Where to Put Fire Extinguishers?

[Emjaytoo]

Our boat has a conventional layout, with a cabin in the forepeak, traditional saloon, aft cabin to port (adjacent to the galley)and heads aft to starboard. Excluding the automatic fire extinguisher in the engine bay and a fire blanket at the galley, the boat was supplied with one extinguisher stowed in the locker under the nav station seat and two extinguishers in the cockpit locker.

Are these the best locations for the three extinguishers?

The forepeak can be exited through the forward hatch, but the rest of the accommodation can only be exited via the main companion way.

 

[sarabande]

Dont place them near where the fire is likely to take place, as reaching through flames can have an inhibiting effect on manual dexterity.

Probably (as on board mine); one in the for'd cabin, one in the wheelhouse, and one in the main saloon by the companionway.

Don't forget that in a smokey fire, the clearest air is low down, do it might be useful to place them at foot level - against which they might cause a hazard during normal life.

 

[ccscott49]

I wouldnt have my fire extiguishers in a locker, they need to be positioned outside of lockers and in such a position, they can be used to exit a compartment, to escape. I dont know the layout of your boat, but near the door, is probably the place for them.

 

[Guest]

The key is to stop the fire at the first opportunity. So have them at hand. You are looking at about 5 seconds to the point of discharge. Unless you have left someone inside then having them in a cockpit locker is daft.

Putting them low down next to the underwater hull will make sure they are flame free and can be found quickly. Someone entering your boat should see them immediately. They certainly should not be hidden so that their trigger and safety catch is not easily inspected and known by the crew. Reading instructions while a oil fire is starting is not recommended!

The concentration is hard to maintain when the roof lining starts to melt above you!

If there are no safe places then make a cut-out and fit a panel mounted indents like:

http://www.fpmarine.com/images-website/P1010118.JPG

 

[Strathglass]

I have found, much to my surprise, that the fire extinguishers I have are made from non ferous materials.
Even when I hold them up against a magnetic compass they do not deflect the compass reading.
This has allowed them on places I would normally not have considered which is a great advantage. Such as just level with the washboards.

Iain

 

[RestlessL]

Mine are positioned as follows:

1. 2kg powder just inside the companionway - near the engine and cooker where the fire is most likely to be, and also to hand on exiting/entering

2. 2kg powder between saloon and fwd cabin - so I have one to hand if fire breaks out at night

3. 3kg AFFF in the cockpit locker - so that if fire breaks out when I am in the cockpit I can take one in with me.

 

[FullCircle]

I also have a large powder extinguisher in the cockpit, 6kg. This is to fight your way back in.

1 have 1kg in forecain
2kg in forard of saloon
2kg in galley
1kg in aft cabin
1 fire blanket in galley
2kg auto extinguisher in engine bay.

 

[StugeronSteve]

Extinguishers on "Two Js III" are located as follows:
Engine space (auto).
Companionway (adjacent to galley, but not above cooker etc) next to fire blanket.
Inside Aft cabin on outside of hanging locker.
Aft leg of saloon table, easy to grab, but protected by table overhang.
Forward leg of table, immediately outside of, and reachable from, forepeak door.
Cockpit locker.

 

[dickh]

I have 3 extinguishers, one in the rear cabin, and two in the saloon at either end of the saloon table on the supports, at about knee level.

 

[Slow_boat]

2kg powder in fore cabin
2kg powder in cockpit locker,
3kg AFFF just inside companionway

All visitors advised to read them and on fire drill (grab extinguisher, squirt whilst yelling and get out of the nearest hatch) during safety breifing.

