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PWC fire... best procedure?

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Michael211_2000

Michael211_2000

Well-Known Member
I was stopped this past weekend by Texas Parks and Wildlife officers on Lake Livingston for a safety/permits inspection (they were stopping EVERYBODY in fact; 2 other guys on PWC's got busted for no fire extingishers and were ticketed and told to put 'em up). They checked my paperwork and wanted to see my fire extingisher... everything was in order, no problems.

However it got me thinking, if I were to experience a fire in this SeaDoo just what is the best way to deal with it? The fire extingisher is not easy to reach from atop the SeaDoo, it's difficult to reach it over the handlebars in fact. Also if there's a fire inside the hull, is it best to pull the seats off and toss them aside before reaching for the fire exstingisher, or get my hands on the fire extingisher 1st and then pull the seats off and toss aside (I'm sure they float and can be retrieved later once the fire is dealt with... least of worries in this situation I'm sure)?

Obviously the very 1st thing to do is TURN IT OFF, pull the lanyard key off the post... if it's leaking gasoline inside, the electric fuel pump will feed the fire!!!

Has anybody thought about this before?

I did once have a gas fire on my jetboat's engine, a carb o-ring was pinched and gasoline was trickling out onto the engine and I guess the distributor ignited it.... luckily I was still very near the docks, I turned the key off (shutting off the electric fuel pump instantly) and dove for the fire extingisher under my dash and sprayed the engine down. No damage luckily, just a big mess of white powder to clean up afterwards. Put the Fear of God into me though I tell you! Fire is 2nd only to outright sinking the boat in my nightmares.

- Michael
 
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I think I would pull the lanyard and jump in the water, swim away. My fire extinguisher is stowed in a waterproof container under the front hood, I hate to say it's the one that came with the ski (16 yrs. old), probably wouldn't work anyway.

Lou
 
If you're going to just leave it to burn, what are you taking the lanyard with you for Lou? LOL!

Myself, I'll do everthing I possibly can to save my boat; if I have to cup my hands and throw water on it I'll do it as fast as possible for as long as possible. Never surrender, never give up!

You do realize Lou that if you're stopped by officials on the lake, your fire extingisher must not only be present but must also be fully charged or else they'll ticket you and tell you to go back to the boat ramp? Just having one on board isn't enough, it has to work too. Officials here in Texas check the pressure guage/indicator!

- Michael
 
Pull the lanyard to kill the engine.

I've owned a SeaDoo for almost 15yrs. never been stopped.

Well I've got a ski I could replace for around 1500.00. The fire extinquisher in mine would be too hard to get to, it does show full charged, but I would'nt trust it to work.

I guess it would depend on the circumstance, I'm thinking in the middle of the lake.

I'll stay off the 4-tec forum, you guys are way to serious.

Lou
 
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I'd leave the lanyard on and hope it keeps going as far from me as possible. If it blows, I don't want to be near it.
 
aklim said:
I'd leave the lanyard on and hope it keeps going as far from me as possible. If it blows, I don't want to be near it.
Click to expand...

Well I'd imagine that at some point if no effort is made to put the fire out then the fuel cell will rupture and it'll explode in a fireball... my preference would be not to let it get to that point! I mean, that fire extingisher isn't there just to look all pretty. Is it?

- Michael
 
whether to grab the fire extinguisher first or take the seats off first - I look at it this way, I'm guessing once you pull that seat off the extra oxygen is going to feed the fire and there's probably a good chance that if you are standing on the ski you are going to get a fireball in the face. So I'm with Lou, I'm pulling the lanyard (because if the ski gets burnt up you can sell the lanyard on ebay for a few bucks) and jumping in the water and gettign as far away as quickly as possible. But if you insist on fighting the fire, I would consider what kind of life I have led, because I figure there is a 50/50 chance you are going to die in a firey explosion. So if you've led a good life and figure on going to heaven it probably don't matter which you grab first. If you've led a not so good life and are going to hell, I'd grab the fire extinguisher first.

I've had the exact same thoughts Lou everytime I open that hood. What good is that fire extinguisher going to do under the hood sealed up in that waterproof bottle. that 30 seconds getting that thing out could cost you your life. I'm going in the water. That's what the insurance is for. I just had this exact conversation with my sister last week. Just laying there in bed talking about jet ski fires.
 
