Fire Extinguishers on Boats

Fire Extinguishers on Boats

Did you know that the Coast Guard requires every boat to have at least one B-1 marine fire extinguishers on board? And depending on the size of your boat, you may need more! Boats that are less than 26’ require at least one and boats 26’-40’ need to have at least two on board.

There are many types of fire extinguishers. For a boat, a tri-class dry chemical extinguisher will meet your needs. If you are worried about your electronics being damaged, a Halotron extinguisher could be a good alternative. Halon gas is “clean” and an electrically non-conducting suppressant that does not leave a residue upon evaporation. Halon is a liquefied, compressed gas that stops the spread of fire by chemically disrupting combustion.

Below is a table that shows the number of fire extinguishers needed based on vessel length.

Vessel Length No Fixed System With approved Fixed Systems
Less than 26′ 1 B-1 0
26′ to less than 40′ 2 B-1 or 1 B-II 1 B-1
40′ to 65′ 3 B-1 or 1 B-II and 1 B-1 2 B-1 or 1 B-II

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