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Conference vicki::boats

Title:	Powerboats
Notice:	Introductions 2 /Classifieds 3 / '97 Ski Season 1267
Moderator:	KWLITY::SUTER

Created:	Thu May 12 1988
Last Modified:	Wed Jun 04 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	1275
Total number of notes:	18109

867.0. "Danversport explosion!" by BOSTON::DAGOSTINO () Wed Jun 26 1991 17:00

    Whew,
    
    Anyone hear about the boat exploding at Danversport? Last year I
    was right next to the PISTACHIO, the culprit of gas vapors in the
    bilge!
    
    Apparently there was work done on the fuel system and someone left a
    leaky gas line. When the bilge pump kicked on it ignited the boat,
    the 2 gas powered boats next to it, and burnt surrounding boats as
    well as igniting the dock.
    
    Apparently this was the first time the U.S.C.G. were summoned up
    the Danvers river. Here is some of the article as it appeared in
    the Salem Evening News:
    
    Danvers - Fire officials today will try to determine the cause of an
    explosion that sank two 40 foot yachts, damaged 4 other craft and had
    boaters divng for safety from the dock at the Danversport Yacht Club
    Sunday evening.
    
    ...damage is estimated a close to half a million dollars. The explosion
    sent passengers on other boats diving into the water to swim for safety
    as the marina's pier caught fire...
    
    The fire quickly spread to nearby boats and took nearly 3 hours to
    extinguish. The water was littered with debris and some fuels was
    released.
    
    The Beverly-Salem and Kernwood brides open for a considerable amount of
    time, the Coast Guard firefighters were aboard a 41ft cutter dispatched
    from the Harbor Loop station in Gloucester.
    
    The rest of the article pats the firefighters on the back...
    
    You should have seen the picture. The PISTACHIO was a 40ft Hatterras
    with a bridge about 19' high. The whole boat was leveled and according
    to friends, went to the bottom.
    
    Forget the blowers, open the hatches!!!!
    
    Be safe
    
    Joe D.

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
867.1	Gone, but not forgotten....	KAHALA::SUTER	We dun't need no stinkin' skis, (sometimes)	`Wed Jun 26 1991 18:06`	4
	Nasty! I wonder if "Rainbow Chaser" and it's owner are ok????
867.2	Diesel next time?	GOLF::WILSON	This area closed for renovation	`Thu Jun 27 1991 09:59`	10
	I heard about the explosion and fire through VAXmail the morning after it happened. The boat that initially exploded belongs to the uncle of a friend who works here at DEC. Apparently it made the 11:00 news and the newspapers, but I missed it. $500K worth of damage is incredible, but the boats can be replaced - it's a miracle that no one was killed. Rick
867.3	Blower ratings?	KAHALA::SUTER	We dun't need no stinkin' skis, (sometimes)	`Thu Jun 27 1991 10:08`	5
	Isn't the bilge blower supposed to be rated such-and-such from the USCG so that it doesn't ignite fumes? Rick
867.4	We hadn't figured on sparks from THERE !	ULTRA::BURGESS	Mad Man across the water	`Thu Jun 27 1991 12:20`	15
	re <<< Note 867.3 by KAHALA::SUTER "We dun't need no stinkin' skis, (sometimes)" >>> > -< Blower ratings? >- > Isn't the bilge blower supposed to be rated such-and-such > from the USCG so that it doesn't ignite fumes? > Rick Yep, but go re-read the base note - it sez it was the bilge pump "apparently" ......... Y'd think _ALL_ electric stuff around a boat's engine and bilge area would have to be spark/explosion proofed ???
867.5		LEDDEV::DEMBA		`Fri Jun 28 1991 12:30`	24
	>> Yep, but go re-read the base note - it sez it was the bilge >> pump "apparently" ......... I talked to Walt Gibson last night. His Rainbow Chaser is 5 or 6 boats down from where those boats burned. Apparently, the owner of the Pistachio was washing down his boat when he noticed a strange odor. He got the fellow from the next boat to come over and help him investigate. Unfortunately this fellow was carrying a lit cigarette, and this is what ignited the fumes. They were both injured along with two others. The only thing that stopped all the boats along that dock from burning (including Walt's) was that an owner of a boat two slips down, moved his boat out of his slip while it was on fire. Onnce he was away from the dock, fire officials managed to put out the fire on his boat. It sustained about $15K worth of damages. The other two large boats didn't fare as well. Steve