Everybody wants to go to Heaven, but nobody wants to go right now.... LOL!

At any rate this is a very good discussion IMO.... my 1st thought would be to grab the fire extinguisher and try to stop the fire if at all possible. If it's too hot, then I'm outta there but I gotta try 1st. Had I just bailed on my jetboat that time it sprung a fuel leak at the carbs and burst into flames, I'd no longer have it! My 1st reaction was the right reaction. Being an open engine compartment that was a little easier though, I was able to see almost immediately that a fire had started and I had unfettered access to the flames so I could put it out fast. I'm not even sure how you'd know you had a fire inside a PWC hull, wouldn't the running engine be ingesting all the smoke?

1st clue of a fire inside a PWC's hull may be the seats bursting into flames, IDK... has anybody ever experienced a PWC fire? If so what happens, at what point do you realize somethings gone bad wrong?

Thanks for all the good food for thought, ya'll. :-)

- Michael
 
I agree with lou. I would pull the lanyard and get as far away as possible. Thats why we pay our insurance premiums. Plus i would rather just have the boat Totaled out than trying to repair one that has been fire/smoke damaged.

Rob
 
I had my 3d di Blow out of the water 2 years ago. Fuel leak and spark from the coil pack set it off. It seperated the top deck from the bottom.
Took out the seat post and the hood was obliterated. if i had a fire it would more than likely be an electrical fire. For example melted wires. I would just pull the lanyard off. And if it didn't go out leave it to burn as I don't carry a fire distinguisher. A fuel fire I would get away from it.
I should really fit an automatic extinguisher under the hood like the one on the boat.
 
rford09 said:
I agree with lou. I would pull the lanyard and get as far away as possible. Thats why we pay our insurance premiums. Plus i would rather just have the boat Totaled out than trying to repair one that has been fire/smoke damaged.

Rob
Click to expand...

Hmmmm.... I'm not in the same boat as you, Rob. I don't have mine insured, and I would rather fix smoke/fire damage than try to find another one just like mine. What the heck is the point of having a fire extinguisher on board if you won't even try to use it to save your boat if a fire breaks out?

OTOH, you have 1 really fine looking passenger there so I wish I were in the same boat as her! Talk about smokin hot! :drool5:

- Michael
 
D 5UPE said:
I should really fit an automatic extinguisher under the hood like the one on the boat.
Click to expand...

That sounds nice!

btw: How did fumes build up inside your hull to cause an explosion like that? The factory setup has quite an air circulation system, at least on my RXT.... did you have aftermarket mods that contributed to the buildup of fumes inside your hull?

And you make a good point, there are different types of fires.... fuel fires fed by leaking fuel, electrical fires caused be shorted wiring setting the wire's insulation on fire. In the case of an electrical fire, shutting it off and putting the fire out should be quite possible if you're fairly quick about it (I think I may add a pair of wire cutters to my onboard underseat tool kit now, just so I'd have a way to cut the battery leads loose fast should it ever be necessary). A fuel fire would be more dangerous I'd think... I wonder how much heat it takes to rupture the fuel cell? I presume it's made of a fire resistant material.... isn't it?

- Michael
 
rford09 said:
I agree with lou. I would pull the lanyard and get as far away as possible. Thats why we pay our insurance premiums. Plus i would rather just have the boat Totaled out than trying to repair one that has been fire/smoke damaged.

Rob
Click to expand...

Rob,

Got to know who the babe is in your avatar?????
 
I was told by local Fish and Game commission who were checking that I had all the required items/licenses that in case of a fire, just get off the machine and swim away. They said the fire extinguisher is useful to help others who may have a fire on their boat/ski.
 
From a firefighter's standpoint, I recommend getting off and leaving it. If you remember to pull the lanyard thats good. That tiny extinguisher isnt enough to put out much of anything and gives most people a false sense of security and they will get hurt.
 
Ok... so you're gonna die and go to Heaven (or Hell?) trying to save somebody else's boat/ski then? Yeah that makes alot more sense to me. :driving:

- Michael
 
Jake, i got that pic and a few others of the same girl, sent to me in a e-mail from a buddy. Anyway the girl is from some website, cant remember wich one. But she is crazy hot
 
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