T&T: "Marine" vs. regular fire extinguishers

[C. Marin Faure]

 >Does anybody know the difference between a "marine" ABC fire  
extinguisher
and a "non-marine" ABC fire extinguisher of the exact same size and
propellant? Please tell me it's something more than the color of the  
case,
if indeed there is a substantial difference.

I was told by an acquaintance in the USCG that the difference has  
mainly to do with the mount.  For marine use, an extinguisher needs a  
mount that securely holds the extinguisher no matter how much the  
boat rolls, pitches, and yaws.  I assume there's a formal description  
of a marine extinguisher's mount requirements written down  
somewhere.  I don't know that color comes into it at all--- we have  
red extinguishers on our boat and white ones, and they're all "USCG  
Approved."

In addition to the six "approved" extinguishers on our boat we have  
two "unapproved" foam extinguishers.   The mounts that came in their  
boxes were little more than hooks to hang them on a wall.  I modified  
a pair of "approved" mounts to hold them and mounted them just inside  
the main cabin door.  We've been boarded twice by the USCG for  
inspection and there was no comment made about our unapproved foam  
extinguishers.  I wasn't concerned since we have considerably more  
approved extinguishers on board than we are required to have anyway.   
But the USCG included the two foam extinguishers on their count of  
the total on the boat, so perhaps all they look at are the mounts.


____________________
C. Marin Faure
GB36-403 "La Perouse"
Bellingham, Washington