the worst day every (boat destroyed)

[offshore tinny]

got a phone call from my realestate few wks ago saying there was a fire on my property.

this is wat it was:cry: :cry: :cry:
http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt323/builtlux88_album/IMG_2485.jpg
http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt323/builtlux88_album/IMG_2481.jpg
http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt323/builtlux88_album/IMG_2482.jpg
http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt323/builtlux88_album/IMG_2483.jpg
http://i624.photobucket.com/albums/tt323/builtlux88_album/IMG_2484.jpg

This is what i come home to, the police investigated it and they said all they could put it down to was an aerosal can explode (wd40) which ignited the fumes and fuel vapours that were trapped in the boat as it had a throw over boat cover over it. all electrics were disconnected and boat was used 3 wks earlier.

the boat was a 3.95 avalon with 25 mercury nad also lost every thing else sounder, gps, radio, vhf, safety gear and so on.

not a good thing to happen on a friday when you want to go fishing on the saturday.

[captain rednut]

mate i feel for you, the photos are a reminder of how hot a fire can get? not much can survive that sort of heat. i hope it all works out and the replacement boat is in the near future.
cheers jim

[offshore tinny]

yeah mate replacement boat is here sold some of my other toys to upgrade boat i got another tinny as i like the room and in my budget, i got a 5.25 allycraft brave with a 60 4 stroke tiller.

just need to replace allthe accesories so can start using it properly again.

cheers brendon.

[White Pointer]

G'day,

Considering the extent of damage to the boat and the water tank I think you may be lucky that it didn't spead further.

Hope your insurance company is quick and helps you recover from this soon.

Regards,

White Pointer

[Si]

i feel for ya mate. that is unlucky.

[Steeler]

Talking about aerosol cans exploding,good friend of mine had one of those small canister horns mounted near his throttle control.A couple of hours in the sun and a huge loud bang was heard and the horn had exploded smashing his windows on the signature and metal fragments all over the yard.

Steeler

[sheridan]

You'd be devistated hope you are insured , gees i feel for you,:cry: :cry: havn,t heard of wd40 exploding before it must have been a hot day where your boat was. Thats a warning to everyone i keep wd40 in a cupboard on my haines but i suppose in an alloy boat it would get much hotter than fibreglass . Once again realy sorry about the loss of your boat .

Geoff

[black runner]

Gees that's bad news. Just shows how hot it can get under a cover. I recorded 52 deg under the boat cover on one of our hotter days down here, so I expect you would get that + more up north.

Have since "tented" the rear end to create some flow through ventilation.

Great to hear you have a replacement.

[O-3]

Amazing a tinnie can burn like that :shocked:

Was there any water in the Rainwater tank?

[tigermullet]

Thanks for showing us the pics of your loss Offshore. Horrible end for a boat. I won't be leaving aerosol cans on board after seeing what can happen.

[Noelm]

kind of makes you wonder what it takes to set a flare off too! I wonder if anyone has ever tested one with straight out heat? I guess as the old saying goes, " it could have been worse" but Jesus, not too much worse huh!

[finga]

Bugger. What a really sad bugger.
Gees the heat must have been concentrated seeing the timber slides did not burn nor did the teflon skids distort much but the stainless rod holder just has heat marks and the sides and back of the boat are missing.

[FNQCairns]

Mate that's a shocker, to be truthful i would rather return home than be there for the drama, doubt the outcome would be much different.

I am sceptical of the proposed cause although I did notice the battery still has wires connected.

better luck with the replacement.

[ThePinkPanther]

There is nothing sadder than a burning/burnt boat!

Have to be the lowest day in your life and I can sympathize as I had a 28 Mariner Flybridge Cruiser that sunk off Dunwich many years when an idiot mechanic took it for a run and out it up on the rocks - lost the lot!

Just hope you have it insured Mate and can look forward to a great new replacement on the horizon.

She'll be right!

[tunaticer]

Awful tragedy mate.
Did the police do any forensics on the remains or just offer up the wd40 as the cause of ignition?
I would hazard a guess that 90% of boats would have an aerosol of something aboard all the time and probably 60% of cars too, how many do we hear of burning up?

[ashh]

wow. doesn't take much to start a fire.
if the suns rays are focused just right, a clear water bottle with water in it can start a fire , just like a magnifying glass.
Cars have gone with people leaving bottles of water in them, and Im sure plenty of people do it unawares.

[offshore tinny]

thanks for the thoughts guys insurance has paid out and after a month finnaly got the fence and the water tank replace. at the time the tank was bit over hlaf full and both my neighbours said they had there hoses going onto and still could not stop it as the fuel just traveled on top of the water.


as stated by FNQCairns the battery wires were still connected but however they were run through a kill switch so dont see how that could be relavent. the police brought there ferensics in and put it down as that as they could tell all the fuel tank and everything was still closed and disconnected by the way its positioned after melting, there pretty clewy guys thats for sure.

all i know is know aerosal cans left in my new boat and new boat is in the garage now out of the sun, hard to replace once let alone twice so playing safe.

tight lines Brendon.

[Angla]

Sad to see the remains, but thanks for the heads up. I will be removing all the aerosol cans of my rig tomorrow for sure.

Cheers
Chris

[cormorant]

Sad to see a burnt boat.

I am interested in how it happened

I understand a can exploded but then what was the ignition source - ie sparks or flame?? I've had leaking cans of stuff in the back of a van and even a fractured can and I think it would need a ignition source. If teh ignition source wasn't there at teh time teh can went off then teh vapours would settle pretty fast.

Did the neighbours see it as it started, the seat of teh fire or hear a small explosion?

What else kept the fire burning so that it had time to burn the plastic fuel tank?

