If there is any time to talk about shore power safety it is now!  Tuesday morning (12/8/09) three powerboats at Sundance Yacht sales in Seattle burned beyond repair, causing $2 million in damages.  Read the article at Three Sheets Northwest.   Thankfully no one was hurt, but this could have been prevented!  In the article, Dana Vander Houwen said that it “appears to have been caused by faulty wiring on the 110-volt power supply to the boat.”  Later we found out it was absolutely due to shore power failure.  In my earlier blog we talked about how 55% of all marine fires are caused by electrical issues, many of which are shore power related.  So when we heard about this fire we knew the chances would be good that shore power was the culprit.  I had also mentioned in the blog that in the past 7 years, damages from boat electrical fires in the US are estimated at 1 billion dollars.  Well now we have 2 million more to add to that. 

 Let’s talk about preventing this from happening to you.  Of course, we recommend switching over to the SmartPlug due to its number of fire prevention features but we also understand that many of you are waiting for the 50 Amp versions to hit the market.  So until then there are several actions you can take to help prevent this from happening to you.   ALWAYS check your shore power on a daily basis, this is so important.  The marine environment is harsh and the current twist lock standard has proven themselves not to hold up in these conditions.  If you see any corrosion, loose wiring, or any signs of overheating please contact your local marine electrician to have it inspected.  If there is any doubt about your shore power contact them anyway, our Mom always said it but it’s true.  It’s better to be safe than sorry!

One Response to “Faulty shore power burns 3 boats in Seattle”

1. Bella says:

   August 11, 2010 at 5:47 am

   It is very apparent that this kind of thing could have been prevented. Maybe a new risk assessment is due at this facility. Bella