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Emergencies Onboard: Fire, Flooding, and Engine Failure | Class 25
20 May 2026 · 7 min · 13 views · Río de la Plata
Captain holds fire extinguisher beside burning yacht at sea
What this video covers
A fire aboard a modern fiberglass boat on the Río de la Plata can become uncontrollable within 60 seconds, and this instructional class covers the step-by-step protocols for three onboard emergencies: engine fire, flooding, and sudden engine failure.▶ 1:00 For fire, the sequence is: call Prefectura Naval Argentina on VHF channel 16 or phone 106, maneuver the vessel so the fire is downwind, then use the extinguisher with the four-step PASS technique — aimed at the base, not the flames.▶ 1:49 Water must never be used on fuel or electrical fires; water on burning gasoline spreads the fire, and on electrical fires it conducts current.▶ 2:37 Isolating the engine compartment by closing the fuel shutoff and blocking ventilation starves the fire of oxygen, but the hatch must not be reopened without an extinguisher ready.▶ 2:37 For a hull breach, the priority is locating and plugging the leak with any available material — rags, cushions, a wooden wedge — then running the bilge pump; if water rises uncontrollably, intentionally grounding the boat on the nearest shore is preferable to sinking in the channel.▶ 3:27 A stalled engine calls for checking fuel level, the kill switch lanyard, and the fuel filter before anchoring to stop drift.▶ 5:14 The class closes with the abandon-ship rule: a semi-submerged vessel is easier for rescuers to spot than a person floating alone, so never leave the boat until it is the least safe option available.▶ 6:39
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