Scary boat fire in CT
- Thread starter South of Heaven
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone who enjoys boating.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
rslifkin
Guru
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2019
- Messages
- 7,641
- Location
- USA
- Vessel Name
- Hour Glass
- Vessel Make
- Chris Craft 381 Catalina
That's a little different. He was spraying water with the jetski far more than making a big wake. A wake big enough to redirect the burning boat would likely have been big enough to risk damage to dozens of surrounding boats and injury to anyone on those docks.
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2014
- Messages
- 4,195
- Location
- USA
- Vessel Name
- N/A
- Vessel Make
- 1999 Mainship 350 Trawler
Fire crew arrives on scene at 10:10 (in video)
Fire Boat arrives on scene at 18:00 (in video)
lwarden
Guru
My point was more that due to the quick thinking of a good Samaritan on the jet ski further damage to the dock and nearby boats close by was avoided. And in the process of spraying the boat he created a wake which would otherwise be illegal.
We can agree to disagree on how effective the wake of a smaller boat would be, but the boat that burned was only 20' so not real difficult to move a bit with a modest wake from a power boat of similar size. At least it could be tried. And I would expect the owners of the boats that burned would have rather had some dock rash from a wake than what ultimately happened.
We can agree to disagree on how effective the wake of a smaller boat would be, but the boat that burned was only 20' so not real difficult to move a bit with a modest wake from a power boat of similar size. At least it could be tried. And I would expect the owners of the boats that burned would have rather had some dock rash from a wake than what ultimately happened.
BrianG
Senior Member
Who was that masked man?
He didn't say appalling comments. He said appalling response. Appalling that no one did anything I assume is what he was saying.
sunchaser
Guru
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2008
- Messages
- 10,206
- Location
- usa
- Vessel Name
- sunchaser V
- Vessel Make
- DeFever 48 (sold)
In terms of boat fires in tight spaces it would seem all got away pretty well. At our marina in BC annual professional fire fighting practice occurs. Response time to our specific dock area is about 10 minutes at best.
One of the station house heads is a past boat yard manager. He really knows his stuff. Marina fires in and around Sidney BC are one of their top concerns and they train diligently for it. We've had two serious marina area fires in the past decade. Unfortunately, good hands on experience for the fire crews.
One of the station house heads is a past boat yard manager. He really knows his stuff. Marina fires in and around Sidney BC are one of their top concerns and they train diligently for it. We've had two serious marina area fires in the past decade. Unfortunately, good hands on experience for the fire crews.
twistedtree
Guru
In Gloucester, which is a relatively active port, there is no fire boat. There is no patrol boat. The harbor master has a boat, but no fire pump. There is a police boat, and it does have a fire pump. But it is only out on busy summer weekend days. That's it. And there's really only one officer (a friend of mine) who knows how to operate it. A couple others sort of do, but I wouldn't want to count of them. Any fire department response will be from shore, just like it was in Stamford.
If there were a fire and the police boat was needed, it might get to the scene within 20-30 min, but only if the officer who knows how to use it was already on duty. He would have to drive from wherever he is to the marina where it's stored. get it fired up and under way, then make it to where the fire is. If he wasn't on duty, it might never happen, depending on whether or not he can get called in.
In contrast I spent a bunch of time in Dana Point in CA a few years ago, and was surprised to see how many "official" boats there were. Country Sheriff, Harbor patrol, Police, and probably the fire department too. Everyone gets a boat, and there are always a couple of people cruising back and forth in one or more of them. All I could think was "wow, what a waste of tax payer money".
If there were a fire and the police boat was needed, it might get to the scene within 20-30 min, but only if the officer who knows how to use it was already on duty. He would have to drive from wherever he is to the marina where it's stored. get it fired up and under way, then make it to where the fire is. If he wasn't on duty, it might never happen, depending on whether or not he can get called in.
In contrast I spent a bunch of time in Dana Point in CA a few years ago, and was surprised to see how many "official" boats there were. Country Sheriff, Harbor patrol, Police, and probably the fire department too. Everyone gets a boat, and there are always a couple of people cruising back and forth in one or more of them. All I could think was "wow, what a waste of tax payer money".
psneeld
Guru
I would love to know the real number....not just many....I just scanned Youtube and I saw maybe 5 examples.
