Belize 43: Strange opening connecting master cabin to engine compartment

[Chat de Mer]

In our 2002 FP Belize Maestro, there is a 6-7 cm opening connecting the engine compartment to the master cabin. It is right behind the mattress about 3-4 feet from the hull and about 3 feet off the cabin floor. My husband thinks it might be there to run wires from the engine compartment to the master cabin.

Does anyone else have this mysterious opening connecting the spaces? Anyone know what it is for?
Any reason not to close it up?

Don't want to be picky, but I do not enjoy the scent of diesel when I'm going to sleep!

[Sailmonkey]

Is it a fire access port? Maybe missing the plastic trim piece?


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[Chat de Mer]

That makes sense! I thought of fire, but because there is no cover, I thought air from another compartment would only feed the flames! A clue that makes this seem like a good bet is that there are 2 fire extinguishers under the night stand right next to where the opening is.

If that is what it is, then there should be no problem with plugging the opening, so long as we can pull the plug quick to extinguish flames.

[Sailmonkey]

I just pulled this up with a google search, it may be just what your looking for to fill the hole.

On edit: the link looks awful, but it's real.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/3709965...&ul_noapp=true


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[chris mac]

It's probably a fire port. If the engine room catches fire, you don't open the main door to put it out. Jam the co2 fire extinguisher into that hole and spray the entire bottle in. Co2 starves the fire without covering the engine room in foam.
There should be a split cover of some kind to prevent odors coming out.

[Cotemar]

Its a Fire Port.
Factory puts a red cap in that hole as show here.

[StuM]

Yep, there should be a red plug in it. It is for poking a fire extinguisher through.

[S/V Alchemy]

In which case it would be a bad idea to seal it up.

You can gasket it better in order to preserve its function with less blowby of fumes, and/or you can better ventilate the engine compartment with inline fans and fireproof conduit. The benefit of better ventilation is a better fuel burn (more oxygen) and a cooler boat (hot air is exhausted out and cooler air is drawn in).

[Chat de Mer]

Thanks for all the replies! It seems so obvious in retrospect. :-) Sailmonkey even found an easy fix on ebay. I'll get the plug, which we can easily pull out in case of fire. I'll also check on ventilation in the engine compartment.

Another problem solved by the Cruisers!

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by Chat de Mer

Thanks for all the replies! It seems so obvious in retrospect. :-) Sailmonkey even found an easy fix on ebay. I'll get the plug, which we can easily pull out in case of fire.

Note in the pic in response #6. The plug looks like it is inserted from inside of the engine compartment. My guess is so that you can just jam the extinguisher hose into the port popping off the plug rather than trying to fiddle with it to pulling it out into the berth side of the port.

I wouldn't want to have to search for a pair of needle nose pliers when there is a fire onboard.

[Cheechako]

Are you sure that isn't where the engine gets it's combustion air from?

[Chat de Mer]

Good idea, Shrew! I am also going to hunt a little on the floor of the engine compartment for the port cover, which may have just fallen on the floor.

[Chat de Mer]

I don't think this could be a ventilation port, because it wouldn't make a lot of sense to have ventilation coming from a bedroom cabin. Also, it is blocked now by the mattress anyway, so wouldn't be placed properly to provide ventilation.

[Cheechako]

Yes I guess it's too small for combustion air anyway.

[Lucky]

Originally Posted by Chat de Mer

In our 2002 FP Belize Maestro, there is a 6-7 cm opening connecting the engine compartment to the master cabin. It is right behind the mattress about 3-4 feet from the hull and about 3 feet off the cabin floor. My husband thinks it might be there to run wires from the engine compartment to the master cabin.

Does anyone else have this mysterious opening connecting the spaces? Anyone know what it is for?
Any reason not to close it up?

Don't want to be picky, but I do not enjoy the scent of diesel when I'm going to sleep!

Not to worry,
This is a clever way to access the engine compartment in case of an engine fire! The hole shall have a red plastic bung that you should remove and enegise the fire extinguisher into the engine compartment. Not a likely scenario, but a nessecity as halogen fire extinguishers are no longer legal to use.

The reason for the location is that in case of a fire you do not have to open the engine hatches to fight a fire, and thereby adding oxygen to that fire. and to remind you there is a similar hole on the opposite cabin!

just find a suitable plug/bung that fit snuggly in the access hole and make sure there is an extinguisher at hand, preferrably a foam rather than powder type.

Hope this put you at rest and create no worries with your new lovely vessel!

We are now in the 8th year of Belize ownership and love her very much.

Happy lead free sailing from Lucky