Game Warden issue

[AndyG]

I've been stopped by this particular game warden a couple times, both times he told me I had to have a fire extinguisher on my jon boat. I only use a trolling motor and battery, and as I read it, I do not have to have a fire extinguisher on my boat. I pretty much quoted the the handbook concerning fire extinguishers and he said, "No, it says combustable device... what are you going to do if the battery explodes?" He really said that. I just said, "well I dont have a fire extinguisher."

Am I wrong here? I pay $40 a year to tag a 10' jon boat with a trolling motor, I am legal in every other aspect. Heres what the book says:

FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
Kentucky law requires that all boats
equipped with a petroleum product
(gasoline, kerosene, propane, etc.) consuming
device (engines, lanterns, stoves,
etc.) shall have a hand portable fire extinguisher
in serviceable condition and
located for immediate use. The best fire
protection is well maintained equipment
and proper safety habits.
There are fuels other than gasoline
that cause fires. Many houseboats use
bottled gas (propane) for stoves and
other appliances. Also, many fishermen
will use a lantern while fishing at night;
if tipped over it can cause a fire.

If anyone has the email address for KDFW for questions like this post it. The default mail thing doesnt work on this cpu, all it had was the "click here" to email.

[MagikSmallie]

I've been stopped by this particular game warden a couple times, both times he told me I had to have a fire extinguisher on my jon boat. I only use a trolling motor and battery, and as I read it, I do not have to have a fire extinguisher on my boat. I pretty much quoted the the handbook concerning fire extinguishers and he said, "No, it says combustable device... what are you going to do if the battery explodes?" He really said that. I just said, "well I dont have a fire extinguisher."

Am I wrong here? I pay $40 a year to tag a 10' jon boat with a trolling motor, I am legal in every other aspect. Heres what the book says:

FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
Kentucky law requires that all boats
equipped with a petroleum product
(gasoline, kerosene, propane, etc.) consuming
device (engines, lanterns, stoves,
etc.) shall have a hand portable fire extinguisher
in serviceable condition and
located for immediate use. The best fire
protection is well maintained equipment
and proper safety habits.
There are fuels other than gasoline
that cause fires. Many houseboats use
bottled gas (propane) for stoves and
other appliances. Also, many fishermen
will use a lantern while fishing at night;
if tipped over it can cause a fire.

If anyone has the email address for KDFW for questions like this post it. The default mail thing doesnt work on this cpu, all it had was the "click here" to email.

Unless you have a trolling motor that runs on a petroleum product then you are clear. batteries do not contain any petroleum product that I am aware of other than the plastic. Surely he didnt fine you for this did he? If he did I would protest the heck out of it. Trolling motors consume electricity not petroleum.

[Brandon__]

I read over it, i agree with you, there is nothing that says you HAVE to have one. but as a good rule of thumb it could come in handy for example if someones boat catches and you are in the vicinity you could attempt to help or something along those lines. I would just have a small one in the boat for just such occasions.

[dldoss80]

ive been checked several times in my two man boat with a trolling motor and battery and no fire ext. by several different game wardens and they have never asked or said one thing about that to me

[know1]

They're so cheap, I think I'd just get one to spare you the hassle of him stopping you again.

[Carter1]

Batteries are not a combustion device. And you are right that you do not have to have a fire extinguisher.

[Duayne]

I'll echo several opinions. You are not required to have one and if I were you, I wouldn't. It's just that much more stuff you have to keep up with when you have limited storage. I know it would be a PITA but I would plead for him to write you a ticket and meet you in court, just to get him off your back and probably others. I'm sure he means well, and most of them are really looking for safety issues, but that isn't one of them and he needs to understand the code.

[AndyG]

They're so cheap, I think I'd just get one to spare you the hassle of him stopping you again.

Yeah, any normal person would but Im not giving in on it.

[AndyG]

Like I said, if any of you have the KDFW email post it. I just want to let them know. The first time he made me get off the water and acted like he was doing me a favor not writing me up (at the time I wasn't 100% sure I didn't need one so I complied). This time he obviously didn't remember the first run in and he just said I have get one before I come back on the water.

My 10' boat is cluttered enough with 2 batteries, lifevests, oars, 4 rods, tackle, cooler, etc.

[transamz9]

I think that no more than one cost I would just get on and put it in the boat with me. Problem solved. No sense in getting his pants in a wad for you. Where he could probably argue with you is that any boat under 16' is considered an Class A boat. If you look at the table right above the info you copied and pasted you will see that a Class A has to have a non-fixed extinguisher. I know what you are saying but the hassle you will have to go through to prove your point is going to be a lot worst than just picking one up at Wally World.

[roughscott]

If he wants to be a butt the plastic the battery jacket is made of is a petro product .

[coombro]

Space in a 10' jon boat is tight. Something as small as a fire extinguisher's takes up space. The ol' authority having jurisdiction card seems to be coming into play here. I had trouble about a horn in my boat. 14'er. I keep the kwfd annual pamphlet in my boat as the warden and I looked it up. He thanked me for showing he was wrong. I would give KWFD a call and clear it all up. Then do as they say. I two have a 10' jon with trolling motor and I don't pack an extinguisher.