Not necessarily for you, but if you run across someone else who needs it, you can give one away and still be safe yourself. I always recommend 1 more than the requirement. Your boat length and design (outboard, I/O, cuddy, bowrider, etc) dictates what size and quantity of extinguishers to carry aboard. The CG inspections are valuable, but there some interpretation left up to the inspector. There is no 5 year pressure test requirement of a small portable Dry Chemical extinguisher, but they are required on the larger (20 lb) CO2 and Dry Chem fixed extinguishing systems. The fire department does not do this (although in some areas, they have certified personnel tha can/will). Usually they will just invert it, smack the bottom with a rubber mallet to free up any caking, check the nozzle to make sure it's clear, and check the pressure gauge. The next step is to take it to a fire extinguisher (certified) company and have them do a visual inspection on it and tag it. When you purchase a fire extinguisher at whatever place, you're responsibility does not end there. Some of the information given here is correct, some is not. I am not an expert, but having two best friends as firefighters compels me to speak up. Yes, they are extremely pricey, but they still cost less than an engine or the whole boat.AND may reduce your insurance premiums too! Sorry for the long post about fire extinguisher safety. If your boat did not come from the factory with one, and you have the financial means to spring for it, get an engine compartment automatic fire suppression system. Just understand the nature of the mess they leave to minimize cleanup. ![]() If you don't want to do that, show YOUR kids how to operate one. They will use them when giving demonstrations at schools or community events to educate people on their proper use. Donate your old units to a local (preferably volunteer) fire dept. "I can't afford a new one" you say? Burn 5 gallons less gas a year and problem solved! And there is a side benefit to replacing extinguishers more often. For what is spent on gasoline alone each month, a boat owner can certainly afford to buy new extinguishers more than once every decade. It may sound like overkill, but KNOWING I have a near brand new extinguisher on board every season just makes sense to me. I have three on board each boat, and they are larger than the USCG requirements. Portables have a VERY short discharge duration, and flareups can occur leaving you standing there with an empty bottle in hand, wishing you had "just one more". I personally think you cannot have enough fire fighting equipment on board. ![]() I think a great way to do this is when you inspect your unit once a month, (you do, don't you?) smack the bottom of it several times with a rubber mallet. The manufacturer recommends shaking the bottle occasionally to prevent "caking" of the dry chemical for a reason. (Yeah, I know.safety isn't cool or fun) I think portable extinguishers on a boat should have a maximum service life of 5 years! Many don't realize this, but dry chemical compounds can settle or compact themselves over long periods of time, thus rendering discharge inadequate or non-existent. This is actually a very good topic that folks should address more often.
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