Explosion!

That was once a beautiful old boat. New boat owner: I wonder if he was new to boating and didn't know about fumes collecting in the bilge and doing a sniff test? Glad he will be ok.
 
That's a shame. Wonder who the builder was. Motor vessels older than a certain(?) year in the '80's are not ...required ...to have blowers if they have passive ventilation that only helps if there is a breeze.
 
Just checked it out. She's on the hard in a shed. Not an old boat, a new repro of a '30's fancy river cruiser. Diesel engine, 'glass hull, bow thruster, 30-32' long. State Fire Marshals are doing their cause and origin investigation. They're not sayin', but I did see them focusing on the 10 lb. propane cylinder in the cockpit. She's a total, damn shame.

Larry
 
Now THAT'S what I call a powerful forum, when a person posts something and someone else can walk on down to that location and see the thing in person... amazing.... now can anyone control the weather out there? ha ha.
 
Larry,

There was a propane cylinder inside the cockpit? For real? On a new boat?

My boat has a propane cylinder but it's mounted in a closed locker on the swim platform.

What a shame.

Bob

quote:
They're not sayin', but I did see them focusing on the 10 lb. propane cylinder in the cockpit.
Click to expand...
 
Oh man, that's really sad. Safe handling and use of any fuel onboard is very serious stuff.
 
This brings up a great topic, where do you store your bottled gas? Specifically the small green bottles for your grills.
 
Don't use them. Prefer not to have an open flame on my boat...
 
The green bottles: Always store with the cap on firmly. I keep them in the bench seat compartment in the cockpit. The compartment has ventilation holes. Not great, but some. I worry more about the 1 gal gas jug for the outboard. I let that sit out in the open on the cockpit floor.
 
Out on the aft deck. They never come inside.
 
Today's newspaper reports that the owner was using a propane stove attempting to make a cup of coffee when it occurred.
 
Green bottles need to be somewhere the propane gas can not get inside of the boat. Cockpit drains are not adequate. The caps only protect the threads and the plunger which seals the gas outlet. It does not prevent gas from leaking.
We have always had propane in lockers which sprecifically drain overboard--not into a cockpit or near the cabin.
 
Bob - Do you find such lockers on many boats? I haven't, but then I haven't looked specifically.
 
The propane cylinder was in a ventilated locker in the aft cockpit. Installed and the locker constructed to ABYC standards for a propane tank locker. The explosion was at the propane cookstove inside the cabin. Operator error, stove malfunction? Owner got cooked pretty good. He's in the burn ward at Bridgeport Hospital.

Larry
 
I don't have any propane onboard, but I do have the pressurized canisters of butane for my Mr Stove. I only cook with it in the cockpit. I store the canisters in the "ice box" built into the galley, It has an airtight gasket and a drain to the outside of the hull, NOT to the bilge!
 
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