What Is a Boat Backfire Flame Arrestor (and Do You Need One?)
Understanding how your boat works is an important part of being a safe, responsible boat operator or owner. Knowing your boat's equipment and how it runs can help you avoid an accident or injury on the water.
Have you heard of a boat backfire flame arrestor? Do you know if your boat needs one (or has one)?
Depending on what type of boat you operate — whether you own it, rent one, or borrow a friend's — it could need one of these pieces of boating equipment.
Let's look at what it is and if your boat needs one.
What is a Boat Backfire Flame Arrestor?
All boats with inboard engines should be equipped with a backfire flame arrestor.
This piece of boating equipment should be approved by the USCG (U.S. Coast Guard) and either the Society of American Engineers or United Laboratories.
This device is designed to stop the flames that could potentially result from an engine backfire from coming into contact with fuel and starting a fire.
Keep An Eye On It
Inspect your backfire arrestor each month to ensure it remains damage-free and is still tightly fastened to the carburetor. A loose backfire arrestor could fail to protect your boat from flames during an engine backfire.
You'll also want to check for holes or oil or gas in the grid. If you find a hole, repair it before taking the boat out again. If you see oil or gas where it shouldn't be, clean the backfire arrestor thoroughly before firing up the engine again.
Keep a Fire Extinguisher On Board
As part of your boat's safety equipment, make sure you keep a fire extinguisher on board.
Fires can break out on board from a variety of issues. Specific to our topic today, if the backfire arrestor fails and the engine produces flames, you'll need a working extinguisher to prevent a fire from spreading.
Stay Safe When Boating This Season
Make sure your boat is properly and safely equipped before hitting the water. Taking time to inspect the boat backfire flame arrestor and other equipment before launching can help you avoid a fire or other emergencies on the water.
We're here to help you understand everything you need to know about boating safely! Taking an online course through ilearntoboat is a fun way to build your foundational knowledge so you stay safe when boating every season.
Getting started is easy, and the course can be completed in as little as three hours. Choose the course for your state and start learning!
Originally published in February 2021. Content most recently reviewed and updated for accuracy and relevancy December 3, 2024.
