Do you have an automatic fire extinguisher in the engine compartment of your boat? It's a sensible precaution to take. In the event of an engine or electrical fire it would go off automatically, probably before you were even aware there was a problem. Far better than fanning the flames of an already established fire by taking off the engine cover and then having to work out how to set off an extinguisher manually!
However, I recently heard a horror story where an automatic dry powder extinguisher went off in the engine compartment apparently without the presence of a fire. As the engine was running at the time, the intake of powder resulted in its sudden death. It was replaced through the insurers, but that is small comfort if you have to lose half a season waiting for repairs to be completed.
My informant, a marine industry insider, tells me that it is the first time he has ever heard of this happening, so there is little cause for alarm, but he advised considering changing the dry powder extinguisher on our boat to the gas type, “which are more expensive but will not harm the engine if activated.”
We therefore swapped our Firemaster dry powder extinguisher for one of the same maker's GTFE Clean Agent type: the dimensions are identical, so it was simply a question of putting it straight into the existing bracket. The “halon replacement” contents are described as suitable for use on electrical equipment and causing “zero ozone depletion.”
Clean agent extinguishers are twice as expensive as the dry powder type, but we felt it was a price worth paying for peace of mind: we'd have felt extremely sick if we'd suffered the same fate, having been warned about it! The “drop in” replacement extinguishers are available from Mailspeed Marine from £89.95 (1kg).
Meanwhile, if you haven't already done it, checking your fire extinguishers should be high on the fitting out list. Make sure they have not passed their expiry date and that the gauge is still showing green. If not, replace them even if they are still in date.
You should have one extinguisher near the engine and one near the galley - ideally accessible from opposite ends of the boat. There should be a fire blanket near the galley stove, too.
When we had our Sigma 33, it came fitted with two manual extinguishers, both dry powder, one stored vertically and the other horizontally. We were advised to swap them over at regular intervals, as apparently the vibration caused by motoring causes the contents to settle and compact. Changing their position was supposed to combat this.
Like all boat safety equipment, fire extinguishers tend to be fitted and then forgotten, until or unless they are needed. It is worth spending a few minutes reading the instructions - working out how to get the thing out of its bracket and set it off.
If you ever do need to use it, you will want to be able to do it without having to stop and think!
