34 people killed after boat catches fire off Santa Cruz Island

I'm guessing many were sleeping below decks and overtaken by smoke and flames and couldn't escape. I wonder if portholes were large enough to get through.... Honestly, the large hatchway in the forward birth of my vessel has always been my exit plan if a fire broke out blocking the cockpit.
 
boats-Conception.jpg


https://cadivingnews.com/dive-boat/conception-2/
 
Oh wow. I went on several Live-a-board excursions on the Conception in the 90s. Seemed like a well run operation at the time. This is one case where you pray for the media's usual over-dramatization.
 
Unfortunately, it takes a tragedy like this to initiate changed. Both exit routes bring you to the deck of the vessel which from what I understand was entirely engulfed in flames. Makes you think at least on a vessel this size with the number of occupants....why one state room or other area doesn’t have a exit hatch on the side of the hull. My boat is the same way as well and I also think the front hatch is my way out. I’ve seen cataramans that have a 2nd means of egress (hatch) in every stateroom. Certainly worth a discussion.....
 
Unfortunately, it takes a tragedy like this to initiate changed. Both exit routes bring you to the deck of the vessel which from what I understand was entirely engulfed in flames. Makes you think at least on a vessel this size with the number of occupants....why one state room or other area doesn’t have a exit hatch on the side of the hull. My boat is the same way as well and I also think the front hatch is my way out. I’ve seen cataramans that have a 2nd means of egress (hatch) in every stateroom. Certainly worth a discussion.....

I believe the USCG is waiting on the NTSB report and then will require a separate egress for the berthing quarters for similar hull configurations. The Conception configuration was a death trap. I respect it took 40 years for it to go wrong....but it still went wrong and 34 people died. Even our Sea Rays have hatches to escape through.

I'll reserve judgement on the crew until the NTSB publishes it's preliminary findings.
 
I'll reserve judgement on the crew until the NTSB publishes it's preliminary findings.

Wish everyone in the media would do that.

I heard an interview this AM with someone who has been on that boat several times as a dive group leader, all or most of the crew cabins are on the top deck, main deck is galley/dive deck only, guests are below deck. I can see how the crew might have had a better chance getting off.

Also, remember the crew actually trains (or is supposed to) for emergencies and know these boats backwards and forwards. Guests get a lecture that they may or may not listen to and then have to actually act on a dark ship at 3AM that they have only been on for 2 days.

No matter what was a truly sad incident, and hopefully some good will come of the investigation.
 
With virtually every such tragedy, we can look back and make a judgement about what could have been done better. We then codify that judgement in new laws or regulations. The natural progression of this process ultimately leads to the regulations and liability outweighing the benefit or cost of providing a service.

Mother nature has a way of outsmarting our retroactive solutions, so it is an inevitable march towards extinction. Add a hatch and all is well until until Murphy comes up with a clever way of hurting us that we had not yet considered. Wash-rinse-repeat.

It's helpful to consider this before jumping on the finger-pointing train to nowhere.
 
...Even our Sea Rays have hatches to escape through...

That’s not completely true. Honestly, that’s one thing that bothers me about our 550 (58) sedan bridge. If there’s a fire in the hallway outside the master stateroom, there is no way out of the master or the bunk room. All three portholes are fixed glass and they are solidly screwed and bedded beyond being able to be kicked out. It’s probably the worst design safety-wise ever for Sea Ray and I’m surprised that they got the design and hull certified...
 
Sort of related to the discussion, the other day I was boarded by the coasties
for a routine inspection and was asked to show my Fire Extinguishers. I showed the all three plus the engine room automatic system. I was told I only needed two hand helds on the boat. A few weeks later after I bought our 180BR I noticed it had no fire bottle so I grabbed the one from the master stateroom on the big boat.
After this weekends news, I’m putting one back in the state room!!
 
That’s not completely true. Honestly, that’s one thing that bothers me about our 550 (58) sedan bridge. If there’s a fire in the hallway outside the master stateroom, there is no way out of the master or the bunk room. All three portholes are fixed glass and they are solidly screwed and bedded beyond being able to be kicked out. .

If I was you, I'd look into remedying that. I have always considered the hatch above the bed our exit in case of fire. The salon door is secondary if available.
 
That’s not completely true. Honestly, that’s one thing that bothers me about our 550 (58) sedan bridge. If there’s a fire in the hallway outside the master stateroom, there is no way out of the master or the bunk room. All three portholes are fixed glass and they are solidly screwed and bedded beyond being able to be kicked out. It’s probably the worst design safety-wise ever for Sea Ray and I’m surprised that they got the design and hull certified...

@tc410 - If I were you I’d order this from Amazon (and get one for each of your cars while you’re at it):

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073JCMTW2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_Le1CDbWQQRN7Z
 
@hynespa, thanks for the thought. Unfortunately those tools don’t work on plexiglass. I had a line on an exact replacement Bomar window that opens but the source is now out of them. I keep looking though.
 
@tc410 , I'm glad you're being proactive about this. It isn't just SR that's done this. I've been to a lot of boat shows in recent years and been on many vessels. I'm one of those strange guys that looks at things like this before caring about cabinet colors. It blows my mind a naval architect wouldn't design for this. But, seriously, IMO, I see a considerable focus on aesthetics than seaworthiness and emergencies...
 
@hynespa, thanks for the thought. Unfortunately those tools don’t work on plexiglass. I had a line on an exact replacement Bomar window that opens but the source is now out of them. I keep looking though.

@tc410 - that is a good catch. I had no idea they were plexiglass. I wonder if automotive type tempered glass could replace the plexiglass on at least one of the port holes to allow for emergency breakage.
 

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