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Fires on boats


Starcoaster

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Years ago on a hire boat I was driving the alternator caught fire. Actual flames. I wouldn't have thought this possible - what is there in an alternator to burn?

 

 

Insulation, plastic, encapsulation around the field windings, paint, oil & dust, grease in the bearings, lost of things burn.

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Ok so maybe the simple answer to this is 'do not browse boatwrecks.com just before bed if you want to sleep' but I have to ask!

 

It may just be my perception, but fires on boats seems to be a much more common occurance than fires in houses.

Am I correct in thinking this? If so, why is it the case?

 

And apart from the obvious like having an up to date BSS and not falling asleep with a fag in your hand, are there any reasonable measures that can be taken to minimise the risk?

 

 

I have no wish to make you more worried, especially as fires on boats are rare but I think you were coming to the conclusion that a GRP boat may be the one for you. If so please factor into your decision that a fire on a GRP boat is likely to be far worse than on a steel boat. A GRP boat will completely burn to the waterline and it makes horrible black smoke. It also burns fast.

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Well many more percentage of boats of real fires than houses as well though! My guess is that most of the fires are due to the solid fuel stove (I have no evidence to back this up). The causes may be mainly due to the stove been to near to flammable items.

 

A higher proprtion of boats than houses have stoves. Stoves on boats are more likely to be installed close to wooden 'walls' (with or without adequate fire protection). In the restricted space available on a boat a stove is likely to be installed closer to the 'wall'. On a boat other combustible materials (curtains, shelving, books, furniture, logs etc.) are likely to be closer to the stove.

 

 

I have no wish to make you more worried, especially as fires on boats are rare but I think you were coming to the conclusion that a GRP boat may be the one for you. If so please factor into your decision that a fire on a GRP boat is likely to be far worse than on a steel boat. A GRP boat will completely burn to the waterline and it makes horrible black smoke. It also burns fast.

 

It may be a different outcome for the boat. But if you are unlucky enough to be in a boat which catches fire, then you need to be out before the difference between the fire performance of a steel boat and a GRP boat becomes an issue. And that is back to smoke/fire alarms and the availability of exit routes.

 

David

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Did you notice fires cause by faulty electrics has increased over the years as well as petrol

Both or greater than fire caused by stoves , so I think as there is many ways a fire can start , the first thing to make sure is we have at least two fire alarms\ co2 alarms

Edited by davidc
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I guess really I want to know if there's a legitimate cause of fires being more common on boats, or if that is just my misperception...

If it's just a case of be careful if you smoke or use candles and don't leave the hob on, then thats fine because it's the sme as at home.

But if it's more vulnerable to fire due to the electrics or stove... I dunno, it's not going to stop me, but I'd like to know. Forewarned being forearmed, and all that.

Edited by Starcoaster
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I am interested in this thread too Starcoaster as I am in a similar position - thinking of buying a GRP and the thought of all that petrol makes me a tad nervous, I certainly would not want a stove on a boat - I have even seen one advertised on a GRP !

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I am interested in this thread too Starcoaster as I am in a similar position - thinking of buying a GRP and the thought of all that petrol makes me a tad nervous, I certainly would not want a stove on a boat - I have even seen one advertised on a GRP !

What do you consider a safe way of heating a boat?

Sue

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I guess really I want to know if there's a legitimate cause of fires being more common on boats, or if that is just my misperception...

If it's just a case of be careful if you smoke or use candles and don't leave the hob on, then thats fine because it's the sme as at home.

But if it's more vulnerable to fire due to the electrics or stove... I dunno, it's not going to stop me, but I'd like to know. Forewarned being forearmed, and all that.

 

I will stick my head out, fires on boats are no more likely to happen than in a house, if you take all the same precautions.

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I have been thinking of looking for glazed bricks to line the side of the boat behind the stove. Some old pubs and buildings where very colourful. Some gas stoves have plain round knobs which when they wear it is difficult to see if they are on or off and that can lead to gas spill.

Edited by The Bagdad Boatman (waits)
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I guess really I want to know if there's a legitimate cause of fires being more common on boats, or if that is just my misperception...

If it's just a case of be careful if you smoke or use candles and don't leave the hob on, then thats fine because it's the sme as at home.

But if it's more vulnerable to fire due to the electrics or stove... I dunno, it's not going to stop me, but I'd like to know. Forewarned being forearmed, and all that.

 

 

 

Fire on boats have the same causes as fire in house

 

The owner

 

As long as you maintain both correctly and fireproof around stoves

And are carefully with naked flames

And watch chip pans

That only leaves acts of god (if you are so inclined to blame him)

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I will stick my head out, fires on boats are no more likely to happen than in a house, if you take all the same precautions.

 

Of course it's easier to get "faulty" electrics on a boat, it's not the best environment for electrics with vibration, heat (if in engine space), etc. all of which you don't get in a house.

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I would have thought there is more chance of fire on a boat.

 

LPG gas on a craft with vibration

Solid fuel stoves are more common than in houses (often badly or incorrectly fitted)

DIY electricity

Petrol generators

 

You seem to get less instances of fires because there are fewer liveaboard boats than houses.

 

If you adjusted the statistics to take this into account, I suspect boats would have the higher frequency of fires.

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Eeps. Well my new boat (that I have not yet got) has a stove on it, which I actually love the idea of. I assume it is of the correct and safe dimensions as the boat just passed it's BSS.

