Boat explosion

At the ACBS Wine Country annual boat show, Century Coronado blows up.

Check and use your bilge blowers before starting the engine.

8122pbrainard wrote: At the ACBS Wine Country annual boat show, Century Coronado blows up. Check and use your bilge blowers before starting the engine.

Sounds like a rather simplistic not always effective approach to the issue, especially since the engine in this particular case had apparently been running for a little while since the boat was out in the lake

Maybe in your mind Pete, this makes up for not having spark protected generators,alternators, starters, distributors etc in an old boat for reasons of "originality".
Or non marine carburetors also.

Not in my mind

It took 2 separate issues going on at the same time to cause this explosion, an accumulation of gas vapor and something to ignite them.

I think I like the changes that the Woody Boater editor is thinking about

8122pbrainard wrote: I agree with the safety issue and so does the ACBS. Things like bilge blowers and fusing electrics are a good example of non original acceptable items

ZERO points should be deducted for ANY safety equipment. I know many shows and judges get this.

Sad to see that happen. My '63 has no blower, I open up the cover for a while before starting. Maybe I'll re-think and install a blower. Keno, I get what you are saying as well.

I didn't like the comment "This wasn’t some idiot in a jet ski plowing into a boat". As if to say since the couple was at a classic boat show they of course were above jet skiers and would never be unsafe. That didn't need to be said.

" or a drunk ass whole mowing over someone. " Quality prose right there.

Not something I think about too often. Will look into a fuel vapor alarm. Since I trailer though, I would imagine my routine of opening the engine cover, putting in the drain plug, checking the oil and doing a quick inspection should both vent the bilge and allow me to pick up on fuel odors, no?

I opted for a blower on my 56 Chris Craft - short $$ and $$ we’ll spent in my opinion


Looks like the Hurricane was at the show

Terrible. Prayers to the couple.

Question about installing a blower - on my '63 American Skier, there are no vents, and I don't want to install any. Would there be any safe way to run the discharge hose? Doesn't seem like there is any way to discharge fumes.