Legal considerations for the Fire on dive boat Conception in CA

[Wookie]

Believe or not I am in my second home in Granite Bay, California. And - also - as a diver who spent some time on various liveaboards I feel kinda touched by this tragedy. And since now I know there may be boats with flawed safety design I have more information which operator to skip. Are you satisfied?

I think you will not find any liveaboard that meets your needs, then. I’ve been on 25, usually as captain or engineer, and I have never seen escape trunks that open to more than one space, because usually the space they open to is the salon.

 

[DiveToad]

The Coast Guard stated that the boat was in complete compliance so everyone can debate the escape hatch rule all they want.

 

[roman50]

I think you will not find any liveaboard that meets your needs, then. I’ve been on 25, usually as captain or engineer, and I have never seen escape trunks that open to more than one space, because usually the space they open to is the salon.

Red Sea fleet (almost any) Stairs from lower cabins lead to a common/dining room and from hatch to the bow which is out of that main room in the open.

 

[Wookie]

Red Sea fleet (almost any) Stairs from lower cabins lead to a common/dining room and from hatch to the bow which is out of that main room in the open.

That’s how my new boat is built. I’ve been on lots of liveaboards, but mostly Caribbean/US/Asia. I have not had the pleasure of Red Sea, but my guess is they would be built like UK boats, which are far different than US boats.

 

[roman50]

That’s how my new boat is built. I’ve been on lots of liveaboards, but mostly Caribbean/US/Asia. I have not had the pleasure of Red Sea, but my guess is they would be built like UK boats, which are far different than US boats.

Makes me thing, looking at the floor plan of Conception, why on earth didn’t they connect bunks with shower room and lead escape from there to the bow? Too expensive for them to have watertight doors in there?

Listen all critics of me - suing the governments is the only chance for victims families to get some money. They are not getting much from Truth, especially considering how they set up their boats as companies as someone here claimed.

 

[Wookie]

Makes me thing, looking at the floor plan of Conception, why on earth didn’t they connect bunks with shower room and lead escape from there to the bow? Too expensive for them to have watertight doors in there?

Listen all critics of me - suing the governments is the only chance for victims families to get some money. They are not getting much from Truth, especially considering how they set up their boats as companies as someone here claimed.

US built passenger boats must have a “collision Bulkhead”, a watertight bulkhead usually around frame 7 or so, that actually allows the bow to crumple in the event of a collision, and the cabin is often built over that bulkhead. So someone down below would have to go through that bulkhead and up to get out. So that isn’t an option.

 

[KevinNM]

US built passenger boats must have a “collision Bulkhead”, a watertight bulkhead usually around frame 7 or so, that actually allows the bow to crumple in the event of a collision, and the cabin is often built over that bulkhead. So someone down below would have to go through that bulkhead and up to get out. So that isn’t an option.

You also suggested elsewhere the USCG hates those sorts of penetrations too.

 

[Wookie]

US built passenger boats must have a “collision Bulkhead”, a watertight bulkhead usually around frame 7 or so, that actually allows the bow to crumple in the event of a collision, and the cabin is often built over that bulkhead. So someone down below would have to go through that bulkhead and up to get out. So that isn’t an option.

Here is a picture of a crash bulkhead hard at work...

 

[Wookie]

You also suggested elsewhere the USCG hates those sorts of penetrations too.

Yes. Escape hatches must be vertical.

 

[Wookie]

Yes. Escape hatches must be vertical.

The navy solves the problem by having escape trunks. Still vertical, but they have a door to get in (like a phone booth) and up a ladder, vertically, and out another door at the top. This slows down the smoke getting into the escape trunk. From either end. They still top out at the “bulkhead deck” though, which is the lowest deck without watertight bulkheads.