Boat explosion Tampa Florida

Thanks for the input guys. It was an experience I will never forget. I just hope the injured people will recover. Good Night.
 
Gary is right. The "codes" say that is in the engine room should be non-sparking (intrinsically safe) or shielded. This is why they say you shouldn't use cell phones at gas pumps

Fundamentally, however, internal combustion engines (I. E. Gennys and Mercs) are NOT "rated for hazardous area". This is why it is important to use blowers. The blowers *will not* produce an igition source, and should remove fuel from the area before the engines provide an igition source. But as Hampton stated: you really need to regularly poke your head in the engine area. Relying on blowers to clear a fuel leak is no substitute for *fixing* the leak.

In chemical plants, no one would allow an engine (truck, forklift, welding machine) into an area that contains flammable gas containg equpment without a written permit. The permit procedure mandates positive checks for the presence of flammables in the area.

Back to the gas station: the rule set that suggests you don't use a cell phone is the same one that says you shouldn't drive up to the pump. From my experience, the car engine is afar bigger hazard than the phone.
 
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Bilge blowers will not clean puddled or leaking fuel from the bilge. It takes operator common sense to eliminate the leak and remove the hazard.
 
I certainly hope they all make it through this. Especially with the kids, this kind of stuff really makes me take notice of my rules and procedures on my little boat.
 
I do not understand why Gas detectors are not fitted during manufacture. Here in Australia we have to have life jackets, an epirb, a bucket, and a ton of other safety stuff., and have heavy fines if you don't have all this stuff on board. Yet, maybe like in the USA, people here blow up boats every year, and no one ever thought of fitting a gas detectors. It was the first thing I fitted when I bought the boat and was half the cost of the epirb, which I 'll maybe never use. (hope not !)

My Gas detector is never turned off !

BTW. I spent 40 years in the oil industry and I know how the stuff burns.
 
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Chris Dauth said:
I do not understand why Gas detectors are not fitted during manufacture. Here in Australia we have to have life jackets, an epirb, a bucket, and a ton of other safety stuff., and have heavy fines if you don't have all this stuff on board. Yet, maybe like in the USA, people here blow up boats every year, and no one ever thought of fitting a gas detectors. It was the first thing I fitted when I bought the boat and was half the cost of the epirb, which I 'll maybe never use. (hope not !)

My Gas detector is never turned off !

BTW. I spent 40 years in the oil industry and I know how the stuff burns.
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Great point Chris. Gasoline fume detectors are an intelligent addition to ANY gasoline powered boat. It only takes one incident like the one we are discussing to change lives forever.

I am considering this one: http://www.fireboy-xintex.com/MB1.html

I especially like it because it has a relay to automatically start the bilge blowers if it detects fumes.

I'm sure Jim could get a good price on these things thru BOE if enough members showed interest. :thumbsup:

Here is the latest Tampa Tribune article re: this tragedy: http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/may/09/092257/tampa-fire-rescue-responding-beer-can-island-boat-/ Very sobering.
 
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sprink56 said:
Great point Chris. Gasoline fume detectors are an intelligent addition to ANY gasoline powered boat. It only takes one incident like the one we are discussing to change lives forever.

I am considering this one: http://www.fireboy-xintex.com/MB1.html

I especially like it because it has a relay to automatically start the bilge blowers if it detects fumes.

I'm sure Jim could get a good price on these things thru BOE if enough members showed interest. :thumbsup:

Here is the latest Tampa Tribune article re: this tragedy: http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/may/09/092257/tampa-fire-rescue-responding-beer-can-island-boat-/ Very sobering.
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That looks like something EVERY boat should have, the price is high but if it saves lifes then the price doesn't matter.
 
These fume detectors are great and do provide another added layer of safety. Regardless, there is no substitute for the human nose. Raising the engine hatch and sticking our noses into the bilge is the ABSOLUTE BEST SAFETY move we can make. The Coast Guard Auxiliary is adamant about this in their education literature!
 
I agree with randerson. I am not sure why this is not standard equipment on a gas boat. I am ordering one today as it is just another layer of protection.
 
Imagine if this boat was in the middle of a large raft-up???

Glad no one was killed.
 