Water doesn't always work...and like pointed out putting out a fire with water spray from anything is different than moving a boat with wakes.
The last couple boat fires I worked, foam or extinguishers did the trick...water not so much.
If fire has reached the bilge and fuel is present...all warter does below deck is spread the fire unless lucky enough to get one, giant smothering spray.
Last edited:
rslifkin
Guru
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2019
- Messages
- 7,641
- Location
- USA
- Vessel Name
- Hour Glass
- Vessel Make
- Chris Craft 381 Catalina
In my mind, if I know I can do something to help without putting myself or my boat in any real danger, I'll do it. But if there's any significant risk to me or I'm unsure that I can help, better to stand back, not make things worse, and stay out of the way of those better equipped.
The best opportunity was likely before anything we saw in the video, the moment it was cut or pushed away from where the fire started. I don't know whether anchors or chains or guiding through poles or wakes or hatchet or other means of even sinking were options without seeing and knowing more. I only assume no fire equipment on the docks themselves.
By the time the small boat approached it, the heat was extreme. The step of removing it from the dock where it was initially was the correct first step but needed to be accompanied by "what next" as in how to keep away from other docks.
Ultimately, no loss of life, no injuries, it's a win.
By the time the small boat approached it, the heat was extreme. The step of removing it from the dock where it was initially was the correct first step but needed to be accompanied by "what next" as in how to keep away from other docks.
Ultimately, no loss of life, no injuries, it's a win.
sdowney717
Guru
- Joined
- Jan 26, 2016
- Messages
- 2,264
- Location
- United States
- Vessel Name
- Old Glory
- Vessel Make
- 1970 Egg Harbor 37 extended salon model
It was interesting seeing how fast that center console boat got going when the boat on fire sidled into it, not sure if a wood boat would catch fire as fast.
Once fiberglass starts burning becomes like solid gasoline but not explosive. Not any safety in glass boats versus wood boats regarding fire. FG or wood hulls may burn to the waterline.
Another view of this fire
Once fiberglass starts burning becomes like solid gasoline but not explosive. Not any safety in glass boats versus wood boats regarding fire. FG or wood hulls may burn to the waterline.
Another view of this fire
High Wire
Guru
A few guesses...
The 911 call probably came from the fuel dock where the fire started.
The fire co appears to have responded to the fuel dock. you can't see what was going on over the gas dock side.
Before the fire co arrival, the boat was cast adrift. So the fire co had to redirect to the other shore. That means dispatching another fire station and more time. Its not every day the fire call is a moving target but it happens, hence a few more minutes until personnel arrived at the final dock.
Throwing an anchor and chain and towing it or anchoring it. That's something a trained boat crew could attempt. 1 in 1000 average rec boats might have something that wouldn't melt through the poly line and be light enough to throw. A throwable anchor with more than 6 feet of chain? No rec boat carries that.
The original boat was not going to be extinguished without fire fighting foam, or sinking the boat.
The 911 call probably came from the fuel dock where the fire started.
The fire co appears to have responded to the fuel dock. you can't see what was going on over the gas dock side.
Before the fire co arrival, the boat was cast adrift. So the fire co had to redirect to the other shore. That means dispatching another fire station and more time. Its not every day the fire call is a moving target but it happens, hence a few more minutes until personnel arrived at the final dock.
Throwing an anchor and chain and towing it or anchoring it. That's something a trained boat crew could attempt. 1 in 1000 average rec boats might have something that wouldn't melt through the poly line and be light enough to throw. A throwable anchor with more than 6 feet of chain? No rec boat carries that.
The original boat was not going to be extinguished without fire fighting foam, or sinking the boat.
Last edited:
BrianG
Senior Member
Wise words. A lot of energy in that fire. Getting burned alive is not real fun. It happens fast too.
rslifkin
Guru
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2019
- Messages
- 7,641
- Location
- USA
- Vessel Name
- Hour Glass
- Vessel Make
- Chris Craft 381 Catalina
On the dragging a boat away thing, I wonder... Is there any kind of line that would take a long time to burn (or not burn), but is still reasonably light? If so, it might be handy to keep some kind of grapple with a length of such line around. This is probably the least likely use case for it, but I'm sure there are other times it would come in handy.
