Even when traveling on water, none of us should underestimate the danger of accidents caused by fire. They can come from a simple short-circuit in the electrical system, oil leaks in the vessel’s fuel tank or the carelessness of passengers on board while having fun.
Hence, it is necessary to educate people about fire safety precautions when commuting on boats in order to prevent those hazardous incidents. As a result, the answer for “Who is responsible for explaining fire safety procedures to passengers on a boat?” is crucial for everyone who aims to travel by craft in the future.
Eventually, the boat’s operator will be the one who explains these procedures of putting out the fire on their vessel if it ever occurs. Still, there are many other elements that boaters need to pay attention to for maintaining the safety of passengers while dealing with a fire on board and we will cover all of them in this post under these categories.
Furthermore, other tips and notices on ways to identify fire on vessels will also be highlighted so that boaters can reduce the damages caused by these dangerous collisions. Continue reading to learn more!
Table of Contents
What Are the Main Causes of Fire on Boats
Before understanding the procedures of fire precautions, boaters and passengers need to be aware of factors that may cause boat fires to recognize and prevent them as quickly as possible. Here is the list of potential causes of fire on board:
1. Overload electrical motor – 20%
When there is a significant rise in the throttle preset, it indicates that the vessel’s engine is under excessive stress. This condition results in an overheated motor, which might create a fire if not handled promptly.
Overheated engines have been blamed for hundreds of watercraft fires. In fact, this factor is in charge of 20% of total boat fire cases. To avoid this, you must change your vessel’s impeller yearly. Another preventative measure is grounding your craft by attaching ground wires to the battery.
2. Off-boat wiring threats – 26%
A wire harness is installed on your yacht for a variety of reasons. The most important is to shield the vessel’s electrical system and other elements. However, most boat fires are attributed to inadequate electrical harnesses, with 26% of cases caused by this reason.
3. DC electrical appliance components – 15%
Some yachts now include the luxury and accessibility of a contemporary house. You could be one of those people who has a stove, water heater, microwave, refrigerator, and air conditioner on their houseboat.
Regardless of how convenient they are, these devices are actually the ones that trigger about 15% of boat fire incidents on the ocean. It is not illegal to place them inside your yacht. However, be certain that they are made of marine-grade materials.
4. Marine battery problems – 8%
This piece of equipment is part of the vessel’s ignition system. It is crucial in allowing the current produced by the batteries to reach the starter as well as the alternator. Hence, this is the procedure that starts the engine.
According to studies, defective or incorrectly placed battery wires cause a large number of boat fires each year. In this regard, you should be tempted to check the capacity of your craft’s battery before utilizing it.
How to Prevent Fires on Vessels
There are several precautions you may take to lessen the possibility of your vessel catching fire. Let’s go through some of these methods.
1. CO detector
Carbon monoxide is considered one of the most deadly gasses since it may kill you fast. This chemical is plentiful after a fire has started in your boat. As a result, you should install a CO sensor in your watercraft.
2. Gas cylinder’s risks while cooking
Keep the gas cylinder apart from the petrol tank, boat motor, and cooking stoves on your deck. Cooking on boats might be dangerous. Therefore, as a result, we would advise you to always keep an eye on the oven. If at all feasible, remove the built-in igniters.
3. Smoke alarm
This is a typical fire-fighting gadget. This electrical gadget should be installed in your vessel’s enclosed spaces. When the gadget detects the presence of any type of smoke, it emits a loud sound, urging all passengers onboard and saving them.
Fires Safety Processes for Passengers
After acknowledging the reasons behind those deadly boat fires and ways to avoid them, you may wonder what you should do as a boater if your vessel experiences a similar situation. Joy can only be fulfilled when both operators and passengers know some basic regulations about fire safety that I will compile under this section, so make sure you and people on board don’t miss anything:
- Explain to passengers safety spots on the boat such as where they should sit or place they shall move to when there is fire, as well as dangerous positions that easily catch fire.
- Provide all passengers with US Coast Guard-qualified lifejackets and explain when these equipment should be used. Also, instruct people how to put on a lifejacket and highlight the importance of wearing PFDs when traveling by watercraft.
- Tell people where PFD, fire extinguishers, anchors, manual propelling devices, first aid kits, visual signs, and water pumps or bailers are located.
- Discuss with your passengers about these fire precautions before departing. If it is possible, do an emergency simulation so that all guests understand what they need to do in the case of a fire.
For more information and illustration, check out this video:
Conclusion
As a vessel operator, you must remember the crucial points outlined in this article in order to prevent fires and know what to do if one occurs. Consider fire safety as a part of your maintenance routine.
Moreover, you should try your best to keep your boat & gadgets in excellent working order. Before sailing, inspect anything that might catch fire. If you are well-versed in fire protection and measures, you should share your information with your passengers before departing the port.
Hope this article on who is responsible for explaining fire safety procedures to passengers on a boat will help boaters to ensure the safety of people onboard while dealing with boat fires. Did you enjoy the article? Do you want to add anything else? Please let me know and leave a comment below.
Ten years of enjoying countless trips on boats never made me love them any less! So I am here to put all those experiences into good use for other boaters who want to have a safe and fun trip with their friends and families.