Smoke Filled Boat

[Peter R]

On my last boat a previous owner had rivetted the coolie hat supports to the chimney. I keep meaning to do the same to my present one (primarily so the coolie hat stops blowing off!), but I guess it might also serve the double purpose of stoping anyone stuffing anything of significant size down the chimney!

 

Peter

[BlueStringPudding]

On my last boat a previous owner had rivetted the coolie hat supports to the chimney. I keep meaning to do the same to my present one (primarily so the coolie hat stops blowing off!), but I guess it might also serve the double purpose of stoping anyone stuffing anything of significant size down the chimney!Peter

We have a cooli hat too but don't use it as we have no access to a rivet gun. And although it'd stop a bottle going down the chimney, anything can still be wedged in there if someone so inclines...

BSP were you moored by Sainsbury's in Kidderminster recently? If so, did you stay overnight, and did you have any probs there?

No - not been out that way.

[onthecut]

We have a cooli hat too but don't use it as we have no access to a rivet gun. And although it'd stop a bottle going down the chimney, anything can still be wedged in there if someone so inclines...No - not been out that way.

 

Don't have to be rivetted --- just drilled three holes and used self tapping screws with ours. If you were trying to push stuff past a coolie there's a significant chance of getting your hands dirty. As this might then lead to dirty marks on your ever so cool clothing, I suspect it would be more than enough to deter most of the prats. Must admit that I'd never considered the coolie as an anti vandal device 'til now.

 

Mike.

[BlueStringPudding]

Don't have to be rivetted --- just drilled three holes and used self tapping screws with ours. If you were trying to push stuff past a coolie there's a significant chance of getting your hands dirty. As this might then lead to dirty marks on your ever so cool clothing, I suspect it would be more than enough to deter most of the prats. Must admit that I'd never considered the coolie as an anti vandal device 'til now.

 

Mike.

 

Ok - might have a go at drilling it with my slightly grumpy but faithful friend: Black & Decker Quattro!

[WJM]

One smoke alarm, now upgrading to two - are you mad?!

 

These things cost about £5 and save lives! I have a whole row of them along the boat - mostly little tiny ones so they dont look too ugly.

 

 

 

You dont need to rivet the hat on - it is too hot to touch anyway!

Edited January 29, 2008 by WJM

[Sir Nibble]

One smoke alarm, now upgrading to two - are you mad?!

 

These things cost about £5 and save lives! I have a whole row of them along the boat - mostly little tiny ones so they dont look too ugly.

You dont need to rivet the hat on - it is too hot to touch anyway!

I understand where you are coming from but I simply won't have a smoke alarm. They cry wolf too much and I cannot be doing with living my life in a cacophony of electronic howling 'cos someone a mile away is having toast.

[WJM]

Sounds to me you have had a bad, but entirely untypical experience, perhaps dating back to when smoke alarms first came out and they were very unreliable. The only triggering I ever get with mine is when either someone has burned toast, or strong wind has blown smoke back down the chimney (rare) and I really want to know about both of these.

 

Try a new one, it might save your life.

[ChrisPy]

have you tried the new generation optical ones, as suggested by Rob @ BSS ?

[Sir Nibble]

I accept the arguments, but it is not just old ones. If I were to evacuate the building and dial 999 every time my smoke alarm triggers I would have an injunction on me quicker than you could say "False alarm".

[bottle]

Hi Snibbs

 

I think you are talking about your work place, if so it may well be the processes that are causing the problem, maybe a call to the local Fire Prevention Officer may help.

 

If I am talking out of my 'ass' please ignore me.

[tosher]

I accept the arguments, but it is not just old ones. If I were to evacuate the building and dial 999 every time my smoke alarm triggers I would have an injunction on me quicker than you could say "False alarm".

 

Come on "snibble" keep yourself safe. look at www.diconsafety.co.uk I've had two of these installed for almost a year now without a single false alarm. They were given free of charge by the Cheshire Fire Brigade when they did a free inspection of the boats in our area. The only time it goes off is when swmbo's cooking gets out of control and fills the kitchen with smoke!

[Sir Nibble]

Hi Snibbs

 

I think you are talking about your work place, if so it may well be the processes that are causing the problem, maybe a call to the local Fire Prevention Officer may help.

 

If I am talking out of my 'ass' please ignore me.

No, at home.

Come on "snibble" keep yourself safe. look at www.diconsafety.co.uk I've had two of these installed for almost a year now without a single false alarm. They were given free of charge by the Cheshire Fire Brigade when they did a free inspection of the boats in our area. The only time it goes off is when swmbo's cooking gets out of control and fills the kitchen with smoke!

