The USCG has identified certain conditions that legally require a Coast Guard-approved fire extinguisher to be on your boat. Does your boat have any of these features? All fire emergencies are extremely dangerous. Knowing about the different types of fires will help you to prevent fire emergencies and better prepare you to fight them. Fire extinguishers are classified by a letter and number system.
The letters describe the different types of fires that the extinguisher should be used for. The higher the number, the greater the amount of fire-fighting agent in the device. Fire extinguishers and all safety equipment should be kept in an easily accessible place, like the steering area, where they will be near the operator. Be sure to mount your extinguisher away from areas where a fire could start, like the engine area. Electrical wiring fires are most numerous 55 percent , followed by engine and transmission overheating 24 percent , DC engine circuits 12 percent and fuel leaks 8 percent.
Select an automatic engine compartment system by calculating the volume in cubic feet of the engine space. Install the extinguishers either horizontally or vertically. Boaters can protect themselves by keeping up with routine maintenance of their mechanical and electrical systems. This includes keeping water intake lines free of debris and weeds, replacing raw water pump impellers, and keeping exhaust manifolds and risers free from blockages caused by rust deposits.
Unfortunately, fires do happen to even well-cared-for vessels. Often, the engine will start to sputter or someone will see or smell smoke, and the first impulse is to open the engine cover or the door to the engine compartment.
This well-intentioned reaction may be the worst thing to do, engulfing you in noxious billowing fumes and feeding oxygen to a smoldering fire. Select the cable by length from 6' to 40'.
The system releases a clean agent HFCea for about 10 seconds, smothering the fire and leaving no residue behind. A remote 85dB horn also sounds when the extinguisher is low on pressure or has discharged. The Fire Port allows you to safely fight an engine room blaze without opening the hatch.
Otherwise, your diesel keeps chugging away, feeding oxygen to the blaze and sucking the fire-retardant out of the compartment and into the engine air intakes or out the ventilation exhaust fans , rendering your fire-fighting system ineffective.
Automatic engine shutdown units take care of this in an instant. D is likely to be the most rare type of fire on a boat. Also, water would make this type of fire worse as well. As you can see, three of the four types of fires are actually more dangerous when water is added. That is why a proper marine fire extinguisher is important.
The US Coast Guard has guidelines for choosing a fire extinguisher. You want one that meets their specifications. In order to meet specs an extinguisher has to offer the following:. This is because of the different types of fires that can occur on a boat.
Not every extinguisher will work on every type of fire as we have seen. You can buy Halon and dry chemical extinguishers that are ABC ready. It depends on the exact kind and where you buy it.
ABC dry chemicals are not recommended for boat use. Also, they work by melting and encasing as part of their Class A rating. This can cause serious damage to your boat. AB Extinguishers: These are typically foam fire extinguishers. Because they are water based they can handle A fires. B fires are also contained. They should not be used on C fires.
These are not recommended for Class A fires due to pressure. The gas under pressure risks spreading a Class A fire further. There are also dry chemical BC extinguishers. A fire needs three things to thrive — Fuel, Oxygen, and Heat.
Remove one and the fire dies. Fuel build up in a bilge will readily mix with oxygen. That is, an A-type fire extinguisher is intended for class A fires, B for class B fires, and so on. With this in mind, to understand fire extinguisher classification, we also need to understand fire types. Fun fact — class B, class C, class D, and class K fires cannot be extinguished by water. Only class A fires can be extinguished by water. You should use the right fire extinguisher to extinguish fires.
For example, you should not attempt to extinguish a class D fire with a class K extinguisher. The wrong fire extinguisher may not be able to put out the fire, and it may even make matters worse. Class B fires are the most common on boats, which is why the US Coast Guard requires class B marine fire extinguishers.
With that said, other fire classes may occur on vessels as well, so having only a class B fire extinguisher is not sufficient for all-around fire protection. Fortunately, you can find class ABC fire extinguishers out there. These will be able to safeguard you from class A, B, and C fires. Size I and II fire extinguishers are portable by hand, while the three remaining sizes are semi-portable.
The difference between fire extinguisher sizes lies in the amount of extinguishing agent they contain. Ideally, you should mount your fire extinguishers in locations that can be easily reached.
But contrary to what you may be thinking, fire extinguishers should be away from locations where there is a risk of fire. Among the best locations for fire extinguishers are the steering station, engine room, or the galley.
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