ChrisB Posted May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 Thankfully no reports of injury. Boat has now sunk and anti-pollution measures are underway. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vaughan Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 This is what happens when Fibreglass catches fire! It takes a while to get up to its flash point temperature, but after that it goes very quickly indeed. And that smoke is dreadful. I hope everyone in Torquay closed their windows! Interesting to see from photos that fire started right up forward, and not near the engine room. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 Will there be a Marine Investigation for this sort of incident or is that only for accidents? Either way I'm pretty sure the insurers will want to know what happened! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vaughan Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 I would guess there won't be anything left to tell them what happened! Most GRP boat fires burn out right down to the waterline. I have even seen the remains of a cruiser, sunk by the fire brigade's hoses and still burning, underwater. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 Wow, like a firework then I guess! (Edit ^ misspent youth) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vaughan Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 I am not trying to say GRP boats are especially dangerous - it takes a fire with a lot of heat before GRP will catch, but once it reaches its temperature, it goes off very fast, unless it is extinguished at once. As we can see from this, even modern flame retardant resins didn't stop the whole boat burning out. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisB Posted May 29, 2022 Author Share Posted May 29, 2022 Many years ago now, we decided, very much last minute, to drive down to Luecate. Unfortunately there was no room on the western crossings and we had to go on the dreaded Dover Calais route. Escaping the madness of the Boulevard Périphérique we chose to make for the N7. We saw ahead the most tremendous pall of jet black smoke. It was so bad that we honestly thought there had been a plane crash at Orly. It was in fact one of the first Matra built Renault Espace. When we got near only the chassis was left. Yes GRP certainly burns onc it gets going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanetAnne Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 Fibreglass doesn't burn (or 95% of all fire blankets would not have the desired effect when used in anger), it's the polyester resin that holds the glass fibres together that burns. Epoxy resins on the other hand are mostly fire resistant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hylander Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 On the news this morning it said it had on board 18,000 litres of fuel when the fire broke out. I fear a lot of pollution in the harbour. I wonder how it started? Electrical? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisB Posted May 29, 2022 Author Share Posted May 29, 2022 27 minutes ago, JanetAnne said: Fibreglass doesn't burn (or 95% of all fire blankets would not have the desired effect when used in anger), it's the polyester resin that holds the glass fibres together that burns. Epoxy resins on the other hand are mostly fire resistant. If they don 't actually burn they will melt given the right temperature. Molten rock ie Lava for example, reinforced concrete given a thermal lance. I have to disagree with you with regards to Epoxy, both Epoxy, Polyester and Epoxy Polyester are inherently flammable. There is flame retardant Epoxy but it's mechanical and structural properties are seriously compromised making it only of use where there is no stress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisB Posted May 29, 2022 Author Share Posted May 29, 2022 I have often wondered what would happen to a strip epoxy construction if it caught light. If the wood ignited at around 500°C and the Epoxy at 1000°C you could be left with an epoxy skeleton. Like the sand blasted walls seen in Namibia where there is no brick only mortar left. But in real life many products can be deemed fire proof for everyday use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.