Updated on September 13th, 2022
If you regularly follow the latest news from the world of yachting, then it may seem to you that fires on boats of any type have become commonplace and that they burn almost more often than they fall into a storm.
Indeed, for some period of time, we heard daily about another fire that completely destroyed a yacht. And, probably, not all cases of ignition were recorded. But are sailboats and superyachts on fire more common today than in the past? Perhaps this is true. And there are a number of reasons for this.
First, the number of yachts of any size is increasing every year. Therefore, accordingly, the number of incidents is also growing.
Secondly, with the growth in demand, almost any company from the yachting industry can get its own pool of clients. As you understand, not all companies provide high quality services, and not all shipyards build yachts that fully comply with the highest fire safety standards.
Thirdly, the aging of boats and superyachts naturally makes them less safe if they are not fully refitted regularly. And many owners try to save on maintenance as much as possible.
Fourthly, modern information dissemination technologies easily create the feeling that when you go out to sea, you will constantly observe flaming yachts around you.
In fact, fires on boats of all sizes are still rare, especially when you consider their total number.
However, the main problem with a fire on the water is that it is almost never possible to stop it. Even when yachts catch fire in a marina, promptly arrived firefighters in most cases can only drive the yacht away from other vessels in order to try to prevent the flames from spreading to neighboring boats and buildings. What can we say about the open sea. This is why sailors fear fire more than any storm.
If you look at the big picture, you can see that the burnings are mostly yachts that were old, poorly maintained and with a poorly trained crew. Modern superyachts with the latest fire extinguishing systems and highly professional crew are quite safe and can even quickly extinguish a local fire if it does occur. That’s why it’s so important to work with a reputable company that manages your yacht and of course get regular maintenance and complete refits.