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Portable Extinguishers
Portable extinguishers are designed to be hand-held and aimed at the base of the fire.
Portables are available with dry chemicals or with Halon. The Halon used in portables
sprays as a liquid to aid in aiming the stream; it turns to a gas as it hits the fire.
Halon portables range in price from about $40 to $300 depending on size, while
dry-chemical models range from under $15 to around $60.
Portables are triggered by pulling a hand lever. When you're shopping, check the trigger
lever and make sure you and your crew will be able to use it. Portables must have a Coast
Guard approved mounting bracket which secures the bottle in place with a quick-release
latch. Make sure the latch releases easily and that the bottle comes free without a
struggle.
Care and Maintenance
All fire extinguishers have to be inspected periodically to insure they are fully charged
and ready for use. Look for a dial gauge that's easily readable to tell at a glance
whether it's fully charged. Even though the Coast Guard requires every extinguisher to
have one, a gauge may not be adequate for Halon extinguishers. It can indicate propellant
pressure but not the quantity of Halon available. Manufacturers say this must be measured
by weighing.
An extinguisher that's been discharged needs to be recharged or replaced. Inexpensive
dry-chemical extinguishers often have plastic valves and can't be recharged. Those with
metal valves are often rechargeable, but it still may be cheaper to replace than recharge.
Dry-chemical recharging costs about $2 a pound. Portable Halon extinguishers can usually
be recharged. We were quoted about $10 per pound of Halon, but that will soon be going up
sharply.
When selecting a mounting location for a portable extinguisher, make sure it doesn't stick
out in a busy passageway where it can become a hazard to people. And put it where it's
least likely that a fire will come between you and the extinguisher.
Conclusions/Recommendations
The Coast Guard only sets bare minimum equipment requirements based on the size of the
boat. We recommend going beyond the legal minimum and having numerous fire extinguishers
to meet the different types of fire hazards you face on your boat. For starters, since
engine fires are the greatest hazard, we think an automatic-discharging Halon
extinguisher, properly sized to flood the engine compartment, is a must for any inboard
craft. You don't want to have to open the hatch cover to fight an engine fire; you could
be facing a terrible blaze only made worse by the fresh air.
Outboard motors present a different problem because they're exposed. We recommend the
special outboard extinguisher covered separately in this report. It's expensive, but a big
outboard represents a major investment.
The galley also needs attention. A grease fire aboard a boat is nasty business, just as it
is in your home kitchen. Sodium bicarbonate dry-chemical extinguishers are particularly
effective against these fires, so we'd pick one of those for the galley. Yes, it will
leave a mess behind, but you're in dangerously tight quarters and you'll likely get just
one chance to put the fire out, so live with the cleanup headache. Halon can drift away
too easily and allow re-ignition. Be sure to locate the galley extinguisher so that you
don't have to reach over the stove to get at it. If you use a portable stove or grill,
make sure the extinguisher moves with it and stays safely within your reach.
If you sleep aboard, keep an extinguisher by your bunk. Likewise, one should be handy,
too, if you operate a cabin heater. We'd choose a multipurpose dry-chemical model for
these standby duties. In general, the more and the bigger, the better. You never know
where you'll be standing when you have to reach for an extinguisher, so try to equip for
any contingency.
The best extinguisher is the one you never need. Exercise caution at all times and drill
yourself and your crew and guests in fire prevention. Maintain fuel systems carefully and
keep a watchful eye on hazards. Be zealous about fuel-handling and engine-startup
procedures. Check all extinguishers often to be sure they're ready for use. Make sure you
and everyone else can get portable extinguishers out of their brackets easily.
And read the extinguisher instructions before you need them; that's not the kind of
reading you want to do by firelight.
I think this came from: Professional
Boatbuilder Magazine, ( I lost the source somewhere along the line.)
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