Fire Extinguishers for Your Boat and Trailer
Published: Sunday, April 11, 2021
By: John Tiger
Don't have a proper fire extinguisher aboard your boat? You're playing with… well, you know. The US Coast Guard website (www.uscg.mil) says that onboard fires have been the second leading cause of commercial fishing vessel losses from 1994 to 2004. If you need any further reason why you should have one, know that professional boat racers are required to have two; one aboard and one on the trailer in case of fire on dry land. Fire onboard is serious stuff; there's nowhere to go but overboard, and that's a whole 'nother problem.
What does the Coast Guard say? They're the gold standard for safety recommendations and regulations, so it pays to check out the regs for extinguishers. Find recreational boating regulation at www.uscgboating.org. There’s a link under the site’s “About” menu for “Frequently Asked Questions.” In there, the first question is regarding life jacket safety but the link provided actually covers everything a recreational boater would want to know regarding federal regulation. Since it’s too long to reprint, here are some pieces you should know:
Different Types of Fires and What Puts Them Out
Class “A” fire:
Includes ordinary combustibles such as wood, paper, cloth, trash, etc... The best extinguishing agents for an "A" fire are water or chemical foam.
Class "B" fire:
Involves flammable or combustible liquids. The best extinguishing agents for a "B" fire are carbon dioxide, dry chemical, or aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF).
Class "C" fire:
Involves electrical equipment. The preferred extinguishing agent is carbon dioxide. Dry chemicals can be used.
Class "D" fire:
Involves combustible metals like magnesium. The best extinguishing agent is a dry powder suitable for the metal involved. This class of fire is not likely on a fishing vessel.
So, What Extinguisher Do You Get?
Fire extinguishers are classified by a letter and number symbol. The letter indicates the type of fire (A, B, C, or D) it is designed to extinguish, and the number (I - V) indicates the extinguisher's size. The higher the number, the larger the extinguisher. Sizes I and II are hand-portable and sizes III, IV, and V are semi-portable.
Regardless, all extinguishers used on boats must be CG-Approved and rated for marine use. Boats less than 26' long must have at least one B-1 extinguisher in place; for boats, 26-40 feet, two of these. Boats larger than 40' but less than 65' must have three.
Kidde is perhaps the most well-known supplier of marine extinguishers, and they provide units in many sizes and applications. Their Mariner 5 extinguisher is a popular Class B/C unit with a charge indicator gauge and mounting strap/bracket. The Mariner 110 unit is rated for Class A/B/C fires and also comes with a gauge and bracket. Both are USCG approved for use on boats and come with six-year warranties. Most marine stores, websites, and even many home stores carry these units. They're inexpensive enough—the typical Mariner 5 price is around $30 and the 110 goes for about $33—to keep a couple on board and even one mounted to the trailer.
Maintenance
Mounting-wise, be sure to put the extinguisher in a place that's not just readily accessible but also easy to view the gauge and check the unit's condition. Check it often to ensure that the gauge needle is in the "green" range, that the unit isn't damaged, dented, rusty, or leaking, and that the bracket remains mounted securely. Make sure the operating lever and nozzle are unobstructed and that the information tag and operating instructions are in clear sight.
Hopefully, you'll never have to use it.
A version of this article appeared in the Spring Issue (Mar/Apr) 2021 of Great Lakes Scuttlebutt magazine.
tags: Boating 101, safety