R Moss,

Luckily they were anchored on the backside of the island where it is not as crowded. I was the closest boat to them and I was about 30-40 yds away. On the front (east) side, the boats are all anchored within 10-15 feet of each other and even 2 deep in some areas , especially during a busy saturday. If they were on the east side, it definitely would have affected at least a couple other boats.
 
That "Fireboy" looks pretty much like the one I fitted. Maybe the same unit but re badged for the Australian market. The $200 / $300 cost is little compared to what we pay for a new boat. The laws should be changed so that the gas detectors are fitted during manufacture, diesel or gas.

Some of the rules here are just so stupid eg,. I have to have 2 paddles to row the boat in case I break down, the paddles off the rubber duck pass but try rowing a 4 ton boat with them ???

For the guys who make the rules, I have wrung more salt water out of my socks than they have sailed over !!
 
Meanwhile, a few miles South near Jewfish Key (and Beer Can Island) another boat caught fire right behind us. I literally saw this whole episode unfold. I think this was a 22 or 23' Cobalt, I/O.
He was coming up behind us and suddenly lost power (or stopped). He fiddled for a few seconds, and then opened the engine hatch. Smoke started to come out of the engine hatch. He either didn't have or wasn't close to a fire extinguisher. The smoke turned to flames. He threw an anchor out, and then dove into the water where another boat picked him up. My thought was "why didn't he close the engine hatch to cut off the oxygen?" Anyway, it burned to the waterline in about 5 minutes.

We came back by a few hours later to see the burned out hull. This story was overshadowed by the Tampa one, so we may not hear about it.

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I have always thought that a fume detector or "sniffer" was standard equipment on inboard gas boats. It was the first thing I installed afer buying my old Chris-Craft. Xintex makes one that will automatically start the blower when sounding the alarm.

I never start the engine in it without five miuntes on the blower and passing the sniffer test. Why in the world would a manufacturer install a CO detector in the cabin, but not a sniffer in the bilge? This should be a standard piece of safety equipment on every inboard gas boat...

Lawn mower manufacturers can be successfully sued because they don't have a warning label stating to not stick your hands or feet under a running mower- so how is it boat manufacturers can get away with not installing sniffers in the bilge?

BTW- if you do have a fume detector- be aware that the sensors do not last indefinitely. TEST THEM. I periodically test mine by placing a butane lighter next to it- and pressing the gas release button. DO NOT LIGHT IT- gas only. The alarm should sound in 5 to 10 seconds.
 
He was coming up behind us and suddenly lost power (or stopped). He fiddled for a few seconds, and then opened the engine hatch. Smoke started to come out of the engine hatch.

That Cobalt deal doesn't quite pass the smell test...if you know what I men.:smt009
 
sprink56 said:
Great point Chris. Gasoline fume detectors are an intelligent addition to ANY gasoline powered boat. It only takes one incident like the one we are discussing to change lives forever.

I am considering this one: http://www.fireboy-xintex.com/MB1.html

I especially like it because it has a relay to automatically start the bilge blowers if it detects fumes.

I'm sure Jim could get a good price on these things thru BOE if enough members showed interest. :thumbsup:...
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+1000

1.) First, as others stated, why in the world is a $300 part, of such significance, not standard on boats? We should petition NMMA for a standards change, if we can't get the coast guard/gov't to do it. Let's go...

2.) Jim, how many orders do you need to get CSR members a bulk discount on these units? Let's do it! I'm in.
 
Being the "Old Man" of our marina, I get to welcome new boat owners to the marina, in conjunction with the management, 60 years of experience helps, and the first thing I suggest is that they install a gas sniffer.

Not only the sniffer may save their boat but also the ones tied up near them.
.
 
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Boat fires, let alone explosions, are pretty scary on a boat. However, most fires are not caused by gasoline fumes. The majority are caused by AC/DC wiring issues... And boats are not required to have smoke detectors (like gasoline vapor sensors) on them.. Seems ridiculous to me.
 
sprink56 said:
I have owned 4 boats...all either I/O or inboard. I have always run blowers from 3~5 minutes before I start until I shut down ALL engines including generator. The only time I am not runnng blowers is when I am running on plane.
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Me too, but I wonder, is there a downside to just running the blower the entire time?
 
Running the blowers is a good thing but won't tell you if you have a gas leak or there is a gallon or two of gas in the bilge !!
 
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