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DonziDave
04-15-2001, 12:37 AM
Here is an old post of mine concerning how dangerous it is to only carry the minimum required fire extinguisher in your boat. Our Donzi's and lives are too precious to trust to inadequate equipment. Safety First!!
"Watch out for the hard stuff around the edges"! - Dave

On the subject of fire extinguishers, allow me to get on my soapbox for a moment and relate a personal experiance. I don't know how many of you have a boat fire, but I have.
Words cannot describe the terror of seeing how fast the fire spreads and the sheer volume of flames. Because in the case of a fuel leak, the fuel pump has dumped a lot of gas before you realize your boat should not be smoking that much.
Many years ago I had a Rayson Craft flat bottom drag boat - 427 Holman Moody Ford - high rise manifold with dual Holleys - dry stack tuned headers over the transom - Cassal V-drive - 136 mph instantly - you get the picture (and I'm still alive).
Anyway, while blasting down the lake I popped a fuel fitting and by the time I realized what was happening I was really flaming. I stopped the boat and grabbed the 5 lb. ABC dry chemical extiguiser. As the boat stops, the water in the floor brings the burning fuel with it so now I'm standing in boiling flames. By the sheer luck of the God of boating, as the last little puff of powder came out of that puny 5 lb. extinguisher, the last flame went out. Now I'm holding an empty bottle waiting for a re-light. The 5 lb. empties so quickly you have to nail it on the first shot or you have to swim to shore and pray your insurance company got your check.

So after that experiance I have taken the "Belt and Suspenders" approach. In my 18 I installed a 10 lb. Halon with a heat sensing fusable link and manual switch at the helm (Halon no longer available but other oxygen depleting gas is). This will activate before you realize you even have a problem. The gas leaves no residue to clean up like chemical.
Then for backup I keep a 5 lb. Halon in the cockpit. The little hand held is the minimum legal required for most of our boats, but trust me - it's not enough. - Dave

Scott Pearson
04-15-2001, 06:07 AM
Dave,
I cant agree more. Dont laugh...Im istalling a FUNNY CAR halon system in my Donzi. It will have 2 discharge areas in the motor area and one up by the fuel tank. Auto and Manual. This thing was BIG bucks but worth every penny. And it looks cool as hell!

(NJ)Scott

Sam
04-15-2001, 07:16 AM
With the recent purchase of my 16 Donzi I have been debating on weather or not to install a auto system. At the marina where I keep my big boat there have been a couple of fires. All could have been prevented with a little common sense. But in some cases things just happen, which leaves me in a bit of a quandary.
One part of me says absolutely put one on, but the other says I don't want to be anywhere near a fire on a sixteen foot boat. I think in the end my better judgment will prevail. Providing there is enough space to install it correctly. Great topic Dave !

Sam

RickR
04-15-2001, 09:01 AM
Some insurance companies give a 10% discount if you have a automatic system.
I have an extra 10# also.

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RICKR
mailto:riggerb@aol.comriggerb@aol.com</A>

johnzi
04-16-2001, 03:13 PM
i could not agree more. as a firefighter here in florida, i have been on many boat fires. you have to remember that fiberglass is very toxic and flammable. you can buy extinguishers that have a sprinkler head and fusible link from kidde. they are very cost effective and idiot proof. lastly , if the extinguishers dont get the job done quick,get out! boats burn way too fast. stay safe. john

Riley
04-23-2001, 09:44 AM
Informative Post! I, too, have suffered the horrors of a fire afloat. I used to have a '73 Sanger flatbottom V-drive with a 440 Chrysler and all the goodies. Very fast, Very fun, Very dangerous. I was screaming down the bay one evening when, unknown to me at the time, I hit a small piece of debris which plugged up the water intake for the engine. When I noticed the temp gauge was pegged, it was already too late. The intense engine heat had melted the port valve cover gasket, allowing oil to blow out on to the red-hot Bassett headers. I turned around to find the entire side of my motor engulfed in flames! Fortunately, by the grace of God, my little 5# extinguisher managed to put the fire out, but not before doing some major damage to the powerplant. Not to mention scaring the living daylights out of me! Needless to say, I take my fire suppression equipment pretty seriously.

Forrest
04-23-2001, 10:22 AM
I agree, an automatic Halon system is ideally suited for a boat with an enclosed engine compartment like a classic Donzi. It could put out an engine compartment fire before you even knew that you had a fire. Even with an automatic system, you should have a regular fire extingusher in case a seconday fire starts after the Halon has been exhausted. As expensive as the automatic systems are, they are still a very cheap and very effective form of insurance.

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Forrest

[This message has been edited by Forrest (edited 04-23-2001).]