Boat explosion

[jEt_jAk]

This is pretty crazy. What can cause something like this?

 

[Luc Lafreniere]

Looks like they were about to move away from the dock and someone is at the cockpit. So I assume it happened when the ignition was turned on. So either a fuel leak or potentially fumes accumulating. This is why a blower exists...

 

[2kwik4u]

That is from NOT running your blowers after refueling your boat......almost 100% garunteed that is the cause.

There can be other reasons for there to be fuel vapors in the bilge. Fuel leak, etc. Most of the time it's from being around the fuel dock.

Marine rated/spark arrested electronics are also necessary to help fight this exact problem.

Run your blower for a few minutes before firing the engines.

 

[sfadchi]

Not running the blower motor to evacuate the fumes maybe?

 

[Manic Mechanic]

100% due to not running the bilge blower. It may come as a surprise but gasoline vapor is flammable. In an enclosed space even explosive. Run. The. Blower. Needs to be second nature.

 

[Dean P]

If blowers do not work or as an added safety measure, you can/should or both lift the engine hatch/cover. This is the fastest way to get rid of vapors. They are lucky no one was not seriously hurt or killed. School of hard knocks strikes again.

 

[Tyguy]

I was one of the first to respond to a similar explosion in Galveston. A boat exploded in the marina a short distance from me, which sent me running to the dock engulfed in flames, and what I found was 3 gentlemen treading water, and an unrecognizable boat on fire with the flames spreading to other boats. The gentlemen were badly burned and we kept them in the water until properly trained responders could assist. We were worried their skin would peel away if we tried to pull them out without harnesses. Awful situation.

In their situation they were performing engine work and ignited the gasoline fumes.

Run the blower folks.

 

[Ronnie]

Anyone remember this story from a few years ago?

 

[Matt Phillips]

1 cup of gasoline in the bilge of a boat is = to about 1 stick of dynamite.

I agree with others...this likely happened as a result of not running the blowers.

 

[anmut]

One of the reasons I fill up on the way home from being on the water and, when getting to the boat launch, turn the batteries (and blower) on as first on my check list.

 

[Beachbummer]

I agree with the blowers being the "fix" but in a fuel injected boat, fumes are a result of a LEAK! Your engine bay normally should NOT smell like fuel. If it does you have a problem. The blower will help prevent the explosion, but you should keep a watchful eye for leaks, and a nose for fuel vapor. There is NO reason that it should smell like fuel inside the boat. Something leaks, blower was not run enough to clear the fumes, boom.

 

[haknslash]

I agree with the blowers being the "fix" but in a fuel injected boat, fumes are a result of a LEAK! Your engine bay normally should NOT smell like fuel. If it does you have a problem. The blower will help prevent the explosion, but you should keep a watchful eye for leaks, and a nose for fuel vapor. There is NO reason that it should smell like fuel inside the boat. Something leaks, blower was not run enough to clear the fumes, boom.

I agree with you but I also remember sometimes my AR192's EVAP canister would put out enough fumes to cause me to worry if the damn thing was leaking. Never found a leak but there were times I could smell fuel. I never cared for where they mounted it either. Thankfully that lady appeared to be ok! We always run the blower at time we've sat for prolonged periods. Just old habit and you never know when a fuel line or tank may have a small leak during the day.

Always good to remember that gasoline vapors are much heavier than air and they can travel some distances. When filling up the fuel vent on the outside may allow some vapors to travel back down to the engine hatch area and that is known to not be a great seal due to manufacturing process. So it's best to be careful and treat the fuel injected boat the same as an old carb IMO.

 

[Crob83]

Damn she is lucky to be alive, that was wild