Check your fire extinguisher

[tuffshot]

Nope didn't have a fire!

I recently bought a new to me boat. It had an extinguisher with it, but notice it was an older one and the pressure had bled off some. I went to the local place that refills extinguishers and found that it was as old as my boat made in 1988. Well to rechage it they had to replace the seal pin and test the extinguisher, that was going to cost 38 dollars. A new 2 1/2 pounder costs 33 dollars, I bought the new one! The one I bought is also refillable. Wally World sells some but they have a plastic accuator and can leak in a shorter amount of time.

I know a lot of you have gotten older boats so check your extinguisher.
The last two digits of the year it was made is stamped on the bottom.

 

[Mike Robinson]

Re: Check your fire extinguisher

If you have a dry chemical extinguisher (as most do) you need to shake up the contents regularily as the chemical will settle which renders the extinguisher ineffective.

http://www.ilpi.com/safety/extinguishers.html

 

[DuckHunterJon]

Re: Check your fire extinguisher

Yup, a friend of mine is in the volunteer FD. He told me once a month you should pull out the extinguisher, and gently hit the bottom half a dozen times with a rubber mallet. Keeps the solids in suspension better.

 

[Cuyose]

Re: Check your fire extinguisher

This is good info, I believe I have 3 on my boat and will be making sure I do this next time out!

 

[EricJRW]

Re: Check your fire extinguisher

Great idea!

Here on Lake Granbury, it's not unusual to be stopped by the BRA (Brazos River Authority) for a safety inspection. One thing they ALWAYS do is check for the presence of a working fire extinguisher (I carry two). But I never thought to give them a thunk.

I wonder if the bouncing of the boat is enough to carry the stuff in suspension?

 

[MacPointMan]

Re: Check your fire extinguisher

On my way to pick up my boat I made the obligatory stop at West Marine and bought all the safety stuff that I needed or thought that I needed. I quickly learned that It is nice to have several other items on the boat that would help. Besides the obvious required items all of which I have.

I would make it a point to buy a new fire extinguisher every couple of years. Keeping a couple of them on board is always a good idea. Using the older one as a primary and the new one as a back up.

First and foremost. I WILL NEVER GET ON MY BOAT WITHOUT A GPS or a map for that matter (if I can find one) EVER again. Getting lost on Lake Lanier after a 4th of July Fireworks (on the 3rd of July for some reason) display is not a great way to keep your wife from worrying thankfully she wasn't there for that. it is actually a great first day out story. I might tell that one in my Adventures in Boating thread.

In short I left my Smart Phone with my Marine GPS app installed in my truck and My buddy forgot to take his Brand New Iphone 4g off his hip when hopping into my boat after being waist deep n the water. He too had the Marine GPS App on his phone. It wouldn't have been so bad as we thought about just throwing anchor in a nice little cove and camping out and waiting for daylight but we didn't have enough beer lol.

It had been quite a long time since I had been out on the lake at night. I love it and will probably do it the right way sometime and without getting lost. So peaceful and calm.

I will always carry a high powered light and a backup (1,000,000 candlepower handheld rechargeable lights are $10 at Home Depot) as well as a couple of small flashlights in the glove box and a couple of other places on the boat with spare batteries. I will always carry a fully charged spare boat Battery. I will always carry an Inverter to charge the cell phones, high power lights, and other equipment.

I was told that an oar is nearly useless by the guys at West Marine but I have one anyhow. In fact an oar is quite useful and i think is a must, I told the guy that I was going to get one anyhow and he should not be recommending against it.


MacPointMan

 

[PitchFork]

Re: Check your fire extinguisher

MacPoint I totally agree Lanier is great at night and that?s where I will be tonight if the weather is good. You can just install a cig lighter module so you can charge your phone with a Car Charger instead of an inverter. Also once you are on the lake for a year or so you will not need a map or GPS. But I always have my Google Map phone which is great.

My Points of interest on Lake Lanier:
1. "The Rock" near Gainesville Marina currently 8' drop to water always boats around it. East Side of lake near N 34? 18.990 W 083? 52.180
2. "Sunset Cove" Lake Lanier Islands East Side good food and nice beach During Summer Wet Wednesday's Wakeboarding show at 6:30PM. N 34? 10.421 W 084? 01.810 "New Cocktail Cove" Big Party Spot on Weekends.
3. Rope Swing Across the Lake from Marina Bay's Dock around corner from WarHill Park. N 34? 20.415 W 083? 57.674 NE of GC18E4E
4. Rope Swing N 34? 23.122 W 083? 58.995 Geo Cache Locations GC1TEBX Eagles Nest
5. Skogies at Gainesville Marina great burgers
6. Key West at Starboard Cove great Cuban Sub for Lunch Dinner is High$
7. Port Royal Easy place to pull through and get gas and snacks Restaurant is just OK we usually do not eat lunch here.
8. Rope Swing in a cove Nice easy swing drops 15+ feet N 34? 17.613 W 083? 55.327
9. Rope Swing next to a Water Fall swing drops 30+ feet N 34? 18.077 W 83? 57.240
Hope this helps

 

[slongholio]

Re: Check your fire extinguisher

Kudos to West Marine.

Went to west marine to get a fire extinguisher. Couldn't find mine for first outing this year.

They were out, but the salesperson pointed out that they had the same exact fire extinguisher at wally world for about $20 less. I don't go to wally world if at all possible, but in this case, it was the first nice weekend of the season and they'd had a run on them at West Marine, so not much of an option. I was about to head over to their other store to get one.

So good of them to offer me to Wally World, I'm a faithful customer of West Marine now. I'll buy my stuff there even knowing it might cost a little more, just due to a little good will generated.

Got the last one at Wally World, guess they'd been sending a lot of people over there.