Boat fire.. RiB to the rescue

[Shaggy]

Not sure if any of you saw the pictures on www.ospreyrib.com, pretty scary stuff and very brave RiB skipper.

"Peder Smith, owner of Shell gas station at Karlslund and Bullbåtarna had to make a rescue mission in one of his Osprey Viper 7m (also called Bullbåtarna) when a boat exploded after they been fueling at the station, Peder tugged the boat out to open water so the gas station and other boats didnt take fire, the Coastguard, Firedepartment and SSRS came also to rescue after the boat been tugged out from the harbour."

Shaggy

< Edit: Please don't attach photos unless they are yours, as it almost certainly breaches the owner's copyright. See the link above for the photos on the Grand RIB web site. JK >

[craigdavis]

Wow thats some brave rib handling there

[Petrov]

Peder told me after that it was pretty hot
Unfortunetly the wife was sitting on the engine bay and flew some meters up in the air and landed on the bridge and brooke both legs and she is not able to walk today, the owner didnt get a scratch.

[Jizm]

What caused the explosion then?

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Jizm

What caused the explosion then?

I don't know, but worth remembering that petrol fumes are heavier than air. In a car filling up with petrol not a problem as the fumes dissipate. However with a boat they can sink down into the hull and build up without poeple knowing. All it would take is a hot exhaust, spark from alternator or starter and .....

[RESCUE1]

The RYA have been warning us safteyboat drivers for some time about static electricity and to remove the fuel tank and refuel on the jetty and NOT in the boat

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by Pete7

I don't know, but worth remembering that petrol fumes are heavier than air. In a car filling up with petrol not a problem as the fumes dissipate. However with a boat they can sink down into the hull and build up without poeple knowing. All it would take is a hot exhaust, spark from alternator or starter and .....

Actually it would take more than a hot exhaust - petrol has a much higher flashpoint than oil or diesel.....

[Petrov]

The driver didnt put the fan on before starting the engine, there was to much diesel gas in the engine room.

[Jono]

Off topic slightly... has anyone else tried the trick of putting out a match in a cup of petrol? With a cup half full, the vapours fill the rest of the cup and exclude Oxygen... so the match goes out.... well it did when it was demonstrated to me...... not quite the same result when I tried... interesting... but not the same...ho-hum...

[ashbypower]

Originally Posted by codprawn

Actually it would take more than a hot exhaust - petrol has a much higher flashpoint than oil or diesel.....

I Think you'll find that the flash point of petrol is <45 Deg C and for Diesel it is <62 deg C

Regards

Brian

[Jono]

Originally Posted by ashbypower

I Think you'll find that the flash point of petrol is <45 Deg C and for Diesel it is <62 deg C

Regards

Brian

... However hot exhausts will not, from my understanding, cause a fire directly. The vapours will still need a source of ignition.. usually electrical.

[Scary Des]

Originally Posted by ashbypower

I Think you'll find that the flash point of petrol is <45 Deg C and for Diesel it is <62 deg C

Regards

Brian

Yes but the self ignition point is close to 600 C where as diesel is around 300 C

at the flash point a fuel with continue to burn without a source of ignition but it will not start to burn on its own

Interestingly (If you find this sort of thing interesting) brake fluid is the most dangerous fluid in a car because its self ignition point is only 200 C well within slightly hot exhaust temperatures Des

[ashbypower]

Des, I Think your getting Deg C and Deg F muxed up WoW thats HOT

Petrol Autoignition temperature: 246ºC Diesel Autoignition temperature: 210ºC


Yep! I was not going to mention break fluid or some hydrolic fluids.

Regards

Brian

[Jono]

Anoraks at dawn! Now this sort of discussion is more to my liking..... technical subtleties... my favourite!

[Nos4r2]

Get the gloves off Jono...

I knew mineral brake fluid had a low flashpoint-I've done a couple of insurance estimates on vehicles that have caught fire after a crash from spilled brake fluid when I worked as a fitters mate years back-but does the 'new' silicone brake fluid do it too? Not come across an accident where it's been spilt yet.

[ashbypower]

Anorak who's an anorak??

Ok Ok I'll get me coat (Anorak)

Regards

Brian

Anyway enough of this It is after all a RIB forum!!

[Jono]

Actually, despite the slight deviation from topic , it's been a worry of mine.... I fill up with loads of lurverly petrol from a quayside fuel pump and know that all those fumes are filling up my nice, bowl shaped RIB....... a recipe for disaster really, if you think about it… must re-check my insurance cover!

[Scary Des]

Originally Posted by ashbypower

Des, I Think your getting Deg C and Deg F muxed up......Brian

No I was thinking C
The point of self ignition does depend on the octane rating of the fuel and on what additives are in the fuel.

To be fair I should have expressed it as a range of 200 to 600 degree C, (UK fuel closer to 550). However, the point I was making was that with out a source of ignition petrol is safer than diesel and loads safer than brake fluid or hydraulic oil Des

[ashbypower]

Des, Totally agree. Not wishing to prolong the discussion off topic, it appears we are on the same wavelength.


Cheers

Brian

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by Scary Des

No I was thinking C
The point of self ignition does depend on the octane rating of the fuel and on what additives are in the fuel.

To be fair I should have expressed it as a range of 200 to 600 degree C, (UK fuel closer to 550). However, the point I was making was that with out a source of ignition petrol is safer than diesel and loads safer than brake fluid or hydraulic oil Des

Spot on - lot of people don't relaise that.

Jono is quite right about the match trick - a lighted fag will also be put out by petrol.......

Talking of brake fluid I had direct experience of that - I had just bought my beloved Alfa 75 - 30,000 on the clock and well pleased with it. A few days later I had stopped on a steep hill - narrow country road - suddenly loads of smoke coming from under the bonnet.

I always carry a few bottle of mineral water with me - opened the bonnet and saw things well alight - chucked all the water over the fire and luckily we were right next to a resevoir - mate kept going back for refills.

When the fire was out I saw what had caused it - somehow the brake fluid resevoir had blown off the cylinder - brake fluid right onto the tubular exhaust manifold. How it happened I will never know - the breather hole was clear!!!

I was very lucky - the ONLY damage was a tiny bit of insulation burnt through on one wire - bit of tape around that and the car did another 140,000 miles no probs at all - still have it!!!