FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

Coast Guard approved fire extinguishers are required on boats where a fire hazard could be expected from the motors or the fuel system. Extinguishers are classified by a letter (A, B or C) and a Roman numeral symbol (I, II or III). The letter indicates the type fire the unit is designed to extinguish: Classification Designed to extinguish Type A Combustible solids such as wood and paper Type B Flammable liquids such as gasoline, oil and grease fires Type C Electrical fires. The number (I, II, III) indicates the relative size of the extinguisher. The higher the number, the larger the extinguisher.

Coast Guard approved extinguishers required for boats are hand portable, either B-I or B-II classification and have a specific marine type mounting bracket.

• Extinguishers must be readily accessible and positioned away from areas where a fire could likely start such as the galley or the engine compartment.
• Extinguisher markings can be confusing because extinguishers can be approved for several different types of hazards. Look for the part of the label that says "Marine Type USCG" and that it is Type B is indicated (most off-the-shelf extinguisher do).
• Portable extinguishers will be either sizes I or II. Size III and larger are too big for use on most recreational boats.

Fire Extinguishers are required when:

• Inboard engines are installed.
• There are closed compartments and compartments under seats where portable fuel tanks may be stored.
• There are double bottoms not sealed to the hull or which are not completely filled with flotation materials.
• There are closed living spaces.
• There are closed stowage compartments in which combustible or flammable materials are stored.
• There are permanently installed fuel tanks (a portable tank, when fixed to the deck, is considered permanently installed).

Fire Extinguisher Maintenance

• Seals and tamper indicators are not broken or missing.
• Pressure gauges or indicators read in the operable range. (Note: CO2 extinguishers do not have gauges.)
• There is no obvious physical damage, rust, corrosion, leakage or clogged nozzles.
• Weigh extinguishers annually to ensure that the minimum weight is as stated on the extinguisher label.
• Fire extinguishers that do not satisfy the above requirements or that have been partially emptied will not meet inspection standards

Required Number of Fire Extinguishers

The number of fire extinguishers required on a recreational boat is based on the overall length of the boat. The following chart lists the number of extinguishers that are required. In the case where a Coast Guard-approved fire extinguishing system is installed, the required number of hand-held extinguishers may be reduced by one.

The pressure gauge alone is not an accurate indicator that Halon extinguishers are full. The weight of the units should be checked regularly.