Bad day for sail boat

skennelly

This happened on the dock right across from me.  I'm the Rinker in the second picture directly across.

Happened at 3am this morning apparently.

Yikes!!!

Handymans342

Heater fire?

LaRea

Good thing there wasn't more damage to the marina.  If the owner is like some sail boaters around here, the cause was likely a 30-year-old extension cord.  

skennelly

Agreed!

raybo3

I will tell ya loose connections on shore power outlets can cause this. If you look your yellow shore power cord where it connects to the boat and it looks burnt or black then take the shore connector off the boat and check for loose wires. 

zaverin1

Or When shore power cables are loose and submerged in the water

reneechris14

Raybo3 you are correct 3 years ago my wife smelt burning on my 270 shore power a little black pulled out fixture and the back was melting,the screws were loose from vibration I guess.new cord and fixture happy boat.

raybo3

reneechris14 said:

Raybo3 you are correct 3 years ago my wife smelt burning on my 270 shore power a little black pulled out fixture and the back was melting,the screws were loose from vibration I guess.new cord and fixture happy boat.

Good thing you and your wife was there. Imagine if you were not there, your boat would be gone. Great find bro.....

reneechris14

I'll tell you she can smell.

Black_Diamond

I'm not touching that last one.

06Rinker270

I see shore power cables in the water all the time.  Not the connectors but the middle of the chord.  That can cause damage? 

PartsMan

@06Rinker270 .. I don't think it would hurt anything. I see it at my marina all the time. People to lazy to get the cord out of the water.

skennelly

I see it all the time too...and people swimming on the same dock.

LaRea

Really?  Swimming at a dock with electricity, in a fresh-water lake?  That's a recipe for disaster.  (Discussed here many times ... Google electric shock drowning)

Some boaters are "extremely cost-averse," which is a nice way of calling them cheapskates.  Ignoring the power cord is a high-risk way to save a few bucks, but I see it more often on sailboats than power boats.  

skennelly

@LaRea - Absolutely...our marina has a no swim policy, but people and kids are swimming all over the place...kids on those lilly pad floats ect.

I posted not to long ago a time when I was coming in to dock and our neighbor had their kids on one of those lilly pads...literally right in front of my slip and path.

I hate it.

LaRea

Rightfully so.  Policy or not, your marina will be handing over ownership to a bunch of lawyers if somebody drowns while swimming there.