Fire Extinguisher Requirements

A conversation among Whalers
jimh
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Fire Extinguisher Requirements

Postby jimh » Mon Oct 17, 2022 10:12 am

There are numerous federal requirements regarding having a fire extinguisher on board. My usual preference is to read the actual rules and make an interpretation of them, but in this case the regulations are sufficiently complicated that I have deferred to other reputable organizations to interpret and summarize them. A good summary of the rather complicated regulations is given at

https://www.boatus.org/fire-extinguishers/#:~:text=NEW%20REGULATION

In particular for owners of older Boston Whaler boats, the following summary is applicable:

BostUS wrote:If you own a boat that is 2017 model year or older (between 1953-2017):

You may keep your extinguishers labeled B-I and B-II as long as they are still serviceable, but
If there is a date stamped on the bottle, extinguishers must not be more than 12 years old according to that date.


For my 1990 Boston Whaler REVENGE 22 boat, I discovered that I was no longer in compliance because the date stamped on the bottle was more than 12 years old.

The BoatUS organization also has the very good FAQ sheet:

https://www.boatus.org/fire-extinguishers/fire-faq.pdf

I am now in the market for a fire extinguisher rated 5B (or 5BC) that contains a statement of USCG Type Approval. Because the boat is less than 26-feet, only one extinguisher is needed. So far, the closest retail source looks like WALMART.

Cf: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Kidde-Auto-Marine-UL-Listed-Fire-Extinguisher-10-B-C-Rated/936046033

The link above is for a 10-BC rated, which has more capacity than the minimum required by the regulations and retails at $22.47. There is also a 5-BC model for $13.84 which should meet the regulations for boats less than 26-feet:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Kidde-5BC-Fire-Extinguisher-Model-KD61W-5BC-KD61W-5BC/631439982

If preparing for boating next season, be sure to check the fire extinguishers on board to see if they comply with the new regulations that require them to be not older than 12-years-old.

Jefecinco
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Re: Fire Extinguisher Requirements

Postby Jefecinco » Tue Oct 18, 2022 9:59 am

Thanks for the information. Our Walmart store does not stock the 5BC but delivery is available in three days. I have been unable to find the dimensions of the extinguisher on either the Walmart of Kidde websites. I could not find the part number cited by Walmart on the Kidde website but did find a similar looking one. I'm surprised by how little information Kidde provides.

Aside: I recall in years past that dry chemical extinguishers reputedly could fail due to "caking" of the chemical in the bottom. Apparently this is no longer a problem.
Butch

MarkCz
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Re: Fire Extinguisher Requirements

Postby MarkCz » Tue Oct 18, 2022 12:47 pm

If someone has the actual dimensions of the 10 -B-C Jim mentioned above I would appreciate it. I have a 1987 Boston Whaler Montauk with the recessed wood fire extinguisher cabinet on the port side of the console and would like to find the largest extinguisher that will fit in that cabinet.

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Alibertucci
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Re: Fire Extinguisher Requirements

Postby Alibertucci » Tue Oct 18, 2022 4:07 pm

MarkCz wrote:[what are] the actual dimensions of the 10 -B-C Jim mentioned above….


Dimensions 3.25 Depth x 4.25 Width x 14.1 Height

https://www.westmarine.com/kidde-mariner-10-fire-extinguisher-20539557.html
Smooth Whalin
2000 Montauk 17
90 HP Mercury Two Stroke Saltwater

Jefecinco
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Re: Fire Extinguisher Requirements

Postby Jefecinco » Wed Oct 19, 2022 10:22 am

West Marine lists two 5BC units. The website provides the dimensions under the Specs heading. The more expensive one is shorter than the value priced one and may be a better fit for some consoles.

Those of us who have deck mounted fuel tanks may not be required to have an extinguisher on board. I believe we should have an extinguisher on board regardless of USCG requirements although it could be kept in any readily available container rather than mounted.
Butch

jimh
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Re: Fire Extinguisher Requirements

Postby jimh » Mon Nov 07, 2022 8:41 am

I found a marine-rated 10-B-C white case extinguisher at Lowe’s for about $26. It saved me a 20-mile-drive to the nearest Walmart store.