Is ther eanything I can do to make sure I minimise the risk of using it? (I don't actually know how to use it at all yet!) Also can I buy just a regular house smoke alarm, or are they not suitable for boats?

 

Thank you!

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Eeps. Well my new boat (that I have not yet got) has a stove on it, which I actually love the idea of. I assume it is of the correct and safe dimensions as the boat just passed it's BSS.

Is ther eanything I can do to make sure I minimise the risk of using it? (I don't actually know how to use it at all yet!) Also can I buy just a regular house smoke alarm, or are they not suitable for boats?

 

Thank you!

 

 

I would check your stove surrounds and make sure that between the tiles and the carcass of the boat I had fire resistive product similar to

 

http://www.enviroboards.co.uk/index.html

 

There was a good article in the may issue of waterways world on BSS code of practise for stove installations.

 

http://www.waterwaysworld.com/index.html

 

My understanding is the new BSS code of practise for solid fuel stoves is only for new installation of stoves and does not cover any old installations.

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Eeps. Well my new boat (that I have not yet got) has a stove on it, which I actually love the idea of. I assume it is of the correct and safe dimensions as the boat just passed it's BSS.

Is ther eanything I can do to make sure I minimise the risk of using it? (I don't actually know how to use it at all yet!) Also can I buy just a regular house smoke alarm, or are they not suitable for boats?

 

Thank you!

 

I don't think there is a smoke alarm designed specifically for boats. A smoke alarm is a smoke alarm is a smoke alarm. Just don't install it next to your cooker. The best place for it is in the centre of the ceiling just outside your bedroom door

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My advice is to be VERY careful who you choose as your partner! A psychotic, control freak with arsonist tendencies is not the best choice when living together on a boat !!!

 

If it's my boat my partner will just have to put up with me :blink:

 

On a more serious note, I was a little surprised in reading this thread, so it seems to me that if you buy a boat & intend to use the stove it's a good idea to pull off the tiles & see whats behind whether is got a BSS or not. This is something I wouldnt have thought about. Up until now I just assumed these things were built properly & thats why they are on a raised hearth with surrounding tiles.

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If it's my boat my partner will just have to put up with me :blink:

 

On a more serious note, I was a little surprised in reading this thread, so it seems to me that if you buy a boat & intend to use the stove it's a good idea to pull off the tiles & see whats behind whether is got a BSS or not. This is something I wouldnt have thought about. Up until now I just assumed these things were built properly & thats why they are on a raised hearth with surrounding tiles.

 

The code of practise only covers new stoves installed after March 2011

Shortest distance from the back of the stove to the heat shield is now 95mm

And it further recommends that stoves should not be installed next to stepped entrances

 

There was a good article in the may issue of waterways world on BSS code of practise for stove installations.

Called is your stove safe.

 

 

http://www.waterways....com/index.html

Edited by davidc
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I can't remember who it was on here, but one member found scorched wood behind the tiles because their stove hadn't been fitted properly.

 

The BSS covers a lot of common sense points, but it also doesn't go far enough (IMHO) in a number of areas.

 

Stoves was one of these areas. Mains electricity is still another - any numpty can wire a boat up for mains and the surveyor won't even check it because its not covered by the BSS requirements.

 

I believe it is intended that this will get addressed in the future.

 

On a more serious note, I was a little surprised in reading this thread, so it seems to me that if you buy a boat & intend to use the stove it's a good idea to pull off the tiles & see whats behind whether is got a BSS or not. This is something I wouldnt have thought about. Up until now I just assumed these things were built properly & thats why they are on a raised hearth with surrounding tiles.

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I can't remember who it was on here, but one member found scorched wood behind the tiles because their stove hadn't been fitted properly.

 

The BSS covers a lot of common sense points, but it also doesn't go far enough (IMHO) in a number of areas.

 

Stoves was one of these areas. Mains electricity is still another - any numpty can wire a boat up for mains and the surveyor won't even check it because its not covered by the BSS requirements.

 

I believe it is intended that this will get addressed in the future.

 

 

 

 

BSS examiners are very aware of the danger of pyrolysis behind tiles close to stoves. However, they are not able to break up the boat to inspect things and all he can do is inspect for signs of scorching or other heat damage. If I were to suspect there was a possibility of pyrolysis I would advise the owner of my suspicions and explain the consequences. If a tile falls off oxygen gets to the affected wood (charcoal) which will instantly ighite. It is then the owners responsibility to check it out and make it safe.(You can be sure that I have done so will be filed in my report.) If I am say 99% certain that the wood behind the tiles are affected I will kindly ask the owner if he would mind removing a tile and hope that if I am wrong that he/she is very understanding.

 

There are changes on the way for both Solid Fuel Stoves and Electrics but probably not as stringent as some would like and probably advisory only( And there will probably be some that oppose the changes. Indeed as we know there are many that totally oppose the BSS Examinations completely.)

 

Edited to add clicky http://www.soliftec.com/Boat%20Stoves%201-page.pdf

Edited by Radiomariner
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We have a convector shield fitted on our Squirrel which greatly reduces the radiated heat reaching the tiled wall. Instead there are two thin metal plates on the stove sides and back which are heated first and also increase the heated surface are over which air circulates

 

DSC01465.jpg

 

Mick

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