 

[cliff]

Where are you likely to have a fire?
Engines bay?
Galley?
When did you last have a fire on board?
What are the odds of you having a fire onboard?
Extinguiser in the forecabin/heads (farts burn)
Near galley
Cockpit somewhere (inside locker lid)

Get a life and enjoy sailing FFS.
--------------------

"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"
sailroom <span style="color:red">The place to auction your previously loved boatie bits</span>

 

[William_H]

Howeveer it seems to me the first ting you do when discovering a fire is to back away from it to safety. You may then decide you can deal with it with an extinguisher.
So you need to assess where the fire is going to be and determine where you are going to escape to and that is a good place to store the extinguisher. However you need to consider security from theft of the extinguisher and also accessability. olewill

 

[Bajansailor]

Cliffy, Kim asks a very reasonable question, one that is probably on the minds of many, and receives some valuable feedback in response which we can all benefit from.
I certainly have.
Seems to me that Kim has a good life, and enjoys his sailing, unlike yourself, who is the one who really needs to get a life.
A positive happy life where you are not continually criticising and belittling others.
But you wont be able to read this, cos you have me on ignore ever since you threw all your toys out of the pram some time ago re a comment I made regarding one of your posts....... /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Sequoiah1]

You need a minimum of three fire xtinguishers on board.
One for the engine room/space.
One near the companionway for the main cabin and one at the galley. You should also carry a fire blanket at the galley.

As an addition to the above and going over the top you should have one in each cabin as well

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

4 x 2Kg powder and 1. 1.5Kg powder on the boat:

1 x 2kg in each aft cabin by the doors
1 x 2Kg near the galley/and accessible from the companionway
1 x 2Kg in the forward cabin
1 x 1.5Kg in the cockpit locker

my thinking is similar to many above...

Also... do you have a small hole in the companionway steps to allow you to fire further extinguishant into the engine compartment without lifting the steps and thus providing oxygen to the fire?

Also carry 2 x fireblankets 1 near the galley, and one a little further away

 

[Emjaytoo]

[ QUOTE ]
Also... do you have a small hole in the companionway steps to allow you to fire further extinguishant into the engine compartment without lifting the steps and thus providing oxygen to the fire?

[/ QUOTE ]

Indeed I do.

I will be reorganising my fire extinguishers this weekend, thanks to everyone's helpful advice.

 

[scotty123]

"Where to Put Fire Extinguishers?"

NOT next to cooker, in a position where you have to reach past any flames to get to it - a common position I have found on some boats, because of a convenient bulkhead.

NOT where they will be continuously bumped by passing bodies - eventually the fitting break & extinguishers get moved into a convenient locker (becoming effectively useless!)

"Also carry 2 x fireblankets 1 near the galley, and one a little further away"

Don't go to US then, these items are completely unknown
there - even by fireservices.

"seems to me the first ting you do when discovering a fire is to back away from it to safety. You may then decide you can deal with it with an extinguisher."

Exactly!!

My safety brief regarding fire (or smoke) onboard, is -

(1) Shout & tell everyone else.

(2) Evacuate thru appropriate exit.
(How many deck hatches are blocked by sailbags/dinghies left over them & are crew physically able to get out even if not blocked ?)

(3) Muster on deck (with lifejackets on if possible) & do a body count.

(4) Get Liferaft prepared to launch

(5) Have you been able to send distress - is radio or EPIRB acessible??

(6) Shut off any gas bottle in locker, irrespective of where fire originates.

(7) Only then, evaluate risk/action required.

(8) DO NOT FIGHT FIRE, unless certain you are safe - WHY??,
(a) most fires on board will involve a 'plastic' which almost certainly will kill if fumes are inhaled
(b) I have seen a 'plastic' boat burnt down to waterline in less than 10 minutes, so do you have time for firefighting?
(c) when 'plastics' burn, most extinguishers will not extinguish, unless caught very early
(d) bodies are not replaceable, boats are, so give priority to abandoning into L/Raft.

 

[RestlessL]

Sound advice from izzy.

Always remember that the extingusher has 2 functions:

(1) to put out the fire

(2) to help you when you need to escape.

The last place you want to be is down below with an empty extinguisher and your escape path cut off.