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Old 26-05-2012, 15:30   #1
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Please Read This!

If your boat has an inboard engine INSTALL CARBON MONOXIDE ALARMS.
Recently I cruised into tampa bay during special marine warning weather. My canvas was buttoned up tight as it was pouring rain. Wind straight in face i was motoring. Upon arriving at my destination I was having difficulty walking and fell several times walking into my girlfriends house. I felt absolutely terrible and was unable to function at all for 2 days. On the 3rd day I made myself do some needed engine maintenance and found a quarter size hole on the bottom of an exhaust pipe. Im lucky to be alive, Since then Ive had constant chest pain and headaches. A few tips. 1 redundant carbon monoxide detectors are mandatory. 2 wire your bilge blower so that it turns on with the engine and wont be forgotten. 3 check your exhaust often with engine running. This leak developed quite quickly, I had had the offending part off less than 2 months ago and it sounded good when hit with a ball peen hammer, All Iron pipe has been replaced with bronze.
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Old 26-05-2012, 15:40   #2
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Re: Please Read This!

Glad for the report and very glad you were able to post it!!
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Old 26-05-2012, 16:31   #3
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Re: Please Read This!

I am assuming you have a petrol (gasoline?) engine rather than diesel.

Diesel produces very little CO in comparison to petrol but the bigger difference is the smell of diesel exhaust is way more intrusive than petrol exhaust. IMO the smell of diesel is far more effective deterrent than a CO alarm but your nose may vary!

Glad you survived and wish you a full recovery!
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Old 26-05-2012, 16:38   #4
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Re: Please Read This!

FSBO,

Dude you are lucky, lucky, lucky. CO is a killer. Can also cause serious damage to brain and organs...long term!!
Glad you are alive but if you still have ANY effects... go get a check up just to be on safe side.


"IMO the smell of diesel is far more effective deterrent than a CO alarm but your nose may vary!"........
NOTE:
CO is oderless.. hence the need for an alarm!!

mm
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Old 26-05-2012, 16:50   #5
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Re: Please Read This!

Quote:
Originally Posted by mangomuffins View Post
FSBO,

Dude you are lucky, lucky, lucky. CO is a killer. Can also cause serious damage to brain and organs...long term!!
Glad you are alive but if you still have ANY effects... go get a check up just to be on safe side.


"IMO the smell of diesel is far more effective deterrent than a CO alarm but your nose may vary!"........
NOTE:
CO is oderless.. hence the need for an alarm!!

mm
I think the point being made is the smell of diesel exhaust fumes in the boat is in effect a 'nasal alarm' that CO is coming in too.
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Old 26-05-2012, 16:54   #6
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Re: Please Read This!

Quote:
Originally Posted by mangomuffins View Post
FSBO,
Dude you are lucky, lucky, lucky. CO is a killer. Can also cause serious damage to brain and organs...long term!!
Glad you are alive but if you still have ANY effects... go get a check up just to be on safe side.

"IMO the smell of diesel is far more effective deterrent than a CO alarm but your nose may vary!"........
NOTE:
CO is oderless.. hence the need for an alarm!!

mm
But the stench of diesel that contains the CO is not so odourless; far more potent than say the smell added to propane.

But we digress, I am sure the OP had a petrol engine (but perhaps I am wrong ). His point is extremely valid as is yours regarding the danger of CO.
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Old 26-05-2012, 16:58   #7
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Re: Please Read This!

True enough. However, lots of boats often have fuel/exhaust smells (gas or diesel). One might be inclined to dismiss this. An alarm will notify you if CO levels get too high...your nose won't.
Other things will also put too much CO in your cabin. ie. genset setting on cabin roof. (I have seen this.) Surely no one would suggest that a CO alarm is a bad thing.

mm
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Old 26-05-2012, 16:58   #8
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Re: Please Read This!

CO alarms are cheap, small, low maintenance, why not have one? I do.
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Old 26-05-2012, 17:00   #9
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Re: Please Read This!

Quote:
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CO alarms are cheap, small, low maintenance, why not have one? I do.
I do question the need for one in a kayak
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Old 26-05-2012, 17:40   #10
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Re: Please Read This!

Quote:
Originally Posted by mangomuffins View Post
I do question the need for one in a kayak
mm
No need for detector, but serious need of sonar I think:

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Old 26-05-2012, 17:54   #11
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Re: Please Read This!

HOLY WOWWWWWW!!!!!!

NOT SURE IT WAS AN ATTACK BUT, AGAIN...HOLY WOWWWW!!!
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Old 26-05-2012, 19:39   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by forsailbyowner
If your boat has an inboard engine INSTALL CARBON MONOXIDE ALARMS.
Recently I cruised into tampa bay during special marine warning weather. My canvas was buttoned up tight as it was pouring rain. Wind straight in face i was motoring. Upon arriving at my destination I was having difficulty walking and fell several times walking into my girlfriends house. I felt absolutely terrible and was unable to function at all for 2 days. On the 3rd day I made myself do some needed engine maintenance and found a quarter size hole on the bottom of an exhaust pipe. Im lucky to be alive, Since then Ive had constant chest pain and headaches. A few tips. 1 redundant carbon monoxide detectors are mandatory. 2 wire your bilge blower so that it turns on with the engine and wont be forgotten. 3 check your exhaust often with engine running. This leak developed quite quickly, I had had the offending part off less than 2 months ago and it sounded good when hit with a ball peen hammer, All Iron pipe has been replaced with bronze.
Glad you made it OK. You should get checked with a respiratory person.

I am pretty sure the blue smoke wafting up around the engine cover everytime I run my enigine is warning enough to open all hatches and ventilate well- LOL

Good points on gensets mounted on foredeck. Run it at night to power the aircon, because there is no wind, and open a hatch a bit to get airflow - could be a recipe for a permanent nights sleep.
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Old 26-05-2012, 20:16   #13
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Re: Please Read This!

Engine room blowers should be the first thing ya turn on when ya get to the boat !! I had gas motored boats as a very young man, we were fishing local hand lines with a 4 cyl Continetal with a BAD Carb that had a slow leak to the bilge! just a drip a half hour, but it would have blown sky high if started with out the blowers working !! and we had no detectors back then so we left the blowers running all the time !! Just a good habit
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Old 26-05-2012, 20:50   #14
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Re: Please Read This!

Thanks for sharing this !!!
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Old 26-05-2012, 23:01   #15
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I have to confess a bad situation on my boat.

I installed an outboard (diesel out for overhaul). Range of outboard internal tank about 1 hour. I bought a 6 gallon external and leave it in the aft lazarette. The vent gets closed after each sail but when I come to the boat there is a gasoline odor. A little concerned that this "approved" container does not seem to be completely sealed.

I open the lazarette, open the cabin and vent things while I prep the boat, minumun 10 minutes. I'm still not happy. I can't add a vent as the aft locker bottom is below the waterline. Storing in the cabin is just as bad in not worse and I don't want to haul 40 pounds of gas back and forth to the boat. Even then what? Leave it out on deck? - Stolen in a day or two. Leave it in the car? My apartment?

The only upside is 10 hours range...

I have visions of my bilge pump cycling and blowing my boat to hell while I am gone. I hate gasoline on boats...
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