Cape Dory 36 "Parfait" project boat or salvage?

[Parfait's Provider]

I am sorry to report that due to a fairly minor fire aboard Parfait, she has been declared a total loss by the insurance company. The fire started in behind the electrical panel and wiped out everything there, some to port and some to starboard. The smoke damage from the electrical wiring is extensive. The sails and canvas were stored in the V-berth so they got some of it too. So what's next? As-is, she is a project, not that she wasn't before. I think her hull is sound, but her electrics are gone. The estimate to restore her is $65K. The salvage value might be as much as $10K. I am thinking of stripping her of portable stuff and letting her go. If there is someone who could use some of the more expensive parts or the entire boat, as-is, please let me know. The idea of having her ground up is just not setting well with me, but I am too old to take on this project with 3 hours between me and the boat and no real desire to move to the coast.

The Yanmar 3G has about 200 hours on it. The standing rigging was replaced a few years ago. There is a nearly unused roller furling staysail. The jib is also roller furling. The main was restored by Sailcare and has seen little use since.

Let's talk! Send a message here or an email to parfait at nc dot rr dot com.

Ken Coit
S/V Parfait

[jerryaxler]

After reading your post, I had to reply with my offer of condolences for the loss of an old friend. Those of us who are smitten by the CD and sailing bug can and do appreciate the loss and wish you the best.

[Parfait's Provider]

Thanks Jerry. There is interest in keeping her alive and that feels good. I just can't.

Ken

[Russell]

Very sad news indeed, I am sorry to hear this. It certainly makes me want to fix the rats nest behind my electrical panel, a project I have put off far too long.

[Parfait's Provider]

Thanks Russell!

I was very proud of the results of the effort I put into the electrical system. As I bought her, it was impossible to open up the original panel more than a few inches. Why anyone thought that was acceptable is beyond me. Parfait's panel was hinged at the bottom. My mistake was not making the panel a no-tools instant drop. If I could have opened it before the smoke drove me out, I could have saved 90% of the fire damage and close to 100% of the smoke damage.

I don't know what got hot and lit the fire other than the fact that it started on the AC section of the panel which was covered. No breakers tripped.

Let us know when you are passing through.

Ken

[Sea Hunt Video]

Ken:

I join all the others and offer my condolences. There were only 165 of the CD36s manufactured, similar to the low number of CD 25Ds.

I wish there was something the CDSOA community could do to "rescue" S/V Parfait. If anyone knows of anything we can do I am certainly willing to volunteer time and effort and some "coin".

[Parfait's Provider]

Robert,

Thanks very much and especially for such a generous thought. Wow! I have proven to be too old, tired, cheap, and sore to keep up the boat as she should be and at least two others are interested in rehabilitating her. I pray she will come out of this much better than she went in. She can sail now, but the Yanmar needs a new control panel, or a minimal substitute, to be powered away on her own bottom.

Thanks again!

Ken

[Russell]

Thanks Russell!

I was very proud of the results of the effort I put into the electrical system. As I bought her, it was impossible to open up the original panel more than a few inches. Why anyone thought that was acceptable is beyond me. Parfait's panel was hinged at the bottom. My mistake was not making the panel a no-tools instant drop. If I could have opened it before the smoke drove me out, I could have saved 90% of the fire damage and close to 100% of the smoke damage.

I don't know what got hot and lit the fire other than the fact that it started on the AC section of the panel which was covered. No breakers tripped.

Wow, you were onboard when it happened then? One likes to hope being there you could keep damage minimal, though I guess if you were not there it could have burned to the waterline, its scary to think that even with you there the damage was bad enough to be declared a total loss. My panel is hinged as well, it does have instant fold down access via a single twist lock fastener (like you use on canvas sail covers and such), it never occured to me how important that may be, it was a previous owner who set that up.

[Parfait's Provider]

Yes, I was on board, sitting a few feet from the source at the chart table. It could have been a few hours later when I was asleep. I'd be gone, Parfait would have burned very deep and two boats downwind would have probably gone too.

[John Danicic]

The worst nightmare of a Cape Dory Owner or any boat owner at that.

My sincere condolences.

[David van den Burgh]

Ken,

Any indication of what might have caused it? Any speculation?

David

[Parfait's Provider]

Thanks everyone.

I think this must have been heating up for some time. I was messing with the computer at the chart table, the companionway hatch was open, I think the boards were in. I felt cold, got up, closed the hatch and stepped across to the mast where a heater was, turned it on, turned around and saw smoke at the ladder swirling up to the hatch and back down, and said something vulgar. Then I saw flames behind and through the AC voltmeter. I quickly went to the panel and hit the AC and DC main breakers. None had tripped. Then I wanted to get the panel open - not a chance - to hit the fire with three extinguishers I could have reached. The smoke drove me out with keys on my belt loop and cellphone in hand. I left the computer on the chart table. That was a big mistake!

With lots of lost sleep over this, I think something got hot, the protective housing on the AC panel became too hot and burst into flames, sort of similar to aluminum house wiring fires with cold flow. The wiring at the panel was all high quality Ancor finely stranded and tinned cabling. The panel had been installed and operating flawlessly for years. Something might have worked loose over time or during Irene and created a higher resistance connection which would create heat without drawing excessive current, even less current. However, every wire terminated on the panel had properly crimped closed terminals and each screw had an exterior star washer. It was a solid installation. None of the breakers from the pedestal on the pier to the branch circuits was tripped until I tripped them manually.

At this point I would recommend that all panels be easily opened without tools. They might need to be childproof, but no more. I would also recommend that battery cables and charger cables be protected on both ends with manually trippable breakers.

[Russell]

How did the fire extinguish then? Did it go out on its own?

[Parfait's Provider]

Oh, no. Parfait was in her slip. 911 was called and the first responder appeared in the time it took to slowly walk 200 ft. to the clubhouse to warn the people who were at the marina on Monday evening. The first responder arrived as I was leaving the clubhouse. He had a "Fire Department" T-shirt and a 5 lb. extinguisher. I suggestd he needed more than that. In just a few minutes, fully protected fire persons arrived with hoses to run the length of the pier from the parking lot, maybe 250 ft. total. They got on board and started to amend what I was doing by that time, using a garden hose to keep the flames at bay; I could not get below by that time with no appropriate clothing, mask or air. They must have called the Coast Guard en route, because the CG was calling me before I left the boat the second time. I put the CG off, but did invite them to come see what was going on. They also sent a boat; it was turned away before I could see what they were equipped to do, fight fires or contain pollution.

The Coast Guard showed up by vehicle and spoke to me. I apologized and they were very gracious in their understanding of what was happening at the time of their call: the firemen were trying to get aboard with their heavy armor and I was try to get off in my T-shirt.

The FD was there about 3.5 hours, from 7 to 10:30. I had many offers to sleep over, even in the homes of local fire persons, but I had nothing to wear but smokey clothes and decided to drive back to Raleigh. I had little trouble staying awake for the trip. I wasn't so lucky the Friday night following when I went down on a day trip to meet with the surveyor, but I managed to get home without hitting anything hard.

Thanks for the questions; I still need to get this off my mind.

Ken

[David van den Burgh]

Well, Ken, glad you're ok. What an experience! Hopefully Parfait will find new life.