BREAKING NEWS – Explosion On Keuka Lake. UPDATES!

Not sure from these photos what is going on!

Yesterday we are got reports in that there has been an explosion on a 1955 Century Coronado after leaving the dock at the Wine Country Classic Boat Show. We do not have any other info other than the photos attached.  PHOTOS from wvandine4. Two people were injured and the boat sank according to some. Severe burns on one of them . So Sad! HERE IS A NEWS REPORT FROM THE LOCAL NBC STATION and others..

People look on in horror

The boat was a 1955 Century Coronado

News will be rolling in so stay tuned

STAY TUNED TO WOODY BOATER AND WE WILL UPDATE AS INFO COMES IN! IN COMMENTS!

29 replies
  1. John Rothert
    John Rothert says:

    Wow …hope Mfine is ok? We were going there for that very show but the hot weather there and here made us think the better of it. Hope for the best for those good folks.

    John in Va.

  2. News Dog
    News Dog says:

    Stephen Borgna / sborgna@the-leader.com
    Posted at 5:17 PM
    Updated at 5:17 PM

    HAMMONDSPORT – Two people were injured at the Wine Country Classic Boat Show on Keuka Lake in Hammondsport Saturday afternoon after the antique boat they were on exploded and caught fire, according to the Hammondsport Fire Department and Steuben County Sheriff’s Department.

    Hammondsport fire chief Bill Fries said the male and female occupants of the boat were forced into the water after fumes began to mass in the boat’s bilge and caused an explosion at around 3 p.m. Saturday.

    “The fumes built up in the bilge area and ignited, and that’s what caused the explosion,” said Fries.

    According to Steuben County Sheriff Jim Allard, the female suffered severe burns to her lower extremities and was airlifted by Life Flight helicopter to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester. The male had lacerations on his head and was treated locally.

    The names of the victims were not released as of press time Saturday afternoon.

    Officials said there were no other injuries.

    According to Fries, the boat — a 1955 Century Coronado– was completely destroyed and sunk.

    The boat show’s boat parade scheduled for Saturday afternoon was cancelled as a result of the accident. Fries said the show is scheduled to continue Sunday as planned.

    Fries said his department was called out at 2:54 p.m. Saturday. The Steuben County Sheriff’s Boat Patrol was also at the scene and assisted with the recovery of the two victims from the water.

    Allard said the Steuben County Sheriff’s dive team will go back out with the Hammondsport Fire Department Sunday to recover what’s left of the boat and continue with the investigation.

    • Hope Marshall
      Hope Marshall says:

      Prayers to the couple, may they heal well and help others to learn from this terrible accident.

  3. John Rothert
    John Rothert says:

    report from friends on the lake:
    Happened around start of a boat parade….boat left dock and blew up…debris high in the air according to spectators…husband and wife from Batavia N.Y. onboard….she badly burned legs…airlifted out. Awful…tragic. Vent those engine boxes…leave the blower on…make sure the blower motor and switch are remote and sparkless….covert from updraft carbs…all the usual precautions….sure details to follow…
    John in Va.

  4. Chris MacAvoy
    Chris MacAvoy says:

    We were 4 miles north on Keuka and heard the blast. Reportedly a 1955 Century Coronado. It sank, close to shore. Local news reports say one man is being treated for a laceration and his wife was taken to Rochester by helicopter with burns to her legs.

  5. Johnny V./John Vyverberg
    Johnny V./John Vyverberg says:

    Very Scary!! I was facing the shore talking, heard the BOOM!! turned around and said HOLY SHIT! A couple of our members rescued the passengers. Very fortunately, it didn’t happen at the dock or the results would have been disastrous! Prayers for the recovery of the couple who owned the boat. The fire crew was unable to tow it in closer, so it sunk in about 60-70 feet of water. This is the second boat fire I’ve seen and it really makes you think.

    • Justin Bryant
      Justin Bryant says:

      Here is a picture seconds before the explosion. Thoughts and prayers for the couple.

      • Diane Kruger
        Diane Kruger says:

        Thank God no one else was hurt. This could of been so much worse. My prayers go out to the couple who were injured. Stay safe. A day alot of you will never forget. Open the hatch!

  6. Mark in da U P
    Mark in da U P says:

    That is really sad. My prayers go out to the couple who were on board. I saw a boat fire once. It is something you never forget.

  7. m-fine
    m-fine says:

    I did not make it to the show today. Put a new prop on the Penn Yan and did some testing, and then relaunched the repaired pontoon. So, I can’t offer any details other than what is already here.

    I will echo what John already said. If your boat has a blower, use it!!!! Before start and at low speed when there isn’t a lot of air blowing through the scoops. If your boat doesn’t have a blower, ADD ONE. Also, lift and sniff. It only takes a couple of seconds.

