Post-Conception Disaster: what you learned & will change

[hilljo88]

I've done LOBs in the Caribbean, Mexican west coast, Indo, and S. Pacific. I've never been on one that didn't have multiple, easy, unobstructed access points to/from below deck areas to different areas of the ship. They have all had individual cabin/stateroom sleeping quarters and a relatively moderate number of divers for the size of the vessel. They all had a night watch. My point is not all LOBs are the same. It's certainly an individuals right not to partake in the LOB experience, but IMHO it's a mistake to paint all LOBs with the same broad brush based on the Conception. I've enjoyed some of my best diving and certainly best diving experiences (comradery, scenery, beautiful night skies, etc.) aboard LOBs. I hope to enjoy more in the future. While I rarely travel with a camera anymore, I will pay closer attention to charging facilities and policies. Diving, the ocean, boats, and life can all be hazardous. I've found it's best to research, educate, and perform a bit of personal risk analysis before climbing aboard. All IMHO, YMMV.

i agree with your comments. I’ve done liveaboards and will continue to do so. But I would never sleep in quarters where I couldn’t exit easily in case of fire (or sinking!) It’s interesting that we as divers will carefully plan our dives but are oblivious to onboard risks. We’ll do a wreck penetration with lights, redundant gas, reels with exit guide lines, carefully study entrance and exit points, etc. make sure we’re fully alert, no alcohol. Yet on board we’ll feel entitled to stay late at the bar and crash below deck with little or no concern for emergency exits. also, I’m a photographer and dive with photographers. I have never seen an issue with battery recharging by photographers either on land or sea. Did the investigators conclude that the fire was started by batteries? Or was it inconclusive, and could have been started by cigarettes, cooking or other source?

 

[DavidFL]

I haven't decided yet. I've done 10+ liveaboards and enjoyed every trip. With hindsight, I wasn't as inquisitive as I should have been; and I contributed to risks by charging my phone and laptop/tablet in below-main-decks staterooms; if I do another LOB I won't be repeating those mistakes. For what it's worth, the trips I have booked since the Conception and RSA fires (and re-booked, and re-booked) have been shore accommodations with dayboats, and I will keep rebooking them until I finally make those trips, and then maybe consider LOBs again. I'm more likely to book LOBs like Kona Aggressor and Aquacat (Bahamas) with staterooms on the main deck or all or mostly above the waterline, or pay extra for a premium cabin on or above the main deck.

 

[Manatee Diver]

Generally speaking, it hasn't been the source of power that was the issue with lithium battery fires, its been the charger or the batteries themselves.

And? Regardless of the source of the fire, which can include power strips, develop a way that ensures that the fires are contained and quickly controled. Like a metal charging cabinet that has a smoke detector wired to the bridge and fire extinguisher. It should have shelves and plenty of non-surge outlets that are cut off when a fire is detected.

 

[TuckerIdaho]

And? Regardless of the source of the fire, which can include power strips, develop a way that ensures that the fires are contained and quickly controled. Like a metal charging cabinet that has a smoke detector wired to the bridge and fire extinguisher. It should have shelves and plenty of non-surge outlets that are cut off when a fire is detected.

And YOU should be policing your own equipment and monitoring battery temp when YOU are charging them.

It would be cheaper and safer to just straight up ban lithium batteries until more smart batteries are on the market.

 

[lexvil]

And YOU should be policing your own equipment and monitoring battery temp when YOU are charging them.

It would be cheaper and safer to just straight up ban lithium batteries until more smart batteries are on the market.

Battery batteries have been a goal for a long time
Battery Explosion « The USS Flier Project

 

[TuckerIdaho]

Battery batteries have been a goal for a long time
Battery Explosion « The USS Flier Project

So clearly evidence we should ban batteries from boats. Good job!

 

[Marie13]

I haven't decided yet. I've done 10+ liveaboards and enjoyed every trip. With hindsight, I wasn't as inquisitive as I should have been; and I contributed to risks by charging my phone and laptop/tablet in below-main-decks staterooms; if I do another LOB I won't be repeating those mistakes. For what it's worth, the trips I have booked since the Conception and RSA fires (and re-booked, and re-booked) have been shore accommodations with dayboats, and I will keep rebooking them until I finally make those trips, and then maybe consider LOBs again. I'm more likely to book LOBs like Kona Aggressor and Aquacat (Bahamas) with staterooms on the main deck or all or mostly above the waterline, or pay extra for a premium cabin on or above the main deck.

In the battery charging danger hierarchy, smartphones/tablets/laptops seem to be on the low end, compared with the lithium ion batteries such as 18650s that are used in cameras and lights. Many cheap Chinese batteries and chargers.

 

[NothingClever]

Remember, you’re asking the “hard questions” of the office staff or a travel agent. What answer do you expect?

If the CS rep isn’t confident in his/her answer, I’d simply ask to speak to a senior crew member when back in port.

 

[lexvil]

So clearly evidence we should ban batteries from boats. Good job!

Just remember, for every solution there is a disaster waiting to happen.

 

[Manatee Diver]

And YOU should be policing your own equipment and monitoring battery temp when YOU are charging them.

It would be cheaper and safer to just straight up ban lithium batteries until more smart batteries are on the market.

So are you telling me that you sit in front of your battery charger every time you charge any lithium battery including your cellphone?

Now I do make it a point to not charge any of my big batteries unless someone is home, but I am hardly sitting there and monitoring the temperature at home, let alone on a liveaboard where the whole point I would spend thousands of dollars is to be on vacation diving most of the time.

Sure you could ban them, but the type of people that go on liveaboards are more likely to be the type of people that bring nicer cameras and lights. Or they could realize that they most of them are somewhat higher end experiences and provide a safe way to charge them. Almost all liveaboards already have dedicated camera tables, dedicated camera rinse bins, and other dedicated camera facilities. Providing a battery charging area that will benefit not only the camera people, but everyone else that has lithium batteries like for lights.