Design Criteria for Stacked Boat Storage Facility?

3/11/2020

We are looking at a boat storage facility in the northeast. The facility is 42-ft high storing fiberglass boats. It's unheated. The owner doesn't want in rack sprinklers, nor does he want a fire pump.

What would be the fire sprinkler design criteria for this type of facility?

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6 Comments

Wayne Ammons

3/11/2020 08:12:50 am

You should get a fire protection engineer involved with this if you have not already. Check out NFPA 303, Fire Protection Standard for Marinas and Boatyards for additional section references:

https://www.nfpa.org/codes-and-standards/all-codes-and-standards/free-access

NFPA 303, 2016 Edition:
6.2.4 Indoor Rack Storage.
6.2.4.1* Where boats are stored on multilevel racks in buildings, an approved automatic fire-extinguishing system shall be installed throughout the building unless otherwise permitted by 6.2.4.2 or 6.2.4.3.

A.6.2.4.1 Compliance with the requirements of Chapter 17 of NFPA 13 for the protection of Group A plastics stored on solid shelves should be considered for the design and installation of automatic sprinkler systems provided for the protection of buildings housing boats stored on multilevel racks. The combustibility of the boats in storage should be considered in determining hazard classifications. Plan view configuration of the boats in storage should be reviewed to determine whether in-rack sprinklers are needed and to aid in the proper design of the in-rack portion of the sprinkler system. Sound engineering judgment is necessary in selecting sprinkler spacing, placement, and design criteria.

Also to note from NFPA 13, 2019 Edition, Table A.20.4(a), boat storage is listed as a commodity not addressed by commodity classification.

Jon Sullivan

3/11/2020 10:10:56 am

I'd also recommend a review of your applicable Building and Fire Codes to see if you require sprinklers based on building construction, area, and occupancy. IFC considers indoor dry boat storage as S-1.

Jesse Cecil

3/11/2020 11:12:33 am

At best it will be protecting Group-A. I think the owner's desire to avoid a pump is right up there with my niece's desire to get a rainbow unicorn for her birthday unless your extant water supply is outstanding

Michael

3/11/2020 12:15:06 pm

This sounds like insurance underwriting responsibility.

Would you like to store a boat and take a total loss because the building owner wanted to cut costs?

Jesse Cecil

3/12/2020 11:44:31 am

I spent 13 years as an insurance loss control engineer. The building owner may want to query his / her insurer to see what their underwriting requirements are. If their loss control guy deems the system inadequate, the owner's premiums will be astronomical.

Bruce Verhei

3/16/2020 12:45:17 pm

It is appropriate to communicate directly with the fire department to. This site needs a preplan. A base document (.pdf) is often of great assistance.

In addition to all fire concerns boats are deep open top containers. Weight gain during fire can exceed rack strength. Preplan should include WARNING for potential rack collapse as boats fill.

Best.

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