Fire Extinguisher

[BigTerp]

Something I've been meaning to get ever since I finished my mods and motor mount, but something I keep putting off/forgetting to get. Legally I don't need one, but NEED to get one before I head out again, even if just for piece of mind. What small extinguisher do you guys reccommend? Looking for something thats mountable permanetely to to the hull somwhere. It's for a 1648MV with a 1994 Johnson 50/35 jet and six gallon gas tank.

 

[jethro]

Wow, a 16 footer with no requirement for a FE? Up here they are more a hard case about them than PFD's. I have two on board, both by Kiddie, a Mariner 5 and a 10. https://www.westmarine.com/kidde--mariner-dry-chemical-fire-extinguishers--P008_244_001_501

 

[BigTerp]

jethro » Today, 2:50 pm[/url]"]Wow, a 16 footer with no requirement for a FE? Up here they are more a hard case about them than PFD's. I have two on board, both by Kiddie, a Mariner 5 and a 10. https://www.westmarine.com/kidde--mariner-dry-chemical-fire-extinguishers--P008_244_001_501

Thanks.

Yeah, unless I'm reading my regulations wrong I don't legally need one. Only required if I had an inboard engine, if my fuel tank is enclosed within a hatch or permantely installed.

Extinguishers are addressed on page 13.
https://dnr.maryland.gov/boating/pdfs/recreationvessels.pdf

 

[stevesecotec02]

I bought mine at walmart back in the boating section. Its a small white one and it comes with a mount. I mounted it next to my gas tank on the backside of my rear bench. Ive had it for 3 years and its still fully charged.

 

[earl60446]

Also addressed on page 21 which seems to say it is required on anything that is motorized. But you are doing the right thing regardless by getting one, crazy not to have one on any boat carrying fuel.
Tim

 

[DrNip]

I purchased a small watercraft extinguisher from Wal-Mart for like $10. Came with mount.

 

[Johnny]

I had the pleasure of living in Nicholas County, WV for 3 years and loved it.
I know that WV does things a little differently than the other 48, but, here
in FLORIDA - if you have ANY kind of flammable liquid on your boat,
you MUST have a F.E. within your immediate reach .... not in a cabinet, not in a locker,
not under the floorboards, and not still in the box you bought it in.
Our Florida Marine Patrol gives many " safe boating tips" commercials on TV during the
summer in Florida.
They show the courtesy inspections during the commercials and 99% of the boaters that
have a FE still have it in the sales box, in a locker or someplace out of quick reach.

The Marine Police are emphatic about having the F.E. mounted at or near the captains chair.

in MY opinion, ANY size of GAS motor and/or cooking stove NEEDS to have some kind of fire suppressant aboard.


I am trying to find the photos of my brothers boat, a 22 foot Grady White with a 200 hp Mercury OB
that burned to the water line 100 feet from shore......
all because he did not have ANY kind of fire extinguishers on board.
the fire started as a small but very manageable blaze in the battery locker that quickly spread to the
fuel and electrical lines.... then, WHOOSH ...... burned clear to the water line before the fire department got to it.
He and his wife abandoned ship and swam to shore when they saw it was useless flapping the blaze
with wet t-shirts. No Insurance - total loss - all because of a $20.00 fire extinguisher .........

 

[earl60446]

I have another thing to add here which was a surprise to me. When you pull that pin and depress the handle / trigger to put out a fire, make sure that thing is pointed AT THE FIRE because that F.E. lets loose with the entire charge all at once, it does not stop until it is empty. At least that is what happened to me when I accidently tripped mine. It's powder and it made a mess.
Tim

 

[DrNip]

Here is a pic of the extinguisher.

 

[ccm]

DrNip » 17 Jun 2014, 19:02[/url]"]Here is a pic of the extinguisher.

I had one of those & ended up having to use it. Not in the boat but last summer our A.C. unit caught fire. I ended up rushing out to the boat & grabbed it. I wasn't pleased with the results but if the fire had been any larger the whole house might have caught. It's hard to aim & I guess you would call it a trigger ( the thing you depress ) is very fragile ( I nearly broke it while in a panic ). It put out the fire but I'll never buy one again. I ended up buying a larger more durable KIDDE ( same brand as above but better ) marine use fire extinguisher & we got a few for the house too.

 

[JMichael]

I believe mine is the 110 with mount bracket. I've been keeping it in the back (not mounted) by my drain plug. I've been thinking about it lately, and after reading this thread I think I'm going to mount mine up toward the front of the boat, away from the fuel tank and motor. I got to thinking about it, and if there is a fire it will most likely involve fuel (although it could be electrical) and I wouldn't want to have to reach into a fire to try and grab my extinguisher.

 

[DrNip]

To be honest, if the fire is that big I'm jumping ship otherwise I believe I will be fine, lol.

