| Don’t get caught by b

Carbon monoxide poisoning
can wreak havec on the water

NORTH Vancouver’s

favorite marine survey-
- or Philip Oldham once
_again answers readers’
questions:

-.. While running our
30° command bridge
ertiiser I usually oper-
“ate it from the com-
-mand bridge while my
-family stays below.
Often after a trip they
complain of headaches
jand nausea, Since they
“are all good sailors and
it ‘happens on calm’
days it is unlikely to be
easickness. Do you
have any suggestions as
to the cause of their

‘Carbon: monoxide poison-
_ ing is the likely cause of your
‘family’s illness: A typical com-
ridge cruiser with
xhaust through the transom
‘or stern drive ts vulnerable to
“backdrafting or the station-
agon effect.
This: occurs
movement over or around the
- boat. causes a low pressure or

suction area ground the stern..-
‘Boats’ witha camper-back .

style: cockpit enclosure are
particularly susceptible to this

ondition: ‘It is important to
i good flow of air

gh the vessel. when: any”

‘fuel-burning device is being
Operated. —

Carbon monoxide is creat-
ed when‘a material containing

mn, such as. diesel, gaso-
line;” propane, natural gas,

: coal or wood, is burned. It is
: less, odorless and taste-

For ail your
chartering needs

Boats tc
- accommodate
_.2- 300 people

, -Located at the .~
» Westin Bayshore Hotel’
1. 1601 Wést Georgia ee
An Vancouver, B. Bc. ves avs.

when air .

less and it can kill!

Carbon =monoside — is
absorbed by the lungs and
reacts with blood hemoglo-

bins to form carboxyhemo-

globin, which reduces the
oxygen-carrying capacity of
the blood. The result is a lack
of oxygen for the tissues.

Symptoms of — carbon
monoxide poisoning are;
watering and itchy eves,
flushed appearance, inatten-
tiveness, headaches, nausea
and drowsiness — symptoms
very like the flu. The produc-
tion of carbon monoxide is
not restricted to engines,
although leaking exhaust sys-
tems of gasoline engines are
the leading cause of death
from carbon monoxide.

Any fuel-burning device
will produce carbon monox-
ide. Consider the propane
fired, demand style water
heater installed in the heads
compartment without an
overboard vent, or the
portable kerosene fired
heater.

These types of installations,

can and have caused the

deaths of many people —.

never use your galley stove as
a heater. When rafted along-
side a neighbor’s boat, be
sure the exhaust from his gen-
erator or furnace.is not going
down your hatch or through
a window.

What can you do to pre-
vent carbon monoxide poi-
soning? Always be sure there

-is_a source of fresh air into

your boat when any’ fuel
burning device is operating,
make sure ail engine exhaust
lines are vapor tight, be sure
openings. between — the
machinery space and all
accommodation areas are
sealed, any heating device

230 QS Sport 7'6"
230 QS Sport 7'6"
270 QS Sport 8'9"
270 QS Sport 8'9"
300 QS Spori 9'9"

must be vented overboard,
when barbecuing be sure the
smoke goes overhuard, not
down your hatch,

Carbon monoxide detec-
tors with alarms are available
and should be installed at eve
level and in sleeping and main
accommodation areas on
board every boat.

If your family shows symp-
toms of carbon monoxide
poisoning get them into fresh
air as soon as possible. You
should closely inspect your
boat to determine how to
prevent this toxic gas from
getting below before a mild
headache and nausea becomes
a tragedy.

When IJ try to turn
off the seacocks on the
through hullfittings to
the toilet on my 35’
sailboat the handle
keeps turning and the
valve doesn’t close.
What has happened
and how can I fix the
problem? I want to
install a new toilet
without taking the
boat out of the water.

Before changing the toilet
on your boat you are going to
" have-to change the séacocks
and this will require drydock-
ing the boat. The seacocks on
your through hull firtings are
the gate style and have praba-
bly corroded so much thar
the valve stem is broken: This
type of valve has no place in a
marine environment, particu-
larly in seawater. Many older
boats, both power and_ sail
were fitted with the cheaper
screw valve (if indeed they
had scacocks at all!). There
are two problems with these
valves; one is that you really
don’t know whether the vaive
is fully open or closed, and
two, the mixture of alloys in

cw 6 HP
cw6HP ..

Hours of operation Mon-Sat. 8:30-5, Sunday Closed

QUIEKSILVET

INFLA —~

PHILIP Oldham ponders
readers’ queries of all
things floating.

their manufacture scts up gal-
vanic cosrosion which over
time self-destructs the
innards.

The proper seacock is a
lever action ball valve with
stainless steel ball. When the
handle of this valve is turned
at right angles to the hose it is
closed, when in line with the
hose the vaive,is open. Nylon

Can we float
you a loan?»

Bank of Nova Scotia
Leader in marine
financing ont the

Marine and? MacGowan
987-9305

Scotiabank &

THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA

ating’ S SI

Wednesday, April 2, 1997 — North Shore News — 21

in

ball valves are also acceptable
—— these are suitable for use in
a location where they are not
vulnerable to damage.

All underwater through-
hull fittings muse be fitted
with seacocks. The purpose of
a seacock is to stop the flow of
water into the boat. During
cald weather, when freezing
is a possibility, ail underwater
seacocks must be closed.
Should the line freeze with,
the seaceck open (or worse,
no seacock at all) the fine
could be cracked by frozen
water and when ir melts a lot
of water comes in very fast!

While on the subject of
through hull fictings [ would
like to comment on the mate-
rial used for this very impor-
tant fitting. Remember it is a
hole in the bottom of your
boat!! Many manufacturers
have used inferior plastic fit-
tings which become brittle
over time. These _ plastic
through hull fitrings are sus-
ceptible to damage, both
from impact by floating

qr
AA Bey)
lent killer

debris and being bumped by
equipment lying loose in the
boat. Through hull fittings in
the boat's sides are vulnerable
to damage, particularly those
just above the waterline — if
the flange is broken from the
bilge pump discharge for
example, you would recycle
the bilge water back into the
boat, plus as the boat rocked
in a seaway more water would
pour in with disastrous conse-
quences. A bronze through
hull fitting is the best type but
goed quality nylon fittings are
also available. When your
boat is hauled for spring
maintenance check all skin fit-
tings and change any that are
damaged or even look suspi-

cious —~ a sinking at’sea can ~

really spoil your day,

Poi lip Oldham is a Marine
Susrveyor with 10 years’
ence based on the: North
If you have. marine questions
you would like answered write

‘to him. c/o.the North Shore -

News or telephone him at £984
7286. ;

is to Canadian Guide Dogs for.”
€ Blind are tax deductible:

ott infoumotbsn

604-24 ¥ 882 8

Floatation Devices from
as low as *19.95

(featured here Cruiser Class Defuxe Bomber Jacket
& Sea Rider High impact Vest)

We ship anywhere, everyday!
Specializing in discontinued & absolete items.
Serving the North Shore for 30 years.

me EE HB Le Bs

MARTIN MARINE

“Manne Supplizs * Marine Wear « Books & Tapes §
* Fluatation Devices ¢ Crab & Prawn Traps
° Of Larnps * Ciocks & Barameters
Also a Great Selection of General Hardware

121 West ist Street, N. Vancouver 985-0911

eri
bores..-