    Also, if it isn’t a show boat, consider replacing the old brittle rigid metal fuel lines with modern low permeability rubber fuel line (a1-15). There is a darn good reason the Coast Guard regulations don’t allow metal lines all the way to a vibrating engine anymore. It was a lesson learned the hard way.

    This boat didn’t blow up on startup which is the normal case for fumes collecting in the bulge, so there’s a good chance there was a fuel leak somewhere after the pump.

    • Jim G
      Jim G says:

      The Coast Guard regs does still allow metal fuel lines. Straight from the Coast Guard boat builders regulation book.

      FEDERAL LAW:
      183.538 Metallic fuel line materials.
      Each metallic fuel line connecting the fuel tank with the fuel inlet connection on the engine must:
      (a) be made of seamless annealed copper, nickel copper, or copper nickel; and
      (b) except for corrugated flexible fuel line, have a minimum wall thickness of 0.029 inches.

      If metal is used for any portion of the fuel line (except for fittings) from the tank connection to the engine connection (usually at the fuel pump), the metallic fuel line portions must be seamless, annealed:

      (1) Copper;
      (2) Nickel copper (Monel); or (3) Copper-nickel.

      No other metals are permitted.

      Also, the thickness of the tubing wall must be at least 0.029 inches unless the fuel line portion is a corrugated or accordion type of flexible fuel line. Tubing is available with thinner wall thicknesses, but they SHALL NOT be used.

      Metal fuel lines used on the engine, i.e. the fuel line from the fuel pump to the carburetor, may be made of materials other than those listed. This line is usually supplied with the engine.

      TO COMPLY WITH THE LAW
      Are metallic fuel lines made of seamless annealed: • Copper;
      • Nickel copper; or
      • Copper-nickel?
      Is the thickness of the fuel line tube wall at least 0.029 inches?

      • m-fine
        m-fine says:

        Keep reading. 183.562 requires a flexible line from the rigid metal line to the engine and limits the metal line to no more than 4” from the last point it is secured to the hull.

        There is another section that requires a1-15 hose between fuel pump and carb, but there may be a metal line exemption.

        • Jim G
          Jim G says:

          Yes. Thats why Chris Craft stared putting them on the engines in 1958.

          The pump to carb is answered in the 2nd to last paragraph of my post.

        • Jim G
          Jim G says:

          Also on the flat heads were the copper lime went into the fuel pump. Chris Craft put a long gradual bend in it when it turns up from the stringer to the pump. This will help eliminate the vibration in the line.

          On the pump to carb line on the flat heads Chris craft would put a complete circle in the line to eliminate the vibration.

  8. Captain Nemo
    Captain Nemo says:

    It’s unfortunate that it takes a tragic event like this to awaken us from complacency. We can’t be too careful. Hope for the best for the victims.

  9. Johnny V./John Vyverberg
    Johnny V./John Vyverberg says:

    Still shaken up this morning by the event. Heading back down to the show for the poker run, chicken barbecue and teardown in a little while and will provide updates on the couple as I find out. Needless to say, the awards dinner last night was more somber than usual. Our featured boats this year were boats of the ’50’s and I had awarded the Coronado the theme boat of the show……………

  10. GENE PORTER
    GENE PORTER says:

    Blowers are Ok, but a fume detector is cheap and sensitive. It saved my bacon once when vibration/rubbing created a pinhole leak in an old copper fuel line while underway in my V-8 powered utility.

  11. Andy C
    Andy C says:

    I am really shaken up by this…I was on the dock when the boat was started and walked away, not thinking anything of it. Hope both are ok. Installing a fume detector tomorrow on all boats that i use or will use.

  12. Rabbit
    Rabbit says:

    Jim Staib, thanks for asking about the severe storms on Balsam Lake Friday night. Rabbit, my 1947 Gar Wood Ensign was safely tucked away in the boathouse and our cabin escaped damage. But there are flipped pontoons, ripped out docks and cabins crushed by trees all over tge lake. Lucky.

  13. Dave Doner
    Dave Doner says:

    On a somewhat related note, my son and his family from Houston are visiting me at my lake place near Brainerd, MN. Two days ago he went to take the jet ski out for a spin. Upon hitting the ignition the thing blew up. Brian was propelled 15 feet into the air and landed in the water, still aboard the seat. In hospital now with two damaged vertebrae. Hopefully his fitted back brace will workout, thus avoiding surgery. The jet ski burned to the waterline.

    • Kelly A Wittenauer
      Kelly A Wittenauer says:

      Dave,
      Sorry to hear of your son’s misfortune. Wish him a quick and full recovery.

  14. George Emmanuel
    George Emmanuel says:

    Growing up on a 1958 Sea Skiff, dad would immediately turn on the blower upon boarding and let it run. Then prior to starting engines, the hatches were opened and we stuck our noses in the bilge to sniff. Open up the engine box and smell!! That does two things—it indicates an odor and you can see if there is a problem.

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