 

[JMichael]

I guess you're hoping to have electrical fires only on your boat. :lol: It wouldn't take more than a few ounces of raw gas in the back of your boat to create enough flames to fill the whole back end of the boat.

 

[dhoganjr]

JMichael » 17 Jun 2014, 22:52[/url]"]I believe mine is the 110 with mount bracket. I've been keeping it in the back (not mounted) by my drain plug. I've been thinking about it lately, and after reading this thread I think I'm going to mount mine up toward the front of the boat, away from the fuel tank and motor. I got to thinking about it, and if there is a fire it will most likely involve fuel (although it could be electrical) and I wouldn't want to have to reach into a fire to try and grab my extinguisher.

JMichael has it figured out, you want to mount the fire extinguisher within reach, but away from your gas tanks. Most tanks are open vent, vapors from a small spill could easily be ignited by sparks. You don't want to get closer to the tank in the event of a fire attempting to get the F.E. if you don't have to. Could be an electrical fire, more than likely gas will be involved. You want to get it put out as quickly and as safely as possible, hopefully avoiding abandoning ship.

Something to think about!!!

 

[PSG-1]

The fire extinguisher regs are not state-by-state, but they are federal law (CFR) This is USCG regs, and it's enforced by DNR in each state.

The law states that as long as the fuel tank is portable, not mounted below a deck, and not secured with straps, then, you do NOT need an extinguisher.

16 foot vessels DO need a type IV throwable device, as well as visual distress signals (flares) Also, any vessel that goes past the COLREGS line (mouth of an inlet into the ocean) is required to have visual distress signals.

I will say that I think the rule about having to have a fire extinguisher on a PWC is about asinine. Let me explain something to you.... DNR and Coast Guard. If my jet ski has an engine fire, the last thing I am going to do is lift my engine cowling and try to put it out, and take the risk of the fuel tank inside becoming a bomb. I'm going to jump, swim, let it burn to the waterline, and let insurance deal with it.

 

[lovedr79]

I have the kiddie PWC one. I have it mounted to the side of the console. I have it there as I don't want to have to reach over flames to get to it. I have been checked twice by fish and game they were impressed that I even had one.

 

[BigTerp]

Thanks all!!

I typically throw the small extinguisher we keep under our kitchen sink in the boat whenever I head out. Was watching a gold dredging show the other day and one of the dredges engines caught fire. I immediately thought to myself I NEED to get a permanently attached extinguisher for my boat. Was looking at this one.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/KIDDE-21006287-Auto-Fire-Extinguisher-Aluminum-2-lb-5B-C-100-psi-/321432022405?pt=BI_Security_Fire_Protection&hash=item4ad6d76d85#ht_1969wt_1105

Has the same specs as the Kidde Mariner (2lbs. of agent, rated 5-B:C, 100psi, same discharge distance, etc.), but is listed for automobile use. It's aluminum, so I don't see why it wouldn't be appropriate for on board use? It's a bit more compact than the mariner, so that's why I'm looking at this one in particular.

 

[earl60446]

PSG-1 » Today, 05:54[/url]"]The fire extinguisher regs are not state-by-state, but they are federal law (CFR) This is USCG regs, and it's enforced by DNR in each state.

The law states that as long as the fuel tank is portable, not mounted below a deck, and not secured with straps, then, you do NOT need an extinguisher.

16 foot vessels DO need a type IV throwable device, as well as visual distress signals (flares) Also, any vessel that goes past the COLREGS line (mouth of an inlet into the ocean) is required to have visual distress signals.

I will say that I think the rule about having to have a fire extinguisher on a PWC is about asinine. Let me explain something to you.... DNR and Coast Guard. If my jet ski has an engine fire, the last thing I am going to do is lift my engine cowling and try to put it out, and take the risk of the fuel tank inside becoming a bomb. I'm going to jump, swim, let it burn to the waterline, and let insurance deal with it.

NOT THE CASE, you are wrong, In Illinois these are the regulations, https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/recreation/boating/Documents/BoatDigest.pdf

Fire Extinguisher
It is unlawful to operate any motorboat equipped with an
internal combustion engine anywhere in this State without at
least one U.S. Coast Guard approved fire extinguisher so placed as to be
readily accessible and in such condition as to be ready for immediate and effective use.

 

[JoshKeller]

wal mart in spring mills carries the PWC one and the regular boat one with gauge. they run $10 and $17- just had to get a new one. If you get checked at river bottom, they will ask to see it

depending on the mood of the CO, wouldnt batteries in your compartment be included in this?

5. Closed stowage compartments in which combustible or flammable materials are stored.

 

[JMichael]

A battery is not really combustible. What you may be thinking of is the fact that under the right circumstances, they can produce hydrogen, which is very combustible, explosive even. LoL