I bought two timers from Radio Shack several years ago. They run my blowers for 90 seconds when you turn the key on and then shut off, but I can still run the blowers full time if I want by triping the toggle switch. For those of you out there that are as bad as I am on remembering to turn the blowers on...this is a fool proof way to run the blowers everytime you turn on the key.

Not as far as I know. I was told NOT to run bilge blowers while fueling. The blowers draw air from outside and that air will have gas fumes in it while the boat is fueled. After fueling is done then the blowers should be run before starting up. It's a good idea to personally sniff the air being expelled by the blowers to be sure that no fumes are present. Again, what I was told.

Thats a great idea.

I'm all for being careful, but I think this boat must have had bigger problems than fumes from fueling up.

I know these explosions do happen, but what was the real cause? I am guilty myself of not using blowers, and changing fuel water sep on the water with spillage. I have seen boats run all year with gas leaks (I stay away) I have smelled gas on boats from yards away. Hell I even watched a guys wife hold something on his carb cause it pissed fuel at idle......all year she held it, THAT boat smelled like gas. Still, I have never witnessed even a fire.....knock on wood

Bottom line is this is scary stuff, but how scary? Something makes me think there is more to the story than what we hear when these boats explode! To treat filling up like you are handling nuclear waste just seems a little goofy to me. "Ok crew, shut all the doors and windows, turn off everything electrical and exit the boat" "someone get me the pocket level before I fill up" "If you have a cell phone please turn it off and place it in the static proof bag" "Ok crew, boat is full, please open all windows, I will run the blowers for 4 mins, someone please time me then I will need everyone to do a sniff test in all areas of the boat before I start it" If THAT guy was in front of me at the gas dock I might lose it.

Millions of boats fuel up all year, one or two explode......no need to be paranoid

There must be some sort of underlying issue there. At least they are all alive.

But how is it that news reporters seem to fish out the dumbest person around for an interview? That guy was special to say the least, not that the news reporter was all that brilliant.

Oh, and I always use my blowers. Pre-start mental checklist.

I cant believe that fuel vapor monitors are not mandatory. Every boat I have had since the mid 90's has had one of these. http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs...classNum=50518

It turns your blowers on automatically. I wire it to the battery switch so I know it's online at all times.

Here is another one:
http://www.wftv.com/gallery/news/loc.../ggST/#1573650

Dumb reporter. Anybody notice how he says one person was "sitting on the bow, right on top of the motor?" Maybe it was a front wheel drive boat.

May be an old wives tale, but I was told by a sea captain 20 yrs ago that blower should be off while fueling. He also told me when you are done fueling, raise the hatch and see if you smell fumes before you turn the blower on, that if there are enough fumes when you start the blower the contact spark from the blower can spark and start a fire. Also told me to always shut the hatch before starting for 2 reasons- if you have a halon system you dont want fresh air feeding the fire while the halon is smothering it, and secondly most hatch designs funnel the flame toward the cockpit if there is an explosion. I have lived by those words ever since.

Wow! Blew the top cap right off of it, but doesn't look like it caught on fire.