Downrigger fire

[Grace underfire]

Not sure if this is the right sub-forum for this, so if the mods want to move it, please do.

Anyway I had my boat parked in my driveway while I was cleaning my fish yesterday. Before I got back to my boat, my neighbor (thank goodness) knocked on the door to tell me there was a fire on the boat. The rigger was on fire (from what appears to be a short where the cable meets the rigger) and the fiberglass had a bit of damage. Fortunately it hadn't got too far before I got the fire out an the rigger off the boat.

Anyway, I won't be leaving my riggers plugged in unattended again. Hopefully this story will save someone else from making the same mistake.

 

[Aquaholic]

Battery switch to off position?

 

[Aces]

Not sure if this is the right sub-forum for this, so if the mods want to move it, please do.

Anyway I had my boat parked in my driveway while I was cleaning my fish yesterday. Before I got back to my boat, my neighbor (thank goodness) knocked on the door to tell me there was a fire on the boat. The rigger was on fire (from what appears to be a short where the cable meets the rigger) and the fiberglass had a bit of damage. Fortunately it hadn't got too far before I got the fire out an the rigger off the boat.

Anyway, I won't be leaving my riggers plugged in unattended again. Hopefully this story will save someone else from making the same mistake.

That happened to a friend who lost his whole boat

 

[Grace underfire]

That happened to a friend who lost his whole boat

This could have easily been the result. If it had really got rolling I would have been pulling the boat away from the house, unhooking the tow vehicle, and watching it burn.

 

[Aces]

This could have easily been the result. If it had really got rolling I would have been pulling the boat away from the house, unhooking the tow vehicle, and watching it burn.

Glad the ending wasn’t as bad

 

[Grace underfire]

Glad the ending wasn’t as bad

Yeah, me too. As much as it sucks looking at a fried rigger and a 6" patch of burned fiberglass, knowing that it could have been so much worse makes me gratefull.

 

[N2013]

Battery switch to off position?

Was the battery switch left on.??

 

[Aquaholic]

Was the battery switch left on.??

That was my question.

 

[Barman]

What is the condition of the inline fuse that should be protecting that rigger from a short? Proper size? Good thing it was powered up so it could happen in your driveway, rather than out on the water.

 

[Aquaholic]

What is the condition of the inline fuse that should be protecting that rigger from a short? Proper size? Good thing it was powered up so it could happen in your driveway, rather than out on the water.

Might be a good time for the fire extinguisher minimum recommendation talk as well.

 

[Fishtank]

Aren't downriggers recomened to be direct wired to the battery? If so wouldn't the battery switch to off be a non factor

 

[Aces]

Aren't downriggers recomened to be direct wired to the battery? If so wouldn't the battery switch to off be a non factor

this

 

[tubber]

Aren't downriggers recomened to be direct wired to the battery? If so wouldn't the battery switch to off be a non factor

Mine are wired direct to house/deep cycle battery along with one automatic bilge pump on my small boat as per the recommendation of someone more knowledgeable than me, so yes non-factor in my boat.
This is a good reminder for all of us to check fuses, corrosion and extinguishers.

 

[the fog ducker]

That happened to a friend who lost his whole boat

guessing that was Danny , i UNPLUG mine every time now , heard this is not the first time , scary $hit , glad it worked out...

 

[Aces]

guessing that was Danny , i UNPLUG mine every time now , heard this is not the first time , scary $hit , glad it worked out...

Yup. Bishy

 

[the fog ducker]

from an electrician ,

there is no need to run them directly to your battery imo , unless its a long distance , like 10 or more feet from the power source ,( im guessing) ,then your dealing with Voltage Drop , causing performance issues , I have mine run to the Main Circuit Panel ( 4-5 feet away ),by my batteries in the Back , on 30 amp fuses. Alot of times i forget to shut off that particular Panel Switch . I prefer unplugging the riggers and playing it safe , more of a visual from outside the boat when im leaving . Im guessing the switch shorts out with water/salt , putting the rigger in Raise mode , no where for the ball to go , windings heat up then issue gets nasty. dont think a fire extinguisher helps much on a short circuit , kinda like throwing water on a engaged toaster lol , full melt down..... careful.... fuses and breakers do fail time to time !!

add : ( on larger boats ) only thing i recommend running straight to your battery, would be bilge pumps !!! for obvious reasons

i leave them plugged in when im using them boat on my trips , then unplug them until i come back to the marina
M2B

 

[Aquaholic]

Aren't downriggers recomened to be direct wired to the battery? If so wouldn't the battery switch to off be a non factor

If you have an in-line fuse, sure, I don’t think Scotty tells you to only do it that way, but lots of us have a sub panel with the fuses. Mine was wired by a marine electrician and that’s the way he did it. You can also get those fuses that reset themselves which is handy if you do wire them to a sub panel.

There are so many small boats that don’t have sophisticated wiring systems where the in-line fuse makes sense, but I don’t think it’s a cure all for all types of systems

 

[Brando]

no fuse?

 

[CIVANO]

I have an inlne breaker near the riggers and when it is on I wired a pilot light on the dash which glows. I know right away to turn the breaker to off when leaving the boat.

 

[gone fishin]

I, like many on this forum, have a battery switch. It is turned off before I leave the boat or put it on the trailer after every fishing trip! Not only does this avoid battery drain and possible fires it cuts down on electrolysis.