Forum Discussion and Opinions

[BigLew]

I suspect that some governing council; Coast Guard Regs, American Boat Manufactures Association or other such "council" RECOMMENDS ventilation of the below deck areas if the fuel tankage is located below deck.

I have mentioned this anecdote before and, though I truly hate to even think about it, I will relate it again.

When I was in college in the late sixties/early seventies I was at the Univ. of South Carolina. I was a member of their sailing team and we would sail out at Lake Murray outside Columbia. I was out sailing with some friends in the university's boats when I saw a kid about sixteen run out the door of his parent's cottage. He ran across the lawn, down a short dack and jumped in a 16' Donzi. He just reached down and turned the ignition key. He and the boat went up in an exposion of fire and debris. I can't help but think that if the hull was vented and he had run the blower as he was supposed to, he would have made it down for breakfast the next day. As it was, he didn't. I can't ever forget that experience and will forever stop preaching the need to vent a hull AND run the blower AND open the engine hatch before starting engine; outboards included! The consequences are just too potentially devastating not to.

That said, we each have to decide what is safe enough for our selves. However, I think it is Fr. Frank that uses the quote,

A smart man learns from his mistakes.

A wise man learns from the mistakes of others.

I'll shut up now.