Maintenance of safety systems for recreational boats

Statistics show that fires are the third leading cause of serious damage to boats. A fire on board is always a serious emergency situation which, if not well controlled, can seriously endanger the life of people and the surrounding environment, in addition to the integrity of the boat. In order to effectively deal with a fire, it is advisable that the on-board personnel have basic training on the subject and it is essential, as well as mandatory by law, that effective and functional fire-fighting devices and systems are always present on board.

We at Idini Estintori, with long professional experience and a wide range of knowledge of all the necessary fire safety measures in the nautical sector, are able to propose and install the most suitable type of fire protection system, taking into consideration the peculiarities of the inspected unit and always paying particular attention to the choice of the most advanced materials and technologies.

Fires aboard boats

Fires develop, both on board as well as on land, as a result of the simultaneous presence of a fuel, combustion air (oxygen) and a cause of ignition: to extinguish a fire in the bud, at least one of the three must be eliminated. Having established that eliminating the air is impossible, it is equally unlikely to avoid the presence of combustible substances which, on a boat, can find space in three forms:

• Solid fuels, used for structural parts and furnishings
• Liquid and gaseous fuels essential for propulsion of the vehicle
• Any loading fuels

It would therefore be necessary to prevent and eliminate possible sources of ignition, which most of the time are configured as sources of heat. Dispersed incorrectly, the fuel can carry a fuel above its ignition temperature, thus giving rise to the fire.

Fire safety systems on boats

Fire protection onboard boats can take place by means of special detection, extinguishing and partitioning / containment systems.

SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea), an international convention for the protection of human life at sea, proposes the rules for the correct sizing of fire-fighting systems in the nautical sector, defining the different types of systems to be used according to the characteristics of the 'boat. The following must therefore necessarily be present on board:

A DETECTION SYSTEM that operates both in the conditions that can cause ignition, and in the event that there is a fire already in progress. We use detectors with operating principles suitable for different types of fire:

• Smoke detectors: whose use is preferable as smoke represents the first phase of the fire. They are suitable for slow burning fires;
• Temperature detectors: they emit an acoustic warning signal in proportion to the speed of growth of the temperature on board. They are suitable for fast burning fires;
• Flame detectors: sensitive to ultraviolet and infrared rays emitted by flames and incandescent bodies. They are therefore only effective when the fire has already developed.

A MANUAL OR AUTOMATIC EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM, both mobile and fixed.

The mobile ones consist of:

• Portable fire extinguishers with a mass of less than 20 kg, suitable for small localized fires, with chemical powder, CO2, water or foam.
• Wheeled fire extinguishers with mass between 30 and 150 kg, suitable for medium-sized fires (class A and B), foam or CO2.
• Semi-fixed fire extinguishers: mechanical foam systems that for operation must necessarily be connected to the main fire extinguishing system of the boat, to receive the water supply.

The fixed ones, on the other hand, consist of:

• Pressurized water extinguishing systems (water mist)
• Sprinkler extinguishing systems
• CO2 extinguishing systems
• Foam extinguishing systems
• Powder extinguishing systems
• Novec 230 extinguishing systems
• Extinguishing systems HFC 227 (FM 200)

A watertight COMPARTMENT SYSTEM, whose presence on board is justified in the first place by the primary need to preserve the buoyancy of the boat, are also configured as valid barriers able to contain the spread of fires: isolating a burned room prevents renewed oxygen with the exchange of air and, consequently, facilitates the suffocation of the flames operated by systems and means of extinction.

Where watertight compartments are not provided, fire divisions (doors and shutters) must be installed: in general, any division crossing - escape routes, ventilation ducts or pipes - must not compromise the fire resistance of the division itself.

The ventilation ducts, in the event of a fire, are configured as a passageway for the fumes and air which, as we know, feeds the fire. To this end, a fire damper must be installed at the lower end of each duct, capable of closing automatically in the event of a fire but which can simultaneously be closed by hand on both sides of the division.

In our shop you will find a wide range of fire-fighting systems and devices with RINA and MED-SOLAS approved designed, specifically for the nautical sector, for safe navigation and in line with safety regulations:

• Portable fire extinguishers of all types;
• Wheeled fire extinguishers of all types;
• Fixed extinguishing systems for boating, water, powder, foam, CO2, gas Novec 230 and HFC 227 (FM 200);
• Detection systems;
• Fire doors and shutters;
• Fire blankets

Among the various collaborations we can boast, we take special pride in the company Fireboy-Xintex, world leader in the development of fire protection products dedicated to boating.

Call us immediately, our technicians will carry out an inspection of the boat in order to define the sizing and prepare the system that best suits your needs. We also take care of the installation of the system, as well as the supply of portable fire extinguishers for boats, both for work and pleasure.

A very effective system in the event of a fire on board is the Water Mist MAR 63 system, designed and developed by TEMA SISTEMI S.p.a., a company specializing in the design, production and maintenance of certified fire protection systems and products. MAR 63 is a RINA approved pre-engineered water mist fire extinguishing system, consisting of:

• a cylinder containing pressurized water and nitrogen;
• a manual electric control;
• an atomizing nozzle.

This is a "total flooding" system, capable of extinguishing class A, B and C fires by saturating the volume to be protected in a few minutes, by means of very small drops of water generated by the innovative water mist dispenser.

Do you already have a fire extinguishing system on board? We at Idini Estintori are qualified to carry out mandatory checks and maintenance operations, both at sea and on land, for all types of fire-fighting systems and portable fire extinguishers: CO2, powder, water, foam and fluorinated gases.

Based on the type of system and type of extinguishing agent we will carry out the following operations:

• Level check using certified instrumentation;
• Internal pressure control by manometer;
• Check and test of manual remote activation systems;
• Check and test of the systems connected to the low pressure switch;
• Check and test of optical-acoustic alarms;
• Shutters closing test;
• Stop ventilation, with blow-off test of discharge pipes and manifold;
• Mechanical test of pneumatic fuel interception systems;
• Test of retarder cylinder;
• Lubrication of tie rods, pulleys and manual systems;
• Verification of the good state of conservation of all pipes, both flexible and rigid;
• Verification of the good state of conservation of the safety valves and tanks (absence of rust or deterioration caused by atmospheric agents);
• Disassembly and restoration of the system with relative certificate and maintenance tag.

Where necessary, these operations will take place in the presence of Rina - Bureau Veritas certification bodies, as required by MIT - GCCP circular 100/2014 ("Regulations for the periodic maintenance of fixed systems and mobile fire-fighting equipment")

What are you waiting for? Call us now to arrange an inspection of your boat or visit our shop: you will find everything you are looking for for your safety and that of your crew.