#SAFETY ON BOARD - Tackling fires on board a vessel is usually a case of grabbing the trusty fire extinguisher. But what if the fire is in the engine compartment, and you don't realise what's happening till it's too late?
The best weapon against fire is prevention, and to this end Sail Magazine presents a guide for how to install a straight-forward automatic fire suppression system on your boat.
Top of the line systems employ automatic sensors which detect when the temperature rises above a certain level and deploys an inert gas to extinguish the flames.
But the system outlined here in step-by-step format takes a simpler approach, involving a cable release that's controlled by a handle next to the helm that can be used to set off an extinguisher in the engine space at the first sign of trouble.
It means that the door to the engine room can remain shut, keeping that important safety barrier between the fire and the rest of the boat while also starving the flames of the oxygen they need to spread.
Sail Magazine has more on the story HERE.
