Early Morning Boat Fires

Posted by Alan Sorum Oct 21, 2006

We had two boats burn in my harbor yesterday morning. Fire is a huge risk for any marina. There is no place that can report the property values that exist in a marina. If you think about it, a typical 50 foot vessel costs a minimum of $1 million and they are moored only a few feet from the next vessel. No residential neighborhood would have these values per square foot of developed space. I suspect an electric heater could be the cause of these two vessels being lost.

The fire started in a boat that had been secured for the winter and family members of the owner reported that an electric space heater was present on-board. The burning boat caused its slip mate to then catch on fire next. The majority of problems I have seen with vessels in long-term storage center on heating issues, primarily oil stoves, electric heaters and heat lamps. See the new article on Boat Fire Safety for more useful information.

Please review the articles on In Water Boat Storage and Boat Winterizing and Dry Storage. Talk to your marina or boatyard operator about the safety standards for electrical devices used within stored vessels. We were lucky the fire department stopped this fire from spreading. A third vessel had its mooring covers melted and nearly started burning itself. A little preparation can keep your boat safe for the winter.