Initially in the Azores and Cascais, Portugal I was able to get my aluminum tanks filled with Butane.  This was expensive, but I did not have to deal with adapting European tanks to my existing system.  Before departing the U.S., I did purchase several adapters that I expected would allow me to connect the standard European Camping Gaz bottles to the propane regulator in Sarah's propane locker.  Camping Gaz is stored at lower pressure than U.S. propane, but the regulator should still deliver the correct gas pressure to the stove.  What I really hoped to be able to do with one of the adapters is to have European gas suppliers fill my propane tanks with Camping Gaz.  So far this has not been possible. 

Camping Gaz is distributed in most European countries via only a few companies.  Most of these are actually government regulated monopolies.  It appears their business model is to distribute portable gas via a bottle exchange (like Blue Rhino in the U.S.) rather than re-filling stations (that are also becoming rare in the U.S.).  The result, with few exceptions, is that bottle exchange is the only means of replenishing the onboard gas fuel while in Europe.  The exceptions so far are local marine supply and services dealers in Portugal.  In Horta, Mid-Atlantic Yacht Services (MAYS) will re-fill gas bottles of almost any kind.  In Cascais, Tuttamania was able to get my propane bottles re-filled somewhere in Lisbon.

I finally decided to set the Camping GAZ bottles in the locker upside down.  The spare bottle is inverted in the picture.  I inverted the active bottle, which allowed the locker cover to close and the bench space to once more be used for sitting.  There is some risk that liquid Butane my enter the system and cause a serious flare-up on the stove, but I don't believe that will happen.  I think having the bottle valve below the level of the regulator prevents liquid from entering the system.  Anyway that's my theory and I'm sticking to it.  I used the Camping GAZ in this way for over a year with no problems.

So far the freezer compartment has been a success.  I haven't been able to acquire any metrics on its operation, but in the first weekend of operation I was able freeze several articles while maintaining the refrigerator at a temperature between 35 - 40 degrees.  Continuing use in 2002 indicates that this installation will be very satisfactory.  Because I didn't re-insulate the box, it appears I will be limited to less than 24 hours of freezer operation during warm months.  That is, frozen items will start to thaw within that time frame.  The refrigerator compartment appears to be able to hold the temperature below 40 degrees for well in excess of this time frame.  Therefore, the use of the freezer when anchored for an extended time may be limited to supporting a gradual de-frosting of previously frozen food.  This is an acceptable limitation.  When underway we will be running the engine or the generator every day to maintain the batteries, and that should be sufficient to keep everything frozen.  Dockside I will be able to maintain frozen food indefinitely.

In 2003 I did discover that the seawater coolant for the 110VAC condenser is vulnerable to clogs from the pump sucking our Chesapeake Bay Sea Nettles (Jelly Fish).  Normally I leave the compressor running all the time when connected to dockside power.  Twice this summer I arrived at the boat for the weekend to discover that the compressor has such down and the box had de-frosted.  In both instances a Sea Nettle had been ingested by the system and trapped by the seawater strainer.  The Sea Nettle quickly decayed and produced a goop that coated the strainer basket and significantly reduced the water flow to the condenser.  The SA-III system detected the reduced flow and shut down the compressor.  Fortunately I do not leave any perishable food in the refrigerator when I am off the boat for more than a day so there was no mess in the ice box - just warm beer.  I cleaned out the strainer basket, pressed the reset button on the compressor and the refrigeration started back up.  The only problem was that given the size of the ice box and freezer compartment it takes several hours to bring everything back down to temperature and then several compressor cycles to stabilize everything.

My next project was to fabricate a set of baskets that can be set into the refrigeration compartment to improve the food storage and access.  The baskets are partially shown in the picture on the  right.  One basket is actually a shelf on the outboard section of the refrigerator which contains items that do not have to be always below 40 deg. F. to prevent spoilage.  This includes items such as condiments, cheeses, butter, cream, etc.  Items that you are constantly reaching for when cooking, and would otherwise migrate to the bottom reaches of the box.  Other baskets contain loose items such as soda and beer.  Under the freezer compartment is a long covered basket that will normally contain the meat and fish that will be consumed within the next 48 hours.

Now when I have to go to the bottom of the frig to get an item, I have a reasonable expectation that I will find it and I will only have to remove three or four baskets to get to it.  Previously I had to remove each item from the box, and whatever I was looking for was always the last item reached.  Because of this I would often forget I had placed some expensive and perishable piece of meat in the refrigerator and discover only a few weeks later when the smell required a complete emptying and defrosting of the box.