Deadly onboard fire

What a sad and tragic state of affairs, I think we will need to practice an escape from my F43...!

Mind you, we do have an escape hatch in both the bow and stern cabins, but I have never actually tried an escape through the latter, its now on the list.... assuming smoke/combustion gasses don't get you first....!
 
Deleted User said:
That is exactly what I am thinking for my midships master cabin in that I am now planning to store a sledge hammer in a cupboard in the hope that we could smash our way through one of the large hull windows in an emergency. Not sure whether we could actually do it but it would give us a chance
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You'd be better off with an axe rather than a sledgehammer - point load always works better for smashing toughened glass. Aim for the edge and hit absolutely as hard as you can, what you don't want is a half-hearted effort that results in your weapon of choice bouncing straight back and clouting you in the face. If it's laminated as well then an axe is also a better idea for cutting through the laminate.
 
I'm not sure a sledge hammer would work to be honest. You need it to be sharp to cut the lamination that strengthens the glass.

That said I'm not actually sure what glass the boatbuilders use for the big hull windows. I would hope manufacturer / dealer could advise and take it from there.
 
jimmy_the_builder said:
You'd be better off with an axe rather than a sledgehammer - point load always works better for smashing toughened glass. Aim for the edge and hit absolutely as hard as you can, what you don't want is a half-hearted effort that results in your weapon of choice bouncing straight back and clouting you in the face. If it's laminated as well then an axe is also a better idea for cutting through the laminate.
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Would you keep an axe in your cabin with my SWMBO around?
 
rafiki_ said:
Challenge with smashing s window is that if under water, you will have little chance of escaping until the water stops gushing in. Might be too late? Far better chance of escaping through the door and up into the saloon I would think.
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I guess you'd only try to smash your way out of the side windows in the event of a fire blocking your way out through the saloon. In a sinking situation you'd escape through the saloon. If your boat is on fire and its sinking I guess then its game over
 
Robert Wilson said:
I agree entirely.
But of the two (land-based/domestic) fires I have been in, the first I had enough time to run out; the second had me gasping for breath as if the thin smoke had paralysed my throat. Within three seconds in the kitchen I was flat on the floor where fortunately there was still some uncontaminated air.

In the boat in this instance if similar to my second experience no amount of smoke alarms would have saved them.

Absolutely tragic. Fire, and cold steel, must surely be the most terrible ways to die.

I hope the lady survivor can put her life back together.

P.S. The thin smoke was coming from a smouldering oven-glove left on top of the high-level grill - which had not been turned completely off.
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Thanks for this post Robert, I found it sobering reading. Living in a bungalow we've got lots of easy exits but the boat is another matter. Reading your post I've just ordered half a dozen of these masks and a couple of children's ones. They are going in each cabin, it will give us a fighting chance of getting out through smoke. We have extinguishers throughout the boat and a smoke detector in each cabin and living space but fire can get hold incredibly quickly. Thanks again for the post.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dust-Particle-Vapour-Smoke-Filtering-Re-Usable-Face-Mask-For-Cleaner-Air-/132046812321?var=431402842523&hash=item1ebe9a74a1:m:mg6cXAt85BdgGBcVUmR4WRg
 
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