.Common sense tells you that a fire hazard in a house can be a fire hazard on a boat. Smoking in bed, for example, is hazardous no matter where you are. The same is true of disposing of oil-soaked rags, storing gasoline, replacing frayed wires, using under-sized extension cords with large appliances, etc. Conversely, it would seem reasonable to assume that when something is safe in a house, it must be equally as safe on a boat. Right?

Well, no. There is at least one potential hazard aboard a boat that is not generally recognized because it is so widely used in a house: the portable electric heater.



Boat fire tragedy
Fire damages dock, boats
2 bodies recovered from boat fire in bay
This past January, a vintage 47-foot Chris Craft caught fire and burned to the waterline at a marina in Gloucester Point, VA. A subsequent investigation found that three portable electric heaters had been left aboard while the boat was unattended. Luckily, the fire occurred in daylight and was discovered before any nearby boats were damaged.

That isn't always the case; there have been instances where entire marinas--including dozens of boats--were devastated after a single boat caught fire.

The Gloucester Point fire is typical of what can happen when high-amperage electrical appliances are left unattended on boats. The reason for these high-amperage fires is almost always traced to a problem somewhere in the AC electrical system and not to the appliance itself. (The exception is older electric heaters that don't have tip-over switches)

While the appliances used aboard a boat or in a house may be similar, the AC system that brings power aboard a boat is significantly different than the AC system in a house.



When AC electricity is brought into a house, every connection up to and in the panel board must be securely bolted. This is important because loose connections have the potential to quickly start a fire.

With a boat, however, electricity is routed through a gauntlet of adapters and shore power connections that depend on friction to maintain contact. These connections, according to the BoatU.S. Marine Insurance claim files, are ideal spots for weak contacts. The latter increases resistance, which can often start an electrical fire.

Preventing fires isn't complicated. For starters, don't leave high-amperage appliances like portable heaters blasting down below, day after day, to winterize a boat. That's asking for trouble. You should also check that the plugs that are bringing the power aboard fit snugly; insufficient contact and/or corrosion generate heat at the connection that can be detected by placing your hand on the shore power cord plug.

When a high amp appliance is in use, some heat is normal. But excessive heat that makes it difficult to hold the plug indicates a potential problem, and the cord and/or the inlet connection should be replaced with heavy-duty, marine grade, three-wire equipment with the appropriate current rating. If your marina has dock receptacles that are loose, cracking, badly weathered, and/or get hot when they're used, you should insist that they be replaced.

About "Safe Heaters"

There are heaters that are designed specifically to winterize an engine. These heaters typically draw relatively little amperage and are ignition protected so that they can be left operating "safely" in a boat's engine compartment. Assuming they are safe (a big assumption) are these heaters a good way to winterize an engine? One point: Winter ice storms increase the likelihood of a power outage. No power--No heat--Cracked block.

Bob Adriance is editor of Seaworthy, the quarterly loss prevention magazine of BoatU.S. Marine Insurance. Subscriptions are available for $10 per year. For information go to BoatUS.com/Seaworthy or call 703-823-9550, ext. 3276

RELATED ARTICLE: Four Rules for Using Electric Heaters Safely

1. Never leave a portable electric heater ON while you are away from the boat or when you go to bed.

2. Use only an electric heater with a tip-over switch that will shut off the heater automatically if it gets knocked over.

3. Never use another high-amperage appliance on the same receptacle with a portable electric heater.

4. Never use an extension cord with an electric heater.
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