Ok, thanks, I shall contact my local fire brigade. I don't want to be a fool about this, I just get fed up when stuff doesn't do what it says on the tin.

[BlueStringPudding]

Both of ours are optical. Bought them as a pair but couldn't persuade the second one to go up (trying to reuse previous owner's holes in the ceiling as it's a thick plastic stuff and my drill refuses to go through it). But when we couldn't get it up there, it got stashed in a cupboard to be done later. That was months ago! Naughty us. Lesson learned.

 

Our other smoke alarm is very good at detecting Kev's grilling and/or reheating antics. But was simply at the wrong end of the boat for the stove incident at the weekend. Surprised the CO detector didn't pick anything up though, as it's right outside the bedroom. And as mentioned before, it's gone off in the past when we left a pan of smoulderign ashes in the back cabin.

[WJM]

There are people in the world who say wearing a seatbelt in a car is dangerous. I know one. He once crashed and was flung out of the car and hobbled away. His argument is that if he had been held in the car he would have been killed. The devil can quote scripture, common sense is a constant.

 

Look at Johnny marching along in time, why is everyone else out of step?

[JohnO]

There are people in the world who say wearing a seatbelt in a car is dangerous.

I was told many years ago by a Policeman if you crash at 60 mph or faster into a stationary object your selt belt will kill you. He did tell me the mechanics of body and seatbelt but I forget now.

[BlueStringPudding]

Fortunately we have no seat belts on the boat; even if we did they're unlikely to have helped us with the smoke; and the only chance our boat has of reaching 60mph is vertically down Niagra Falls.

[denboy]

There are people in the world who say wearing a seatbelt in a car is dangerous. I know one. He once crashed and was flung out of the car and hobbled away. His argument is that if he had been held in the car he would have been killed. The devil can quote scripture, common sense is a constant.

 

Look at Johnny marching along in time, why is everyone else out of step?

was the first person at an accident in germany car hit a tree side on driver was cut in half by the seat belt went to the inquest ,,verdict if he wasnt wearing the belt he`d still be alive,memory is still with me

[WJM]

"if you crash at 60 mph or faster into a stationary object your selt belt will kill you"

 

Yes - about a micro-second before the steering wheel, dashboard and windscreen would have finished you off without it!

 

 

 

"cut in half by the seat belt"

 

If there was enough energy in the equation to cut a human body in half using a 2" nylon strap then I think the dashboard, door, side window, tree would have made a right mess too!

[bottle]

If anyone dies in a Road Traffic Incident, then it is not the seat belt that killed them it is the forces involved in the impact.

[NB Phoenix]

If anyone dies in a Road Traffic Incident, then it is not the seat belt that killed them it is the forces involved in the impact.

 

This is a slow motion, split second reconstruction of what happens when a car traveling at 55 mph, crashes into a solid, immovable tree;

 

1/10th OF A SECOND: The front bumper and chromium radiator grille collapse. Slivers of steel penetrate the tree to depths of one and a half inches and more.

 

2/10th : The bonnet crumples as it rises, smashing into the windscreen. Spinning rear wheels leave the ground. The radiator disintegrates. The wings come into contact with the tree, forcing the rear pads to splay out over the front door.

In the same second tenth of a second: The heavy structural members of the car begin to act as a brake on the terrific forward momentum of the body, but the drivers body continues to move forward at the vehicles original speed. This means of force of 10 times gravity his body weight 3200. His legs, ramrod-straight, snap at the knee joint.

 

3/10th : The driver's body is now off the seat, torso upright, broken knees pressing against the dashboard. The plastic and steel frame of the steering wheel begins to bend under his terrible death grip. His head is now near the sun visor, his chest above the steering column.

 

4/10th : The cars front 24 inches have been completely demolished, but the rear end is still travelling at an estimated speed of 35 miles per hour. The driver's body is still travelling at 55 MPH. The engine block crushes into the tree. The rear of the car, like a bucking horse, rises high enough to scrape bark of low branches.

 

5/10th : The driver's fear frozen hands bend the steering column into an almost vertical position. The force of gravity impales him on the steering column. Jagged steel punctures lung and intercostal arteries. Blood spurts into the lung.

 

6/10th : So great is the force of impact that the driver's feet are ripped from his tightly laced shoes. The brake pedal sheers at the floorboards. The chassis bends in the middle. The driver's head smashes into the windscreen. The rear of the car begins its downward fall, with spinning wheels digging into the ground.

 

7/10th : The entire, writhing body of the car is forced out of shape. Hinges tear. Doors spring open. In one last convulsion the seat rams forward, pinning the driver against the cruel steel of the steering column. Blood leaps from his mouth. Shock has frozen his heart. He is now dead.

