Thanks Don,
Good read , we should never stop learning.

It shows the importance of a grab bag and travel insurance. Not sure about the fire extinguisher, sounds like the units that are banned in Australia but Americans still use.

Ramona said...
It shows the importance of a grab bag and travel insurance. Not sure about the fire extinguisher, sounds like the units that are banned in Australia but Americans still use.

Check the type of extinguisher on your boat. I think you will find it is the same type. Pretty standard.

BC fire extinguishers are the white ones common in the US and use sodium or potassium bicarbonate. The most common in Aus use monoammonium phosphate and are the red extinguishers with white stripe (ABE). Aus also has BC type (rated BE here) which are also red with white stripe, but not that common.

ABE (ABC in US) are better for wood, paper etc as the agent melts and helps smother the source, but they are corrosive and harder to clean up.

Both are dry chemical and spray a lot of crap about. I don't know if one would spray about more than the other.

Halon production has been banned since the 90's and it was used in BCF (yellow or green) fire extinguishers. these are banned in Aus but aircraft have an exemption as they are non-corrosive (especially for aluminium) and very effective. Halotron is a recent alternative now approved for aircraft, I think they are plain red.

If using a BCF in confined spaces, we are taught to always don breathing apparatus (face mask connected to fixed or portable oxy cylinder, or chemical generated hood).

Scary. Recently had an electrical fire which was scary. Escalated fast and pulled out the Abe extinguisher which killed it quick. Made a bloody mess though. Powder everywhere. Good call having some different types of extinguishers , hoses handy and grab bags. Gotta do drills.
Dunno about water for everything. If you put it on a petrol fire it ignites.