Carbon Monoxide Safety Question

[malarson]

Four people died last weekend on a lake near here. My question is, can carbon monoxide leak into a boat from the engine compartment or does it all go out the back with the exhaust.

I have attatched the newspaper article:


OROFINO, Idaho -- Four people from Dayton, Wash., died when carbon monoxide built up inside their motorboat after they pulled a cover over the vessel to shield themselves from a storm, authorities said.

Autopsies have not been scheduled, but authorities believed the boaters died from carbon monoxide poisoning, the Clearwater County sheriff's office said Tuesday.

[raythompson]

CO goes out the exhaust as the gas is the result of combustion. If the boat is moving slowly, or idling, the gas can get drawn into the passenger area. I suspect these people were moving slowly and the gas got under the cover from the exhaust. A leaking exhaust manifold in the boat would also cause an accumulation of the gas.

[dogbert]

Yes. When I had a boat with a camper top on it, they told me *NEVER* to run with the back cover on it. Side flaps were ok, but not completely enclosed. If you have any kind of exhaust manifold leak anywhere, you're toast.

Most boater's safety courses will talk about this. If the storm is that bad where you have to put the back cover on, drop an anchor and ride it out. Otherwise, find shelter and get off the lake entirely. It always amazes me how many dumb***es ignore weather and get caught. We're constantly having bass fisherman seek shelter in our cove. They end up beaching their boat on the leeward shore, so then they have to bail it out and drag it off the beach.

[jsz]

Ray - I'm not much of an engine guy. Would an exhaust manifold leak be easy to hear?

[raythompson]

Perhaps. But a boat exhaust system is not like a car system as water is used in the system.

[dogbert]

Originally posted by jsz
Ray - I'm not much of an engine guy. Would an exhaust manifold leak be easy to hear?

No, it would not. You can't really smell it either.

[malarson]

I heard an update on the cause of the carbon monoxide poisoning in this case. Apparently the family was using a propane heater to keep warm under the cover.
The boat was moving when they were overcome and the boat hit the shore and sank.

Be safe out there.

Mike