Another boat fire.....

Gunni · Oct 8, 2015

Gasoline powered boats should be segregated...next to the fire hydrant. Oldest boats closest.

Peggie Hall HeadMistress · Oct 8, 2015

Gunni said:
Gasoline powered boats should be segregated...next to the fire hydrant. Oldest boats closest.

Of course that would have to include sailboats with A4 engines or outboards...also boats that have alcohol and propane stoves--all of which are mostly sailboats. And it also assumes that NO owners of boats so equipped are stupid enough to do--or fail to do--anything that could start a fire.

Now go to your room and stay there till you realize how ridiculous your statement was!

Ken13559 · Oct 8, 2015

Looks like those Hollywood spy movies where the target starts the engine and KABOOM!!!...

Calif. Ted · Oct 9, 2015

I was taking my morning walk last month when someone turned the key and went "boom" at the fuel dock, luckily they pushed it off but it almost drifted into a nearby anchored sailboat. Might keep it in mind if ever tempted to anchor next to a fuel dock.
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/harbor-676778-sheriff-powerboat.html

Roland5048 · Oct 9, 2015

Had a galley fire on board a chartered sailboat I was captaining a few years back. Thankfully customers were on the foredeck lounging while two of us were trying to control this now getting out of control fire. Went through two extinguishers and a lot of water before putting this out. Don't think they even knew what was transpiring below decks although there was massive amounts of smoke coming through the hatches. Most scared I've ever been in a lifetime of sailing.
Roland
s/v Fraulein II

Daveinet · Oct 9, 2015

I would be willing to bet a large sum of money that everything you listed had nothing to do with the fire. Could be something as simple as forgetting to turn the blower on. But more likely a bad fuel line as a result of Ethanol in the gas, which has nothing to do with any codes. It is notorious for eating fuel lines and catching boats on fire. Trust me, all the DIYers know about it, because those are the guys who spend time on the forums. Its the boat repair shops that I worry about.

BTY, one of my favorite video is the YouTube video that shows a power boat fire being put out by a jet boat. Where was this guy when you needed him?

RussC · Oct 9, 2015

And why exactly would the boat repair shops not know about it, yet the DIYers would??? you don't have to read a forum to learn these things if you work on them every day.

Love the jet boat fire suppressor. I live near the Rogue River, where we have jet boat white water excursions every day in the summer months. there are always multiple boats on the water at the same time, so one of the games they once played to get everyone wet was to use the jet to have boat fights with passing boats. these are 50 passenger jet boats with dual BBC power. they put out a LOT of water

. well…. one day the aggressor got a little too close and blew out the opponents windshield, injuring a passenger. no more boat fights after that

. they do still find ways to get you wet however

Russ

Daveinet said:
I would be willing to bet a large sum of money that everything you listed had nothing to do with the fire. Could be something as simple as forgetting to turn the blower on. But more likely a bad fuel line as a result of Ethanol in the gas, which has nothing to do with any codes. It is notorious for eating fuel lines and catching boats on fire. Trust me, all the DIYers know about it, because those are the guys who spend time on the forums. Its the boat repair shops that I worry about.

BTY, one of my favorite video is the YouTube video that shows a power boat fire being put out by a jet boat. Where was this guy when you needed him?

25yearslater · Oct 9, 2015

I wouldn't be too smug about diesel boats. Here are a few photos of a real diesel boat that had no trouble blowing out a 2 ton muffler and igniting the stack as well as most of the engine room. My own boat has the battery switch mounted in the engine compartment forcing me to open the companionway stairs and sticking my head in to see it. The schnoz detector is in full alert mode that way before any power is applied to anything. The boat in question was mil spec.

FHHUBER · Oct 10, 2015

Middle of the summer, a friend and I were fishing and saw a smoke plume... turned out to be a bass boat that was burning.
5 faster boats got there first and had the boat owner off and the flaming wreck beached in a safe place before we got there. (Boaters are good at helping each other around here at least)

My 25 yr old boat went in for new fuel lines that week.

