Fire on dive boat Conception in CA

[PDX Diver]

That is a bit of PITA. One of my comments in the other thread about going forward is that the charging station will be concentrated in a few locations and will have power from 6am to 10pm. Turning the power on and off would be a crew duty.

True, but it would provide some assurance it was being monitored and allow for flexibility in the hours of operation. As Wookie earlier commented, problems were preceded by unusual heat and odor, everyone could be instructed to check for this.

 

[PDX Diver]

The USCG recommendation of "consider limiting the unsupervised charging of lithium-ion batteries and extensive use of power strips and extension cords" would mean not everyone could charge when they might wish. That could be difficult to manage.

Also, what would be an effective method of fire suppression that is not cost prohibitive? From what I've read, a fire extinguisher may not be sufficient. Drop the lid on a fire proof box? Eject the whole caboodle into the ocean?

 

[Akimbo]

I can't imagine that California temps at sea level would pose much risk of a sprinkler system freezing up.

True, but boats can be moved to different ports by new owners. Correct me if I'm wrong but the USCG certification goes with it. Any regulations on sprinklers that the USCG comes up with must account for freezing. AFAIK, the USCG doesn't have sprinkler specifications for small vessels. Maybe some of our members with Masters licences can shed more light.

 

[PDX Diver]

True, but it would provide some assurance it was being monitored and allow for flexibility in the hours of operation. As Wookie earlier commented, problems were preceded by unusual heat and odor, everyone could be instructed to check for this.

Not as simple, but very doable: Base operation on a motion detector.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Another thing about the design of the hatch itself: Maybe it should be cabaple of being either flipped totally back and flat (if on hinges), or pushed up and shoved totally out of the way (ie not on hinges, just laying in a lip running all around the hatch). I am speaking "in general", not with respect to this particular boat. Comments?

I think others have commented earlier that if it is a ladder, a handrail running a bit up and out of the hatch would be helpful.

In the case of the Conception and all the other boats of that style, the fundamental flaw is that both exits from the bunkroom lead into another room which was on fire, so the point of making an secondary escape hatch all tricked out is a little moot.
The way to fix this is to refit the bunkroom escape exit so there is direct access to the outside. Multiple exits if that sort wouldn’t hurt either one bit.

 

[Wookie]

True, but boats can be moved to different ports by new owners. Correct me if I'm wrong but the USCG certification goes with it. Any regulations on sprinklers that the USCG comes up with must account for freezing. AFAIK, the USCG doesn't have sprinkler specifications for small vessels. Maybe some of our members with Masters licences can shed more light.

This is true, but a “New to Zone” inspection is required. I moved Spree to Puerto Rico for a few months a couple of years for some charters. I planned an early arrival and my zone (sector key west) sent word ahead to Sector San Juan that I was coming. We had a nice chat and then they performed a full blown annual inspection.

Different zones require different equipment. North of the 37th parallel you must have immersion suits for the crew for example. The receiving zone wants to make sure that you are set up to operate safely in their zone.

I Expect that if you were moving a boat where it never froze and there was a sprinkler system on board to a place where it could freeze, the CG would want you to be freeze protected, but I expect it would be a moot point. I would expect any sprinkler system to be dry and inerted.

 

[Akimbo]

True, but it would provide some assurance it was being monitored and allow for flexibility in the hours of operation. As Wookie earlier commented, problems were preceded by unusual heat and odor, everyone could be instructed to check for this.

Not as simple, but very doable: Base operation on a motion detector.

Interesting idea. A charging cabinet with a dedicated circuit breaker and built-in extinguisher is attractive to me for larger LOBs. The fire extinguisher system might be able to use a fire sprinkler head/valve which are inexpensive, reliable, and available in a range of activation temperatures. The cabinet would need a door and air vents designed to prevent sparks from getting through them.

Lacking a cabinet like this, a motion detecting system with a relatively short time delay would be pretty easy to cobble together. It also wouldn't be hindered by certification by UL or USCG, which a commercially sold cabinet like this would probably require.

EDIT: A cabinet like this would need to be installed outside of a compartment, ideally on an open-air but covered dive deck.

 

[PDX Diver]

The USCG recommendation of "consider limiting the unsupervised charging of lithium-ion batteries and extensive use of power strips and extension cords" would mean not everyone could charge when they might wish. That could be difficult to manage.

Also, what would be an effective method of fire suppression that is not cost prohibitive? From what I've read, a fire extinguisher may not be sufficient. Drop the lid on a fire proof box? Eject the whole caboodle into the ocean?

On further thought, the ejection idea wouldn't be so good if you were moored next to another boat

 

[Akimbo]

@Wookie

Do USCG specs or approved fire sprinkler systems exist for small vessels? As far as that goes, are there restrictions on them due to the inherent stability issues?

In an ideal world, an approved and inspected system would earn insurance discounts like in residential structures.

 

[ijdod]

Not intending to be reasons not to implement something like it, but two thoughts:
- A closed charging cabinet would need substantial ventilation, especially in warmer climates.
- Charging on a schedule would probably result in a push towards faster charging, which in itself increases risk of mishaps.