Burning of candles on boats

[Dave_P]

29 minutes ago, ianali said:

Isn't Davep s link all about boats?

 

Ian.

It's supposed to be

[Dave_P]

27 minutes ago, Bee said:

We use candles all the time, big fat heavy things that give out a nice light and also just a bit of heat. The worst thing that has ever happened is that the dog singed its tail and it smelt horrid and we had to give it a biscuit. We have never had a candle fall over even when unlit and travelling and bouncing off walls. bridges, trees. other boats and being tossed around by the wash of 1000 ton boats on the Dutch bit of the Rhine. 

it only has to happen once.

23 minutes ago, WotEver said:

I really can't imagine how a tea light candle could fall over even if the boat was being steered by Tim & Pru. 

Unless it's on the floor, it can fall off whatever it's placed on.

[Dave_P]

13 minutes ago, WotEver said:

So don't sit them on a shiny surface. Surely common sense has to factor in here somewhere. 

Exactly!  And common sense says you're better not to have candles on your boat.  It's not even like there's any practical need for them.

[BruceinSanity]

I'm personally agin open flames inside a narrowboat, but this BSS report makes interesting reading : http://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/about-us/governing-the-bss/incident-data-risks/

Looking at the final table at the bottom of the page, solid fuel stoves and electricity were much more common causes of fire than the Other Domestic category that combines galley accidents with things like candles. OTOH, the most serious fires according to the text of the report were caused by gas and petrol vapour leaks and having an open flame about just adds to that risk, of course.

[Dave_P]

11 minutes ago, BruceinSanity said:

I'm personally agin open flames inside a narrowboat, but this BSS report makes interesting reading : http://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/about-us/governing-the-bss/incident-data-risks/

Looking at the final table at the bottom of the page, solid fuel stoves and electricity were much more common causes of fire than the Other Domestic category that combines galley accidents with things like candles. OTOH, the most serious fires according to the text of the report were caused by gas and petrol vapour leaks and having an open flame about just adds to that risk, of course.

Not really a fair comparison though, since stoves and leccy are used far more than candles, surely?  And they also provide something useful - heat & power.

[WotEver]

I don't know why folk are even talking about candles being unattended while cruising and the danger of them falling over. You wouldn't have one lit under those circumstances. 

End of the day, sat relaxing with a nice meal and a bottle of wine, a few candles lit... lovely. 

However, if you're one of those who consistently feels that the sky is falling then don't do it. It's (more or less) a free country. 

[BilgePump]

I normally carry a few candles on a boat. On the NB I only really use them in the event of power failure / low batteries. We have paraffin lamps and I often leave the two smallest gimballed ones on through the night. Candles are primarily there as an emergency solution but I have in the past had to resort to them when stranded for two weeks at the end of the year without a working alternator.

When it comes to smaller boats, little Shetland / 20' ish trailer sailer, I use them all the time. I don't have the means of properly recharging the battery; the outboard output and small solar can only do so much to replenish it. Seems wiser to conserve 12v supply for bilge pump, VHF and nav lights. Along with occasional use of a bog standard hurricane lamp (which can stink a small cabin out quite easily) I'll normally have three tea lights going after dark. Each of them sits in its own little greenhouse kind of thing hanging from the roof. And yes, I have sent them flying in the past. Its a pain to clean out the wax that goes all inside when it takes a tumble but far better than a curtain wafting into a naked flame or similar nightmare. In my experience a few tea lights don't trip the CO detector even in a tiny cabin, lighting the hurricane lamp and it still keeps quiet unless there is zero ventilation. Add a paraffin stove for cooking though and the levels will reach dangerous and the alarm start wailing. In short, small candles are great if housed in a safe enclosure, with decent ventilation and a working warning device (the last two I would hope would be second nature to anyone on a boat with gas and/or a solid fuel stove. Part necessity, part ambience, I like them.

[chubby]

I have candles on my boat . Why ? Because i like them - i find them relaxing , they provide enough light to " chill out " to whilst listening to Pink Floyd . Theyre just much nicer than an LED bulb . 

I always grin whenever i read of this or that being dangerous . The person who cannot use a candle without setting fire to themselves really shouldn t be allowed to use a knife & fork for eating thier dinner with or be allowed to tie thier shoe laces up . 

Candles are not dangerous . People are dangerous . There are also alot of idiots about despite the fact that many folk have some piece of paper called a degree or anothe qualification that would suggest that infact theyre  actually quite bright . 

If i walk down any high st i guarantee some twat will be walking along reading thier mobile fone , walking across road staring at facebook or some other tosh . 

This clearly means that mobile phones are dangerous as they divert otherwise intelligent peoples attention . 

Nonsense of course . Fones arent dangerous & neither are candles . People are dangerous & often thick as shite aswell . 

I sometimes wonder whether such notions of killer candles is part of modern britains " someone else is always to blame mentality " . 

