Where to put fire extinguisher

[tbodine88]

I had a fire extinguisher. It came with a chintzy plastic bracket. I was a new boat owner and was afraid to drill holes in my boat so I just glued the bracket to the bulkhead by the entry ladder. Needless to say it came off, and the extinguisher has gone missing. Now I am taking a cruise with new crew. So I have a new fire extinguisher. I want to mount it so it stays put even when the boat is sailing at extreme angles, just in case.
So is that chintzy plastic mount designed for use in a house kitchen going to be sufficient for use on the boat or should I do some thing different.

If you have done something different please post pictures, if you can.

Thanks

[Paul Elliott]

I've used the chintzy plastic brackets (screwed down), and the extinguishers have stayed in place during some pretty rough stuff -- beating upwind into +15' seas, and multiple massive spinnaker crashes, for example. Of course my big heavy boat probably has a softer motion than your small light boat.

[zeehag]

those chintzy plastic brackets are stronger than am i....and they work well.
my extinguishers are placed in areas of potential fire--one in the master stateroom and one in dinette at companionway between galley and engine.

yes i had to pop mine for a fire when i 'decided' to torch my defective honda 3k genny that self destructed one day suddenly and without warning on foredeck....took one extinguisher and fast thinking. no damage.

[JK n Smitty]

Also, mount it sideways, so it is parallel to the cabin floor. That way when you sail it tips back and forth. Otherwise you should remove it once a month and turn it upside down a couple of times. If you hear a cascading sound, its good. It it makes a thud sound, time for another. And the pressure reading might still read good.

I popped one at work that was serviced every two years by a professional company but was never exercised. Nothing came out. We did some research and found out that the chemical can settle into a solid mass and no longer work.

[rebel heart]

It's hard to have too many extinguishers on a boat. Put out a bonfire with one sometime, if you can. The small ones empty quite quickly.

You can dump baking soda on anything but class D as well.

If it's a controlled fire and you have a second I'd toss baking soda before I'd spray the dry chemical. Stuff is a mess.

[Kettlewell]

Mount it someplace you can reach it on your way out of the boat--it won't do you any good if it is forward and there is a fire between you and the extinguisher.

[Bash]

I mount my extinguishers at floor level. That's probably where I'll be if the cabin has filled with smoke. There's one at the doorway of each sleeping cabin, so the occupants can extinguish what's ever between them and the companionway. A fourth extinguisher close to the galley. Engine compartment has an automatic system.

[Cheechako]

Mount it away from the most likely fire source. You need to be able to get to if the galley is on fire or the engine! Next to the galley stove might be problematic! The palstic ones seem to hold up pretty well... Ihate trying to snap those plastic "buckles" though!

[jeremiason]

I have one in each cabin and one in the cockpit. The reasoning is anywhere you are in the boat, you should be within reach of a fire extinguisher.

In the cabins, they are located near potential fire hazards. The main electrical panel, the galley, the main engine and the generator.

Remember if the fire is electrical or fuel related turn off the source if possible. That means turn off the gas to the stove or fuel to the engine or turn off the main battery switches for electrical fires.

Also remember the favorite of boaters tends to be the ABC fire extinguishers, which although can contain a variety of fires, also spray the area with a power that goes everywhere.

I went through STCW Fire Training and I have to tell you, fire on a boat is very scary and if not controlled right away the fire will burn your fiberglass boat burn to the waterline in no time.

The best fire fighting equipment on board is your brain and practicing fire prevention. Check wiring harnesses for chafe, check for fuel leaks or spills and remove anything flammable from your stove and engine areas.

Here are the top five fires reported to the USCG on recreational boats:

o Overheated grease in the galley
o Overloaded or poorly wired electrical systems and appliances
o Overheated engines/propulsion systems
o Rags in contact with the turbocharger or exhaust system
o Leaking fuel or gas lines, or poor refueling technique

[JPA Cate]

The OP has a West Wight Potter of 19 ft. length. Maybe his location next to the companionway will work best for him, although I like Bash's idea of storing them low. All of ours are at about eyeball height, but I kind of like the idea of "below the smoke."

[janice142]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

The palstic ones seem to hold up pretty well... Ihate trying to snap those plastic "buckles" though!

I do not have the hand strength to open the buckles, thus mine have the bracket bolted to the bulkhead and a simple string holding the extinguisher fast. I'd probably opt for Velcro but this works and it was available. Free is good, you know? (smile)

Locations:
#1) Just outside cockpit door (above propane locker, around the corner from stove)
#2) across from stove, inside
#3) under sink in head (next to engine room access panel)
And I used to have two more, but met a couple of kids without any so...

Addition: The one that is mounted outside, well, there wasn't much "umph" in the bulkhead so on the inside I carved a small fish. The screws are bolted thru the bulkhead and into the back of the teak fish. Anyway, Just a thought as yours probably hasn't got anything to really bolt to. Mine doesn't leak but I added silicone to the holes outside and called it good.

[tbodine88]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

The OP has a West Wight Potter of 19 ft. length. Maybe his location next to the companionway will work best for him, although I like Bash's idea of storing them low. All of ours are at about eyeball height, but I kind of like the idea of "below the smoke."

Yep, she's small, so it needs to be handy and out of the way. Plan to place it opposite the stove by the ladder, where I put extra anchors, but on the bulkhead. This way should a fire erupt below while cooking, I can put it out easily, if I can't think of a better way.

[hellosailor]

tb, if it is USCG approved as a marine extinguisher the bracket may seem flimsy but it will meet requirements for strength. Some are still stainless, and an extinguisher service shop should be able to sell you a couple of those if you prefer them.

If you don't want to make holes, mount the extinguisher on a 1/2" thick piece of plywood or plastic, same size as extinguisher. Now use industrial velcro, 2-3" wide and a foot long, to stick that to your bulkhead. If you apply it properly, isn't going to come off. Of course if it is at floor level it can't fall very far.

Just watch out for mounting extinguishers next to the companionway, since any lines thrown below can foul on them.

[Outwest34au]

900mm above ground level is the standard.
For ABE (powder) extinguishers the recommended service is as follows for mobile equipment.
Every 6 months
Step 1, remove extinguisher from bracket
2, turn upside down
3, smack the base with a rubber hammer a few times
4, refit

Not hard, but get a fire company to do it will cost up to $30 plus travel.

Fit one near an exit, the others near stove (not above the stove so you have to reach over a fire), engine bay or wherever you want.

[hellosailor]

At least in the US, if you are going to fit an extra extinguisher by the stove, look at the Kidde kitchen extinguisher. It is not UL approvable because it is built specifically for stove-top fires. A wider, lower-pressure spray of a non-corrosive chemical, so it blankets the stove top without blowing way past it, and won't ruin the stove with corrosive powder. UL has no spec for this type of application but it is very similar to a conventional "liter" sized 1A10BC bottle, just designed for the specific task of putting out skillet fires on stoves, with the least collateral damage.

And if you ever cleaned up after one of the yellow powder extinguishers was used, you'll understand why this is a good idea.