The allure of the sea and water is one that many people feel and ultimately give into. It's understandable really, the freedom and tranquillity offered by boating is something more people should experience.
But how many people give real thought to fire safety on a boat? Sure, you most likely take into account radar and devices such as life vests and flares. If you don't, then I'd suggest heading back to harbour now pretty quick smart.
Just by their very nature, boats are often in remote locations which can be almost impossible to access or miles away from land and imminent help in the event of a serious emergency. If your vessel was to catch fire whilst afloat what would you do? Jump overboard? Not the most inviting of prospects as the sea can be a harsh and unforgiving force. In all reality, the boat may very well have been totally consumed by flames before fire fighters can arrive to tackle the blaze.
This is why all boat owners should be fully aware of fire safety procedures and the types of equipment available now for any water going vessel.
It's easy to start with the basics. A fire extinguisher is an essential piece of safety kit. Modern models can be light weight, capable of tackling multiple fire classes and are cheap and readily available to buy. To see if an extinguisher is marine approved simply look for the white ships wheel printed onto the cylinder of the fire extinguisher. These models are identical to land based extinguishers but normally have a special coating so as to not corrode in salty environments.
A good mix of extinguishers should be available on any boat, and depending upon the size of the vessel you should vary numbers accordingly.
As you would be hard pressed to find a ship, and especially an ocean going ship with no electrical equipment on these days, then a CO2 fire extinguisher should be fitted. These come in 1kg, 2kg and 5kg hand portable sizes and are generally constructed from lightweight aluminium bodies.
For insurance purposes you should really consider 2kg and above models as in Europe these will have BS EN3 approvals. For areas with limited space you could add additional 1kg models for added protection, but bear in mind that BS EN3 rating only applies over 2kg in size.
Powder extinguishers are also well placed for use on boats as they have ratings that mean they can be used on Class A, B, C and electrical fires. This multi-functionality makes them extremely handy for placement in any area of a boat, including the engine rooms.
On a larger vessel where the kitchen may have a chip pan or other deep fat fryer, then the use of wet chemical or foam extinguishers with a special additive to tackle Class F fires is a must. A fire blanket should also always be used in any kitchen area. They are easy to use, simple to deploy and extremely cheap to purchase.
For the engine compartments of a boat an automatic fire extinguisher should be considered. They are relatively inexpensive and easy to install. They come in sizes ranging from 1kg to 10kg and are available as powder models or FE-36 gas. The gas models have now replaced Halon and go to 2kg in size. They are harmless to delicate machinery and operate along the same principles as CO2 by dispersing oxygen and thus starving the fire of fuel.
An automatic will protect the engine and tackle any fire that arises there immediately before it gets out of hand, allowing you to raise the alarm to the coast guard for assistance. Remember though, that you can only fit 1 automatic extinguisher, so ensure the model you have is adequate to cover the cubic space of the engine area.
Like anything, fire safety is easy to implement, usually far cheaper than people think and can save your life in an emergency.
