Positioning for a second fire extinguisher

[Sea Hunt Video]

Lousy weather all day today. Time to dream of projects.

I currently have a fire extinguisher installed in the forward berth/head area of my Cape Dory 25D. I would like to install a second fire extinguisher in the cockpit area.

My reasoning for this is that, in my mind, there are three (3) likely places where a fire could start - engine room (diesel), stove (alcohol) or battery compartment (2 AGMs in portside cockpit locker).

If I am in the cabin and a fire starts in any of the above 3 locations I can grab the fire extinguisher in the forward berth/head. However, if I am on deck and a fire starts in the engine room or stove it may be sufficiently large that I cannot get down into the cabin to reach the forward berth/head fire extinguisher. That is why I would like to install a second fire extinguisher in the cockpit area. I can reach it from outside the cabin and spray down into the cabin (engine or stove).

I have been trying to locate a place where I can safely install a second fire extinguisher. It is a Badger Dry Chemical Model No. 5MB-6H (5 lb chemical retardant). It weights 11 lbs.

I have thought of installing it on a bracket on the underside of the portside cockpit seat hatch. I would epoxy a piece of wood to the underside of the hatch, install the fire extinguisher bracket to the wood and the fire extinguisher into the bracket. I ALWAYS have the cockpit lockers unlocked when I am aboard (I unlock the cabin hatch and both cockpit lockers first thing on boarding).

Installing on the underside of the portside cockpit seat hatch would make it readily accessible should I be in the cockpit and a fire starts in the engine compartment or stove. My only concern is the fire extinguisher's proximity to the batteries (2 AGMs).

Thoughts Any better location for a fire extinguisher on a Cape Dory 25D

Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions, etc.

[Bill Goldsmith]

I would consider mounting the second fire extinguisher on the bulkhead right inside the companionway. Several advantages:

1) It's accessible quite easily from the galley area.
2) You are more likely to have a galley fire than a diesel fire or AGM battery fire.
3) You can still reach right inside the companionway to grab it if you need it in the cockpit.
4) It's out in plain sight so any guests would not have to have special knowledge of its location. A hidden fire extinguisher is essentially not a fire extinguisher except to the person who knows its location.
5) Placing it underside of a cockpit locker possibly requires someone to move to access it. Seconds count.

On the plus side, they say occasionally shaking a fire extinguisher is good for its longevity--keeps it from solidifying/caking up inside. Placing it on the underside of a locker hatch would keep it agitated.

[tjr818]

Hi Robert,
On or 27 it was easy to mount one in the aft lazarette. One thing to be cautious of is that you don't want to open a hatch if it will feed more oxygen to a fire. If a fire were to break out in my wall to wall carpeted engine room , or my mahogany paneled battery showroom , opening either the port or starboard hatch would feed more air to the fire. I would want a fire extinguisher in hand if I had to open one of those hatches.

[Steve Laume]

Raven has three. One is in the V berth, one opposite the stove on the bulkhead at the back of the book shelf and one in the cockpit locker opposite the fuel tank.

Three is the minimum number I feel comfortable with. If you ever do have a fire, spraying it down from the cockpit is not going to do much good. You do need to focus the retardant at the base of the fire. My thinking is that the one in the cabin would be the go to extinguisher. If it failed to do the job I could grab the one in the V berth or the cockpit locker. If I was on deck and had a fire down below I could either come in through the forward hatch or grab the one in the cockpit and go to work. The same would hold true if you were exiting the cabin.

Right inside the main hatch seems like a pretty good place. Think about where the fire is likely to occur, where you might be and what access you will have to the fire extinguishers. Could you get to two of them without having to transit through the fire zone?

I had my garden tractor catch on fire a few years ago while out mowing in my Christmas tree field. I ran to the barn and grabbed an extinguisher, then sprinted back to put out the fire. I emptied the thing and thought all was well until it flared back up a couple of minutes later. One more run to the barn put it out the second time and then I immediately got a five gallon bucket of water to douse every thing down until it stopped smoldering.

This was not a life threatening situation but it did demonstrate how one or two extinguishers might not be adequate in a marine situation. Even if you do have two on board you might not be able to get to both of them so three seems better, Steve.

[rorik]

I have one mounted opposite the head where the vanity used to be, and the other is mounted next to the steps in the galley on the access panel. Mounted that low, I can avoid smoke inhalation/flames and still reach it from the cockpit if necessary.

[Jim Walsh]

I agree with Steve. I have three also, one in the forward cabin, one in the main cabin, and one in the starboard cockpit locker which is also opposite my diesel tank. They are cheap insurance. The important thing is to make sure you can readily access one regardless of where you are on the boat.

[Dick Kobayashi]

I like to cook - so the question is " What about a pan fire or similar while you are cooking" A common problem in homes and a likely problem while cooking on a stove in a very confined space. Solution: I have a small extinguisher stored vertically behind the fiddle rail above the port side settee near the stove. This means I can get at it while facing the stove with a modest reach and a half step. And I don't have to turn my back to the fire or leave the cabin or, for that matter "fumble around".

I don't leave the stove while something is cooking, generally...but what about exceptions. An extinguisher under the port locker cover was installed by the previous owner, but I prefer an extinguisher in the little tray under the stbd locker cover. It is just THERE - No brackets or such to fuss with.

[Jim Davis]

I personally go with minimum of three. One forward, one aft near the companion way and one in a locker on deck. Actually I have one more in the cabin, but... Also you can add a "Fire Blanket" for the galley. They don't take up much room and are a lot better than trying to use a fire extinguisher on a grease fire.

http://www.pyro-gear.com/blankets_more.php?id=13

[Sea Hunt Video]

Thanks very much for all of the suggestions.

I forgot to mention that I have a small extinguisher stored on the starboard side wall between the starboard bunk and the sea bunk. It was installed by the PO. Sorry.

Technically, I have 3 extinguishers.

I will see if my extinguisher will fit into the starboard cockpit locker "tray" as you suggested Dick K. That is a good idea. I am not sure of the diameter. It may be too big for the tray.

20-24 kts expected tomorrow. No sailing, no diving.

[nosara]

On our 30 c we have
2 in forward cabin, one wall strapped,one below bunk.
2 in the Galley area.
1 below vanity in Head compartment.
1 starboard cockpit lazarette.

[Sea Hunt Video]

I prefer an extinguisher in the little tray under the stbd locker cover. It is just THERE - No brackets or such to fuss with.

Dick K.:

I tried your suggestion. Unfortunately, the fire extinguisher I have is 4.5" OD. The depth of the "little tray" on S/V Bali Ha'i is only 4". No joy.

Still trying to find a good place for a fire extinguisher in the cockpit area of a Cape Dory 25D.

[M. R. Bober]

On TIA MARI (CD27) I mounted a fire extinguisher aft of the throttle/transmission levers (almost touching the bulkhead of the laz). Always available; never in the way (aft of the tiller base).

Mitchell Bober
Sunny Lancaster, (Location, location, location) VA