" i cant possibly be a fxxxxing idiot - the fault lies with xyz " 

Big candles , wide base , secure , away from curtains , light with a match , enjoy & ensure its put out at the end of the night . It ain t rocket science is it 

Unless you re  tool of course ! 

 

Edited March 1, 2017 by chubby

[WotEver]

Spot on, Chubby, have a green 'un!

[matty40s]

2 hours ago, haggis said:

They could slide and fall off whatever they have been sitting on though.

 

haggis

It's not often we get a 4 foot swell on the canals, even on Tixall Wide.

[mross]

We can all be foolish or forgetful at times.  This is why I don't light candles on boats.  But the management lights them!

[Dave_P]

Hands up all those who can honestly say they've never had anything fall off a surface on their boat?

Ok, maybe a small minority have never had that happen, and don't have any pets who could knock them over, and always carefully place their candles to ensure they can't cause any problem, and never have any children on their boat, and never fall asleep when the candles are lit, and always inspect the other boat thoroughly, when breasting up...

Much easier, I find, just to start with the premise that candles and boats don't mix.

 

 

[Boat&Bikes]

We like candles. I can see no danger from using them on our boat in the areas we have them. 

 

Ian.

[ditchcrawler]

24 minutes ago, matty40s said:

It's not often we get a 4 foot swell on the canals, even on Tixall Wide.

You do if you moor near the ends of the Bridgewater Canal

[WotEver]

1 minute ago, ianali said:

We like candles. I can see no danger from using them on our boat in the areas we have them. 

 

Ian.

Hear hear. Those who think the sky is falling should avoid them however. 

1 minute ago, ditchcrawler said:

You do if you moor near the ends of the Bridgewater Canal

Or near Rachel 

[Machpoint005]

We don't leave lighted candles unattended in the house, and definitely never on the boat.

It's just a common-sense safety-oriented mind set. Doesn't stop us using 'em though.

[cuthound]

These would appear to be a good compromise for the confined spaces within a typical narrowboat.  Ambience and safety in equal measures (no scent though )

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Flickering-Flame-Real-Wax-Candles/dp/B00P2LECVA

 

[Machpoint005]

1 hour ago, cuthound said:

These would appear to be a good compromise for the confined spaces within a typical narrowboat.  Ambience and safety in equal measures (no scent though )

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Flickering-Flame-Real-Wax-Candles/dp/B00P2LECVA

 

In my opinion, yuk. About as convincing as flame effect gas fires -- ie not at all.

As for artificial chemical stinky "fragrances" -- what's the matter with folk? Don't they wash?

[MtB]

I'd have thought the main reason to burn candles on a boat (or in a house) would be for the atmosphere they create. A second reason is for repelling insects with those yellow scented ones.

I find it curious how people are so worried by gas fridges where the pilot light is about the same size as a candle flame (but blue, so producing a tiny fraction of the CO chucked out by a candle flame), yet see no CO risk in burning half a dozen candles at once.

[ditchcrawler]

4 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

I'd have thought the main reason to burn candles on a boat (or in a house) would be for the atmosphere they create. A second reason is for repelling insects with those yellow scented ones.

I find it curious how people are so worried by gas fridges where the pilot light is about the same size as a candle flame (but blue, so producing a tiny fraction of the CO chucked out by a candle flame), yet see no CO risk in burning half a dozen candles at once.

Some under flowerpots

 

[Machpoint005]

3 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

I'd have thought the main reason to burn candles on a boat (or in a house) would be for the atmosphere they create. A second reason is for repelling insects with those yellow scented ones.

I find it curious how people are so worried by gas fridges where the pilot light is about the same size as a candle flame (but blue, so producing a tiny fraction of the CO chucked out by a candle flame), yet see no CO risk in burning half a dozen candles at once.

Well, a very slight reduction in the oxygen content, a very slight increase in CO2, and a few ppm of other products of combustion, but creating an atmosphere? I though that needed millions of years of bacterial action!

[RichM]

I use them, makes it nice and cosy on those cold dark nights, also compliments the stove well and a useful source form of lighting.

[MtB]

For my atmospheric lighting, I ignite the gas mantle lamps. MUCH safer than candles....

[Ex-Member]

We use tea lights and candles but only at night when moored, more for effect than anything, bit like a log fire.  The tea lights go into small coloured glass holders and the candles are already in a glass or a tin. Tea lights can vary in price depending on scent but £1 shop or Ikea have good buys on plain ones. I have a friend in a local charity shop who 'saves' me any that come in and usually charges about 50p to £1 depending how big. Last week I bought a 5inch high one in a glass with a metal lid in various shades of blue. There was a barcode label underneath with a price of £7.50!!  TK Maxx also sell them but even at their prices I don't think you get many bargains even when you see the original price!!!!

Edited March 1, 2017 by Numpty

[nbfiresprite]

In the midge season, I do have a couple of citronella tea lights burning  in candle lanterns hanging from a hooks in the evenings.