Boat Fire

gcolton

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Can anyone explain how putting one engine in reverse and the other in forward enables someone to spray water on a fire?

PANAMA CITY BEACH - Robert Cabe, 55, of Georgia was enjoying a sunset cruise in Grand Lagoon on his 22-foot boat Thursday when the engine backfired and the craft caught fire, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials said.

Cabe attempted to put the fire out but was unsuccessful and eventually grabbed a life jacket and jumped overboard. FWC officer David Erdman was nearby on his twin-engine boat and after receiving the 911 call for help he spotted the fire and rushed to the scene, FWC spokesman Stan Kirkland said.

Erdman got Cabe out of the water uninjured and then used his twin engines, one in forward and the other in reverse, to shoot “hundreds" of gallons of seawater on the burning boat. Erdman was able to put the fire out and then help Cabe tow his damaged boat to shore, Kirkland said.

This wasn't the first time Erdman had helped Cabe out of jam, Kirkland said.

“About 10 years ago officer Erdman responded to a boat accident and it was Cabe," Kirkland said. “There were about seven (people) in the water."

Cabe's engine was damaged but the boat seemed to be in decent shape despite the fire, he added."

Maybe Cabe should not own a boat.

George
 
Spinning the boat with one outboard tilted up, I'm guessing.
 
Ah. Maybe tip up the motor that is in forward to where it is just touching the water and using the other in reverse to keep the boat stationary. I had not thought about tilting one of the engines.

George
 
Either way, pretty damn smart and quick thinking. we used to tip up the 150 hp outboards on the ski boats and completely soak all the sunbathing beauties on the dock... they were too hot anyway so after some fussing would normally thank us for having cooled them off... sure as hell didn't cool us off though...
 
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