Amazing how quick a fire can take hold and how hard they are to put out. Glad no one was hurt and glad teh insurers paid out.

[jake0]

WOW.......should buff out i think.........or put an E tec on the back, they say it fixes everything


sorry to see something like this, at least now you have a new toy

[Steeler]

WOW.......should buff out i think.........or put an E tec on the back, they say it fixes everything


sorry to see something like this, at least now you have a new toy


Don't think even blackened Dave would take that job on.

[offshore tinny]

Sad to see a burnt boat.

I am interested in how it happened

I understand a can exploded but then what was the ignition source - ie sparks or flame?? I've had leaking cans of stuff in the back of a van and even a fractured can and I think it would need a ignition source. If teh ignition source wasn't there at teh time teh can went off then teh vapours would settle pretty fast.

Did the neighbours see it as it started, the seat of teh fire or hear a small explosion?

What else kept the fire burning so that it had time to burn the plastic fuel tank?

Amazing how quick a fire can take hold and how hard they are to put out. Glad no one was hurt and glad teh insurers paid out.

nah both neighbours come out after it was well a light they said they could smell it and see the flames as they were bout 8 m into the sky police didnt say anything about how it sparked or so on could only be suggested that the can might of sparked when exploded but thats only my thoughts.

in hine site the fire mainly kept going as the fumes would of been tarpped under cover so as soon there was a small flame the cover would of done the rest.

if it wasn't covered i doubt it would of ever had any drama's and here i was thinking i was protecting it.

[Steeler]

Most important thing OT is nobody hurt and items replaced.

Steeler

[frankgrimes]

Bloody hell mate - Unbelievable!!

I'm a little sceptical about the cause to - Pretty sure Mythbusters tried(failed) to get an aerosol can to explode in a car(Sitting in the sun for hours)....regardless, hope insurance claim is hassle free(Edit - saw Insurance has paid)

Mick.

[shano]

yeah little known fact , ally is pretty flemable once heated to the extent it was! when burning it drips like plastic burning.
few things .... if there was gasses unde the tarp and the can ignited it.. why was there not an explosion? how close was the can to the battery? i can see maybe the can exploding as it did , bounced on top of the battery terminals maybe??? arcing them out creating the heat needed!!!! oh i dont know, glad no one was hurt and you got a speeeedy insurence payout.

[the gecko]

Perhaps this might help someone.....

yesterday the missus says 'theres sparks coming from the back of your boat!!' so i bolted down to see sparks coming from the transducer. The fishfinder was left on from yesterdays trip, something that occaisionally happens, and luckily not too often.

It seems the transducer was also damaged by the steep descent angle when I put the boat in at the ramp.It rubbed on the concrete and loosened the wires going into it.

It also just happens that my fuel connection from hose to outboard was a little loose and leaky, and was replaced about 4 weeks ago. Luckily, I was onto that part quickly.

I said 'darling, youve saved the boat', and then I filled up her drink all night with much thanks. Im not insured either.

So thats how easily it could have happened folks, and I doubt any fireman could tell the cause of the blaze.

lesson 1- check the fishfinder and all electricals are actaully off at the ramp, and then again at home. Ive also bee known to leave the minnkota on accidentally. Maybe I should install a complete isolation switch for both batteries.

lesson 2- dont drop the boat in from a steep angle on a concrete ramp. Ive been listening to mates who said you dont need to get the bearings wet.........Some trailer setups do need to be sunk in deep to get the boat off. Mine seems to need to go in to the top of the trailer wheels. OK, so maybe my setup is wrong, but at least I wont damage my next transducer.

I just wanted to note this, so someone else can benefit from knowing possible causes.

cheers
Andrew

[Donny Boy]

Perhaps this might help someone.....

yesterday the missus says 'theres sparks coming from the back of your boat!!' so i bolted down to see sparks coming from the transducer. The fishfinder was left on from yesterdays trip, something that occaisionally happens, and luckily not too often.

It seems the transducer was also damaged by the steep descent angle when I put the boat in at the ramp.It rubbed on the concrete and loosened the wires going into it.

It also just happens that my fuel connection from hose to outboard was a little loose and leaky, and was replaced about 4 weeks ago. Luckily, I was onto that part quickly.

I said 'darling, youve saved the boat', and then I filled up her drink all night with much thanks. Im not insured either.

So thats how easily it could have happened folks, and I doubt any fireman could tell the cause of the blaze.

lesson 1- check the fishfinder and all electricals are actaully off at the ramp, and then again at home. Ive also bee known to leave the minnkota on accidentally. Maybe I should install a complete isolation switch for both batteries.

lesson 2- dont drop the boat in from a steep angle on a concrete ramp. Ive been listening to mates who said you dont need to get the bearings wet.........Some trailer setups do need to be sunk in deep to get the boat off. Mine seems to need to go in to the top of the trailer wheels. OK, so maybe my setup is wrong, but at least I wont damage my next transducer.

I just wanted to note this, so someone else can benefit from knowing possible causes.

cheers
Andrew

Lesson 3. Ring Club Marine Insurance. :wink:

[darkside]

Lucky the firies stopped it before it caught onto the shed and destroyed that nice tricked up hilux in the picture!

It's go to be your worst nightmare comming home to find your pride and joy burnt to the ground.

Hopefully all good now and your new boat gives you years of carefree boating.
!!

[yakka]

looks like some leroy B shift work there.



8-);D;)

Regards
A shift

[cgibbo308]

fnq and tuna have a point. even just with heat, a can may discharge or burst (not explode)
for wd to explode you need an ignition source for it to ignite.

Just glad you didnt lose more and every one was safe :)
there is allways a bright side :)