Bart Senior wrote:
In the USA, does a sailboat, 30.5 feet in length, without mechanical
propulsion require fire extinguishers?


IIRC it doesn't matter once a boat's LOA is over 26 feet. You must have
at least one type A-B fire extinguisher. There's also a size requirement
for the extinguisher itself (something like 2 5# or 1 10#) but I forget.

Relying on the mandated minimum is not a good idea... We have five fire
extinguishers on board, rated A-B-C. One by each exit, one installed in
the engine room, and one handy to the helm station. I just replaced two
of them a few weeks ago.

It's also a bad idea to rely on a fire extinguisher mounted close to a
potential fire hazard... it might be engulfed in flames when you need
it, you may not be able to reach it! But no boat can continue burning
once the waterline reaches 1" higher than the deck...

Regards
Doug King

You are correct. I think it is foolish to require fire extinguishers
on a boat like my old Etchells. However, I have two chemical
extinguishers certified to destroy any electrical equipment, or
engines that they are used on.

It meets the minimum requirements. I plan to get some CO2
extinguishers for the big boat, in the hopes that if I do have a
fire, I'll be able to preserve the equipment it's used on.

"DSK" wrote
Bart Senior wrote:
In the USA, does a sailboat, 30.5 feet in length, without mechanical
propulsion require fire extinguishers?

IIRC it doesn't matter once a boat's LOA is over 26 feet. You must have at
least one type A-B fire extinguisher. There's also a size requirement for
the extinguisher itself (something like 2 5# or 1 10#) but I forget.

Relying on the mandated minimum is not a good idea... We have five fire
extinguishers on board, rated A-B-C. One by each exit, one installed in
the engine room, and one handy to the helm station. I just replaced two of
them a few weeks ago.

It's also a bad idea to rely on a fire extinguisher mounted close to a
potential fire hazard... it might be engulfed in flames when you need it,
you may not be able to reach it! But no boat can continue burning once the
waterline reaches 1" higher than the deck...

Regards
Doug King

Bart Senior wrote:
You are correct. I think it is foolish to require fire extinguishers
on a boat like my old Etchells.

Y'know, it might not be a bad idea to contact the local Coast Guard and
ask. If the boat has no enclosed spaces, no installed machinery, no
propulsion machinery, no fuel carried on board, and no electrical
system, then you sure don't need a fire extinguisher... unless you get
called on for rescue work!

.... However, I have two chemical
extinguishers certified to destroy any electrical equipment, or
engines that they are used on.

It meets the minimum requirements.

Those things surprise a lot of people. It really does a good job of
putting out fires though.... just leaves a nasty corrosive mess to deal
with! Is it better than burning?


... I plan to get some CO2
extinguishers for the big boat, in the hopes that if I do have a
fire, I'll be able to preserve the equipment it's used on.


I won't have anything but CO2 extinguishers. The problem with using them
on fuel fires is that they empty too quickly (so get the next size
bigger, and plenty of them) and the CO2 coming out can splash the fuel
around. We occasionally do some drills too, but compared to military
training it's not very realistic.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King