NUTS & BOATS
The monthly newsletter for to-be and already-are cruisers
Volume 3, Issue #8 - August 2005
Publisher: Trish Lambert
www.takehersailing.com
(C) P. Lambert 2005
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FIRE!!!! by Trish Lambert
There is no question that fire on a boat is a serious problem. Your world is burning, help is likely a long way off, and you have nowhere to escape except overboard.
The two most common areas where fires originate aboard sailboats are the galley and the engine room. Other causes may be faulty (or old) electrical wiring, cabin heaters, electric motors, lightning, overhead power lines, and of course, gasoline and propane.
Onboard fires fall into three classes:
Class A covers ordinary combustibles, including wood, paper, foam, fiberglass, rubber, some plastics, and other materials that burn easily. Best extinguished with water.
Class B covers flammable liquids, including gasoline, diesel fuel, propane, paints, varnishes, oils, greases, and flammable gases. These can be extinguished by smothering with a fire blanket, or with B-I or B-II extinguisher.
Class C covers electrical fires, including electrical equipment. These are best extinguished with sodium carbonate (dry chemical), carbon dioxide (which can be dangerous to humans), or new Halon alternatives like FE-241 and FM-200.
Commercially available fire extinguishers are classified with this same system; the Coast Guard also rates extinguishers as either B-I or B-II based on how much extinguishing agent they contain according to weight. USCG requirements for recreational boats are minimal, if not downright anemic:
Boats less than 26 feet: one B-I extinguisher
Boats 26 feet to 40 feet: either two B-Is or one B-II.
Boats over 40 feet: three type B-Is, or one B-I and one B-II.
The Coast Guard requires that all extinguishers have a pressure gauge but it is your responsibility to make sure they're current.
Boat owners of my acquaintance more than double USCG requirements with portable extinguishers mounted throughout the vessel. Additionally, most of them spend the few extra dollars for tri-class (ABC) dry-powder extinguishers that can be used on all types of fires.
For years halon was an effective fire fighting agent, and prior to 1994, many sailboats were fitted with automatic halon systems, especially in the engine room. Though halon was banned from production in the U.S. for environmental reasons, there is now an alternative on the market, FE-241, which has many of the same attributes as halon but is not as compact
The best protection from fire is to minimize the risk to begin with. Routine maintenance and good seamanship will make a big difference. Still, like any other “worst case scenario” aboard a boat, you must be prepared to deal with the situation if it arises. Here are some preparation tips to include in your overall fitting out and planning process:
Keep all your fire fighting equipment where you can reach it. We have one in the lazarette, one on the bulkhead by the companionway, one in the galley, one in the engine room, and one in the v-berth. We don't want to search for an extinguisher when a fire breaks out. We also have a fire blanket in the galley (kept in a spot away from the stove) and a canvas bucket on a lanyard to grab sea water to douse a Class A fire.
Make sure that you and all crew members know how to use fire fighting equipment. Invest in a few cheap extinguishers and set them off so that you get familiar with their use and the extent of their life. It is rather shocking to see how little agent they actually contain and how quickly they spend it. Use your extinguishers carefully. Once they're gone your options are severely limited and the situation can quickly become very bleak.
Have well-thought-out evacuation plans for escaping a cabin fire. This needs to include evacuation options other than via the companionway. Make sure whatever alternate exits you have are clear on the deck side to allow escape.
Establish a procedure to hail assistance if you are close enough to land to reach someone. Naturally, if you're sailing near shore where quick help may be available, the first step is to notify the Coast Guard on the VHF radio. If you are wary of going below, use your cell phone to call 911.
Remember that if you're even just 10 miles offshore it is unlikely that the Coast Guard or anyone else will be able to assist you in time—your time is better spent fighting the fire than trying to find help. Here are some tips for dealing with this emergency if it strikes:
Almost all fires begin small. If you react quickly you can contain and eventually extinguish them. Sometimes the best way to deal with a fire is to toss whatever is burning over the side. Do this after deploying an extinguisher.
Stop the boat immediately, or at least head downwind to decrease the apparent wind since the boat's forward motion fans the fire. If possible, try to position the boat so that the wind blows the fire overboard.
If possible, keep the fire in a confined space. Your instinct may be to open ports and hatches—but don't do this. Fire needs oxygen to burn, and opening ports will only make matters worse. In fact, closing a hatch, a door, or ports may help suffocate the fire.
Like most emergencies, teamwork is critical. While you are containing the fire, have your crew handle the boat. They should also be preparing to abandon ship, just in case. If the fire is electrical, and not near the battery compartment, take a moment to disconnect the batteries. This is a prudent move in any fire.
Fiberglass boats burn quickly and at extreme temperatures, and also give off noxious fumes. If you smell the hull burning, assume that the fuel tanks can't be far behind and take immediate steps to abandon ship. If you have time, launch the dinghy and the life raft and move away from the burning vessel as quickly as possible.
A fire aboard, like most emergencies, requires immediate action. Quick action and cool thinking is the key to fighting all fires successfully. And also like most emergencies, having the right equipment and knowing how to use it make the difference between saving your boat or watching it disappear beneath the waves.
