Last of the boats, distroyed in the fire.

[STOREBRO36]

See link to LaConner paper:

http://laconnerweeklynews.com/main.a...7&ArticleID=70

See link to Skagit Valley Herald:

http://www.goskagit.com/all_access/b...86ef974af.html

[TheBronze]

Ugh. What a sad day. I think their initial estimate of the value of the boats is way off though. I'd guess that it will be more like 3-4 by the time full adjustment is done.

[McSkagit Tim Jones]

Wow, this is really sad! Fiberglass (polyester resin) is made from fossil fuel. Once it gets going, there is no stopping it. Typically, diesel fuel aboard plays no part in the fire at all. The tanks remain intact and only the fill and vent hoses burn off. Years ago I salvaged a Bayliner that had burned to the waterline. Surprisingly, there was still 25 gallons of gas in the tank.

One of the most common sources of fire of boats moored is from shore power cords. The cord to boat connection is corroded, overheats and boom, you have a fire. My 30 amp twist-lock shore cord end is getting intermittent. I try to never pull more that 50% of the cords rating (15 amps).

In cold weather, many boaters have electric heaters aboard and maxing out the shore cord and it's connectors.

There is a new kid on the shore power cord block. Smart Plug. Completely redesigned from the 30 amp twist-lock plug, the Smart Plug has BIG pins that resemble those on a 50 amp stove plug. A number of other nice features including a cover for the cord end when it sits out in the rain or God forbid, you drop the end in the salt chuck.

I'm putting a Smart plug on the Saratogan ASAP.......

Happy boating....

McSkagit

[Sammamish1]

I used to work in the gas truck industry and the fires were amazing. Once the 40 or 50 thousand gallons of gas caught fire good and well the aluminum tank would melt down to the fire line where the heat was and then act as a bowl holding the gas until it all burned off.
Tip overs were a lot worse and if the diesel tank went up it would melt a hole in the front of the tank and whoosh there goes your asphalt roadway too.