 

 

TIME ELAPSED - SEVEN TENTHS OF ONE SECOND

 

 

Makes 4 mph seem much safer.

[WJM]

8/10th - Insurance company find a non-compliance and so avoid paying out.

[NB Phoenix]

8/10th - Insurance company find a non-compliance and so avoid paying out.

 

Wow..... It takes them that long?

[BlueStringPudding]

This is a slow motion, split second reconstruction of what happens when a car traveling at 55 mph, crashes into a solid, immovable tree;

 

1/10th OF A SECOND: The front bumper and chromium radiator grille collapse. Slivers of steel penetrate the tree to depths of one and a half inches and more.

 

2/10th : The bonnet crumples as it rises, smashing into the windscreen. Spinning rear wheels leave the ground. The radiator disintegrates. The wings come into contact with the tree, forcing the rear pads to splay out over the front door.

In the same second tenth of a second: The heavy structural members of the car begin to act as a brake on the terrific forward momentum of the body, but the drivers body continues to move forward at the vehicles original speed. This means of force of 10 times gravity his body weight 3200. His legs, ramrod-straight, snap at the knee joint.

 

3/10th : The driver's body is now off the seat, torso upright, broken knees pressing against the dashboard. The plastic and steel frame of the steering wheel begins to bend under his terrible death grip. His head is now near the sun visor, his chest above the steering column.

 

4/10th : The cars front 24 inches have been completely demolished, but the rear end is still travelling at an estimated speed of 35 miles per hour. The driver's body is still travelling at 55 MPH. The engine block crushes into the tree. The rear of the car, like a bucking horse, rises high enough to scrape bark of low branches.

 

5/10th : The driver's fear frozen hands bend the steering column into an almost vertical position. The force of gravity impales him on the steering column. Jagged steel punctures lung and intercostal arteries. Blood spurts into the lung.

 

6/10th : So great is the force of impact that the driver's feet are ripped from his tightly laced shoes. The brake pedal sheers at the floorboards. The chassis bends in the middle. The driver's head smashes into the windscreen. The rear of the car begins its downward fall, with spinning wheels digging into the ground.

 

7/10th : The entire, writhing body of the car is forced out of shape. Hinges tear. Doors spring open. In one last convulsion the seat rams forward, pinning the driver against the cruel steel of the steering column. Blood leaps from his mouth. Shock has frozen his heart. He is now dead.

TIME ELAPSED - SEVEN TENTHS OF ONE SECOND

Makes 4 mph seem much safer.

 

Perhaps a tad prosey for my liking ("cruel steel") but hey - a good point well put.

 

Incidentally, my chimney is fine.

[JohnO]

BSP, what chimney! sorry we were busy flying narrowboats and crashing cars, more importantly you are fine at least you still have your sense of humour. I have seen a boat before with chicken mesh in the gap between the hat and the chimney, wondered why now I think I know. Before now I have locked a boat up and walked away realising there is a fair sized hole in the cabin roof and five other smaller holes dotted along the top and wondered what someone could deposit in said holes. One good reason not to overstay on a water point. Back on topic the Road Traffic Officer explained in Phoenixque? graphic detail how a bone or vein still cant remember, gets pushed up and back so if the steering wheel, column, windscreen, shards of plastic fascia, airbag? where did that come from dont kill ya the seat belt will.

hmm... smilies wont work, misinterpret at will.

[Radiomariner]

Glad you are still alive BSP. The people who did this to you were probably not "evil" but considered thier actions to be merely a harmless prank, and ever so funny! Drunk Yobs are incapable of sensible thought let alone considering the consequences of their "hilarious" antics!

Our problem today is to find some way of installing a sense of responsability and thoughtfuloness into these people. I blame the parents myself. The upbringing of a large portion of our younger generation (Some of them now into their thirties) left a lot to be desired. Somewhere along the line of time parents stopped taking responsability for the upkeep of their offspring.(Both parents working) Schoolteachers found themselves forbidden to chastise kids in the time proven fashion. They also were made to meet scholastic/and financial targets therefore the less fortunate kids ended up in poorer teaching establishments, with less caring teachers. The kids now see the elder kids as their mentors rather than their parents or teachers. .

Even if these problems are sorted for todays toddlers, (some way to go yet), the present generation has to filter through our society.

It is a difficult problem to overcome.

 

As for fire alarms. My alarm operates frequently while cooking. I accept it as a fact of life and am grateful that the alarm has been tested successfully in it's entirety.

 

Now I have not searched the net but I believe there are fire sensors with timers for use in kitcher areas. Press a button and the timer is desensitised for a pre-set period of time thus overcoming the problem of fortetting to switch it on again.

 

I think the coolie hat is a good idea.

 

Regards

Edited January 30, 2008 by Radiomariner