Boat Fires

[cal40john]

An answer to "Just how common are boat fires?" comes from USCG accident statistics.

http://www.uscgboating.org/statistic...tatistics.aspx

From the 2008 pdf

http://www.uscgboating.org/assets/1/...stics_2008.pdf

page 33, table 17, 2008

4789 total reported accidents

of which

Fire/Explosion (fuel) 136
Fire/Explosion (non-fuel) 78
Fire/Explosion (unknown origin) 25

compare to the most common (biggest number in table)

Collision with another vessel 1237

there are 23 categories.

John

[sailorboy1]

In my 3 years of submarine duty I can recall 7 fires. ALL were electrical in nature and all tripped the breakers so the fire didn't grow and get out of hand. Something to think when wiring and chosing wire sizes and fuses etc in your installation.

[DeepFrz]

I wonder though how many fires are never reported to the CG. There are probably many that are dangerous but extinguished by the folks on board and are never reported.

[cal40john]

Curious about differences in claims to BoatU.S. versus USCG accident stats about where fires come from.

USCG fuel fires/sum of 3 fire catagories 136/(136+78+25)

USCG 59% of fires were fuel related
BoatUS 8% fuel leaks


John

[Hudson Force]

Here are a couple of dramatic photos I took from my overnight anchorage at ICW Marker 32 on the north side of Daytona, Florida last month:




I don't have any info except to note that it was a new looking 70'+ motoryacht at the dock.

[cal40john]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

I wonder though how many fires are never reported to the CG. There are probably many that are dangerous but extinguished by the folks on board and are never reported.

Didn't see your post before my question. Could explain high number of claims to insurance and low number of reports to USCG.

I thought there some requirement of reporting to USCG with death, injury or XXX monetory outlay.
Yup, here it is.

http://www.uscgboating.org/safety/ac...reporting.aspx

$2000

Wouldn't the insurance company require a report for payment?

John

[Jesse]

I lost my favorite boat to a fire while underway. Gords post was right on the money as it was suspected to be started by a short circuit at the fan motor in a galley heater. It was late Summer twenty years ago when my 76 year old mother and I had planned a vacation cruise to celebrate completing the restoration of my treasured Fairliner 34. Built in 1964 it was the prototype of that model and quite different from the production boats that followed, the work had taken nearly 4 years and was both extensive and expensive and she was the apple of my eye. But just prior to our planned departure mom had emergency surgery and I went home to stay with her while she recovered. When I returned to go back to my job the boat was still stocked and ready to go so I decided to spend the weekend cruising alone. A couple hours away from the moorage the sun was setting and it got chilly on the flybridge and I went below for a jacket and turned on the heater switch as I passed the helm then went back to the flybridge and watched the sun set on what I considered a perfect day. The next thing I recall is a sense of something being wrong, when I went below I saw smoke coming from around the comanionway door to the galley.and pulled it open with a fire extinguisher in my hand. flames were coming from under the galley table and I directed the fire extinguisher toward the source as the vinyl overhead caught fire and started dripping flaming melted bits everywhere catching the entire galley afire. After the second fire extinguisher was empty and flames with the nastiest black smoke I've ever smelled were boiling up into the salon catching the vinyl overhead there afire I must have given up and fled though I have no memory of launching the dinghy or leaving the boat I wound up rowing away from the boat with the bag containing the emergency flares between my feet and my sons new 35mm camera slung around my neck, the flares were stored under the extra pfd,s and I hadn't even thought to grab one. I must have been nearly unconcious from the smoke. If go aboard a boat and notice a vinyl overhead it wont be leaving the pier with me or mine aboard. and we stay very near an exit. The boat burned to the waterline long before the fireboat from Tacoma could get there and sunk when they put out the fire. I was amazed that it didn't explode with nearly 200 gal.s of fuel and propane aboard. I wound up with a scorched ear and most of my hair singed off, my hands and face blistered and peeled but I looked worse than I felt. I'm very glad my Mom couldn't make that trip. Jesse

[TabbyCat]

Interesting. I wonder where the fires due to lightning get logged? There was a boat ashore in Annapolis a few years back, and it took a lightning hit to its carbon fiber mast. It looked like a giant blowtorch, with flames shooting out of the top. But from the Boat US statistics, I guess something like that might have been filed under lightning, since lightning was the proximate cause of loss, rather than the fire, even thought the resulting fire did more damage.

[zeehag]

the only time i ever popped a fire extinguisher on board was to put put a fire that was involving my 3k honda genny on the bow of my formosa ------ neighbor called it to my attention when kat couldnt get me to believe he was gonna die in flames...drama queen kat..lol..but it went out ok and no part of the boat was burned, this particular boat has been subject of 5 galley fires involving alcohol stoves...both kinds--i will not use one. alcohol fires are easily extinguished with water----but the flame is difficult to see...previous owner brought propane on board after the 5th alcohol stove caused fire......all is well now......