Evening star., 1938-05-29
PROTECTIVE CODE
IS ISSUED BY j. s.
>SimpIe Regulations Made
to Eliminate Danger of
Gas Explosions.
BY MALCOLM LAMBOURNE, Jr.

NOCnlnS can SCrlke lear Ill tlle IledIC
Of skipper more strongly than the
cry of Fire"
Since man first put to sea an out
break of fire on shipboard has ranked
as disaster without peer. Only IN
recent years-since 1929-haS any
thing been done about the hazard on
motor boats. This week the Bureau OF
Marine Inspection and Navigation of
the Department of Commerce issued
precautions for the safe operation Of
craft, and it is significant that the
major portion of the bulletin is con-
Cerned with warnings on fire and ex-
plosion.
Nine times out of ten the cry of
"Fire" will arise from the engine
room. 1t has happened almost in
variably that the cause was due to
carelessness in handling gasoline.
Don't Ignore Gasoline Odor.
When you stop to consider that a
mixture of only per cent of gasoline
fumes with air is explosive it is OBJ
vious that where there is the least
odor of gasoline there is danger.
BY following certain regulations for
their prevention the yachtsman need
have no more worry of explosions than
the housewife preparing dinner ashore.
About 10 years ago explosions on
Yachts involving loss of life and prop
erty were so frequent that private in
terests and engineers of the National
Board of Fire Underwriters went into
consultation. After carefully inspect
ing a number of boats as they were
then built these men drew up regula-
tions in the fall of 1929. With fur
ther additions they stand as support
ed by the National Association OF En-
CINE and Boat Manufacturers and nu-
merous insurance companies.
Points to Be Considered.
Today, with a majority of the lead
ing builders constructing their mod
els to these regulations, the fire haz-
ard has been reduced to minimum.
Perhaps If yours is not a stock boat
AID has only recently been purchased
1t wouldn't hurt to give it the once
over with these points in mind:
. Make sure that the tank is in
stalled so that it may be filled only
from a point on deck. The tank
should have a screened vent leading
to the open air on deck and away
from all fires. It won't do one bit
of good to have filler and vent pipes
below the deck line; gasoline and
f1mes will only escape into the bllge,
and that spells trouble.
If there is even the slightest lndl-
cation of a leak in the tank or valves
of pipe lines it is better to replace them
than depend on a piece of adhesive or
an amateur soldering job.
Flame Arrester Necessary.
Your carburetor should be equipped
with an efficient flame arrester or SIM
liar device. In fact, included among
a new set of laws for motor boats In
cxrporated in bill now before Con-
gress is one that would make 1t COM
pulsory for craft to carry such
gadget to prevent explosion due to
backflring.
Except in tanks and pipe lines, the
only gasoline inside the boat is that
which escapes from the carburetor. A
pan equipped with fine mesh wire
should be so placed as not to miss
drop, regardless of how rough the going
might be. If the collector is not
equipped with drain pipe leading to
the manifold then empty it frequently.
Perhaps most important of all is to
t4e that bilges are we'll ventilated. for
here is the source of the majority OF
explosions. 1t won't take high school
chemistry to recall that gasoline va
pors are heavy, that they sink to the
bilge Immediately and that they are
highly inflammable. And there they
will remain unless removed by proper
ventilation.
Run Vents to Bilge.
Pipes running all the way down to
the bilge should be placed in all four
cekners of the engine room. two facing
forward and two aft. Diameter OF
pipe varies with the size of the craft;
a 35-footer, for instance, should have
a Az Inch ventilator. They should be
made so that they cannot be closed.
The little water that would enter in a
heavy sea is nothing compared to the
danger Of confined gas. A large pro-
portion of losses occur while the boat
is at its mooring and not while under
way. Hence it is good sense to have
after ventilators fully equal in size to
forward ones.
1t is highly recommended that before
tanks are opened or gas brought aboard
that all engines, fans and other spark
producing devices be shut down, that
all galley fires be doused and all ports,
doors and matches be closed. OF |
course. no smoking should be permit
ted while filling. And after filling.
everything should be opened wide and
at least five minutes be given before
starting the engine or stove.
And see that fire extinguishers are
examined and tested at least once a
year.