Boat Explodes On Columbia River

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Donaldson's Dock

I watched an interview with the Fuel Dock Owner and he said that they we're out-of-towners who had just had their 32' Cruiser serviced(new owners ?) and were heading upriver to Hermiston.

They'd just finished re-fueling and as soon as they started their #2 engine she blew up.
 
I have mentioned this before.. We had lunch in Cleveland with our daughter and son in law at a restaurant on the river... Good looking classic 1960's wood cruiser was moored about 20 feet from us and we commented about how the classic boats still are attractive ... After lunch we briefly did some window shopping at the boutiques along the river then went to the car (headed for Medina where the wife and I would fly home to Michigan)...
As we were leaving the river flats area we saw black smoke rising over the buildings and lots of sirens and flashing lights... Our daughter called later that night and said that cruiser had blown up about 20 minutes after we left, when the owners started the engines, killing the owners and flaming gasoline was blown onto the people who were seated at the table after us and they were badly burned... That was way too close for comfort..
 
Year's ago (...about 1974) I had a seasonal Park Ranger at Biscayne NP (south Florida)return to Elliott Key, where I lived, after fueling one of the 20' IO work boats. He reported that he's put in 30 gallons of fuel. OK....

Only problem was - the "Redfish" only had a 25 gallon tank. Uh oh...

We checked it out, and found that he'd put 30 gallons of fuel into a capped rod holder (and directly into the bilge).

Why the lad didn't blow himself, and the boat, sky-Hi on the seven mile trip back across Biscayne Bay remains a mystery to All. I certainly don't have an answer. Last I heard he's a minister somewhere in Texas; probably a good Idea. He obviously has Connections.

Best,
Casey
 
So does anybody know if this was an older gasoline powered inboard cruiser that blew up on the Columbia?

As I understand it - please correct me otherwise - this is far less likely to occur w/ diesel rather then gasoline powered inboards, correct?

Tanks,
Dan
 
ddenver":1rtc8vy8 said:
So does anybody know if this was an older gasoline powered inboard cruiser that blew up on the Columbia?

As I understand it - please correct me otherwise - this is far less likely to occur w/ diesel rather then gasoline powered inboards, correct?

Tanks,
Dan
Click to expand...

Yes, much less likely with diesel, which is not nearly as explosive as gasoline. (Gas evaporates more easily, is therefore more volatile, and has a lower flash and ignition point, all of which are all related.)

And, whatismore, the insurance rates reflect the difference!

Also, outboards are much less likely to explode than inboards for obvious reasons.

For all these boats, any electrical equipment on board must be marine approved, which means that all the electrical contacts where a spark could occur, such as in an electric motor, solenoid, relay, switch, or other similar device must be sealed off so that gas vapors cannot get to the spark and vice versa.

This is why using automotive starters, alternators, distributors, solenoids, etc., on your boat is a really bad idea, even though they're much cheaper!

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
Tanks for the confirmation Joe.

While cruising w/ another couple on a chartered Ocean Alexander a few years ago (before we acquired our C-Dory), we witnessed a massive 'burnt to the waterline' accident in Ganges Harbor (the Canadian Gulf Islands). The boat that burned had been moored in the marina only two boats away. Quite the amazing - but depressing - spectacle.

It too was an older gasoline powered inboard cruiser.

Take care and tanks again for the response.

Dan & Tanya Denver
 
ddenver":1ycwow7c said:
Tanks for the confirmation Joe.

While cruising w/ another couple on a chartered Ocean Alexander a few years ago (before we acquired our C-Dory),
Click to expand...

Was it an OA 50 MK1 from AYC? If so we chartered the same boat 3 or 4 summers ago. Great vessel!!
 
No sir. The one we chartered - also from AYC - was a 43' model called the "Great Escape".

That was our first cruising experience and the primary reason we eventually bought our 23' Venture.

Take care,
Dan
 
while at friday harbor last year a old 28ftish wood cruiser smacked the dock on the way in to a slip. really a bunch of yahoos driving that boat. They hit the dock hard, tied up fast and dam near ran to the nearest bar. five mintues after they leave thier bulge pump sprays out 5 seconds of water and gas into the water around our boat. had to get the dock guys to come take care of it. sure glad it did not blow. We left before any one came back, two hour later. Dont know if they always leak that bad or if it was caused by hitting the dock so hard.
 
Old boats with gas engines can have bad fuel tanks.

If a tank is made of steel, and sits in storage with the tank nearly empty, rust can attack the tank from the inside. Then when the tank is filled, it ruptures or leaks from the weight of the gasoline. Next thing is a big BOOM!

An old cracked fill hose could also leak, same result. Another culprit on an inboard gas boat is the fuel pump or the hose from the pump to the carb.

But the best is, as reported, filling the bilge thru a pole holder!!

Moral, treat gasoline as if it were nitroglicerine and be very careful.
 
Did you know that the fuel hoses, both the large intake and smaller vent and engine feed hoses, should be totally replaced every 5 years? (According to my mechanic.)

They are dated with their manufacture date, so you can know just how old they are.

I inspect them every year, and when any of them start to look suspect, replace them, though I don't replace them all on a regular 5 year cycle.

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
You are surpose to use the bilge blower before starting a gas inboard engine: new owner mistake? Diesel does not require a
blower. C-Otter :(
 
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