. So very close.

Then I remembered that I have a coil of stainless steel seizing wire, used to secure bolts that you don’t want to work loose. I cut a piece, connected one end to the AC outlet ground screw and the other to the fuse holder.

Click! The relay opened and our journey was back on track.