Boat explosion Tampa Florida

The families of those injured have requested the information (conditions of the injured)be kept confidential, according to the media.
I don't expect we'll hear much until the USCG releases the results of it's investigation.
 
tawcat said:
I used to run my blowers during fuel up. A boater friend was at the pump with me once and he told ne never to run blowers during fuel up as the blowers can actually pull fumes into the engine compartment.

So now I shut them off and run them before I start back up at the pump.

Very good tip I think.
Click to expand...

I have heard that as well. It was repeated once or twice on this forum as well.

Frankly. . . this sounds like total BS to me.

Kind of like a cell phone being a hazard near a gas pump; while starting a big eight cylinder gasoline engine near a gas pump is NOT a hazard.

If the gas fume level is THAT high around your boat. . you better ROW your *ss out of there. And turn off the stereo on your boat. Don't forget. . if the blowers are sucking fumes into the boat. . then the blowers are blowing it right back out. I think the danger of dumping a pile of fuel into your bilge during fueling is far greater than the hazard of sucking in a few stray gas fumes. I turn my blower on as I approach the gas dock, and they stay on until the engines are restarted.

A really good practice would be a visual check of the bilge after fueling. . prior to starting engines. (of course. . .I never do that. . but I should)
 
tawcat said:
I used to run my blowers during fuel up. A boater friend was at the pump with me once and he told ne never to run blowers during fuel up as the blowers can actually pull fumes into the engine compartment.

So now I shut them off and run them before I start back up at the pump.

Very good tip I think.
Click to expand...

I just took 2 USPS courses, boating safety and engine maintenance and that is what they are teaching, it made sense to me.
 
Jack F said:
I just took 2 USPS courses, boating safety and engine maintenance and that is what they are teaching, it made sense to me.
Click to expand...

Wow, I had been taught the opposite.
Any chance of some links to some official documentation on this? I know if I mention this to others, they will think I'm crazy unless I can say "Go here if you don't believe me".
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by tawcat
I used to run my blowers during fuel up. A boater friend was at the pump with me once and he told ne never to run blowers during fuel up as the blowers can actually pull fumes into the engine compartment.

So now I shut them off and run them before I start back up at the pump.

Very good tip I think.



Jack F said:
I just took 2 USPS courses, boating safety and engine maintenance and that is what they are teaching, it made sense to me.
Click to expand...

NautyDog said:
Wow, I had been taught the opposite.
Any chance of some links to some official documentation on this? I know if I mention this to others, they will think I'm crazy unless I can say "Go here if you don't believe me".
Click to expand...

Page 68, paragraph 15: Fueling
Change the last sentence to read: This will take a minimum of four minutes. Thus, paragraph 15 will read – If your boat
is equipped with a bilge blower, run it until the bilge is clear of fumes. This will take a minimum of four minutes.

Page 69, paragraph 23: Safe Fueling Practices
Add the following to the end of paragraph 23: Keep engines, motors, and fans turned off. It is essential that the bilge
blower not be run during fueling as it is possible that external fumes from the fuel pump area may be drawn into the
bilge. See tables on page 70 for Fueling Checklists. Thus, beginning with the last sentence, the revised paragraph 23
will read ... Using the fueling checklists, you will greatly reduce the risk of fire and explosion. Keep engines, motors, and
fans turned off...

http://www.usps.org/national/eddept/b/files/tsbc_student_supp.pdf
 
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My wife and I visited with a couple this weekend that knows some of the family members from this accident. They were not aware if the USCG had concluded their investigation for the cause of the explosion. They said the survivors were in different stages of recovery....some of them are missing multiple limbs.

I hope that somehow, the cause will be made public, not so much that it satisfies curiosity, but that everyone can re-learn there is a very serious side to this boating thing....with a generator or not....
 
As an owner of the same boat that exploded, I am EXTREMEMLY interested in what happened to that boat. I want to be sure the same thing does not happen to me. It was either a mechanical issue or human error, and I can prevent both if i knew what it was.

My prayers to the families involved.
 
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