Gunni · Oct 10, 2015

So far this season on the middle bay we're 50:50 on big news boat fires; gasoline explosion: electric short. The electric shorts were unattended and resulted in no injuries. The gasoline fires all resulted in injuries because someone was aboard to ignite a tub full of explosive gasoline vapor. The electric fires were liveaboards in violation of their dock agreements. The gasoline fires were people out using their boats for the purpose they were built for. People didn't just get burned, they got thrown some considerable distance from the point of ignition. No margin for disasterous error with an inboard gasoline auxilliary. And there are more and more aging gas powered boats in the hands of owners who can't, or don't properly operate or maintain them.

25yearslater · Oct 10, 2015

Gunni said:
And there are more and more aging gas powered boats in the hands of owners who can't, or don't properly operate or maintain them.

I think you nailed it right there Gunni. I do believe gasoline powered boat fires are still a rarity considering the huge numbers of boats built with them. Diesel is still a rarity on a percentage basis when we consider all the various watercraft operating. I think we will see that as the age of the diesel fleet increases the instances of fires through sooting of exhaust systems and fires related to injector lines suffering failure due to metal fatigue will increase. It does come down to proper maintenance of all systems and a healthy respect for the fuel that provides the energy. Each fuel has disadvantages since the purpose is combustion. My own boat is equipped with the latest greatest A1-15 fuel hoses (Thanks SBO Store) new tank and electric fuel pump. A conscientious owner/operator is always the best fire protection system available.

JamesG161 · Oct 10, 2015

There is another thing wrong with THAT marina....

Slip spacing!

It looks like you can step onto your neighbors boat in picture 2. At minimum smell his errrr uhhhh supper cooking.
Without good spacing, fire control, even if it a galley fire with bacon grease (not very inflammable) is a joke.

At my marina, new arrivals are put into an area of "isolation" until the Marina Captain casually does a "welcome" inspection. New boats can have many deficiencies that are hazardous to others. Did you ever notice where "Transient berths" are located in a well run marina?
Jim...

IAMCCF · Oct 12, 2015

Hi All,

That fire happened in my marina, Captain Cove in Quincy MA. The owner of the boat where the fire started has been in boating for 20 years. He had the engines running when the first explosion when off. He was on the dock and his wife was below in the cabin when the smoke started and they both got out in the nick of time.

The boats in the first picture had boats behind them fully engulfed. My boat was behind these on the same fairway and was bathed in smoke and soot (burned chips of fiberglass) though the whole event due to to the wind. In all 10 boats caught fire, 4 sank. We were lucky some liveaboards on our dock kept running from boat to boat keeping our boats wet while the fire department focused on the fire. The fire department/police would not get us down to the docks to get our boats out of harms way. We had to sit and watch boat by boat go up in flames. Hoping the wind would die down and no more explosions would occur.

The marina has several liveaboards. The couple living next to where the fire started bought their boat in Aug. They put everything they had into it. After the insurance pays off the loan they will get $500.00. That's it. The contents, all their belongings gone up in flames and no coverage.

I just have soot covering my deck and canvas. I and those on my dock were lucky. It was a scary 2 hours for us all.

Chris

Kings Gambit · Oct 12, 2015

Maine Sail said:
I suspect any argument of segregation of might want to start with boats not in electrical compliance and boats that use yellow "twist-lock" shore cords...

Please explain the problem with yellow "twist-lock" shore cords. What should be used instead?

JohnShannon · Oct 12, 2015

OH Oh I know this one

http://www.smartplug.com/marine_30amp.html

at least I think that is what MS recommends. In the event that this isn't what he suggests go with what he suggests.

MitchM · Oct 13, 2015

two fires at our local waters were each caused by deteriorated gasoline lines. in the 1st, a deteriorated line allowed gas to drip into the bilge. the boat blow up after the owner started it after a refueling. fortunately the owner was just blown into the water; he survived. the second was an explosion at Erie Yacht Club due to gas fumes exploding. that killed 2 people. so if you a re owner of an older boat --or dock next to one-- encourage owners to check the integrity of the gas lines. ASAP.

Another boat fire.....

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Attachments

.

.

.

.

.

Attachments

.

.

.

.