CO readings from the swim deck of my boat..and while surfing

[buckbuck]

I have read with only mild interest the threads that have mentioned CO exposure on the swim deck while idling the boat. I will state I may have allowed people to remain seated on the swim deck while repositioning the boat due to the wind getting us close to the shoreline. Someone recently posted a link to a cheap CO monitor so I thought I would investigate myself. The attached word document has the results but I will say I was seeing more than 400 ppm while idleing the boat in forward going with the wind. Even going into the wind I was seeing above 100 ppm.

Guys this is kinda serious. If you are allowing people to stay on the swim platform with the engines running they are inhaling CO. Granted it will take hours of exposure to get to a life threatening situation. But after seeing what I saw today, I will be altering some of my practices.

Just wanted to give some firm data so you can be a responible boat captain.

UPDATE ON SURFING
I took the meter out with me while surfing. I used a tupperwear container to provide a vacuum and slow down the air flow like @Murf'n'surf suggested. Nearly all the time, no matter the direction, I was reading 000 ppm. Only for a brief time did I see numbers bouncing in the 010-013 range. For one moment I saw a 016 ppm. I think it is safe to say that exposure while surfing is a non issue. (my daughters big belly is my third grandbaby. He went surfing with mom today.)

 

[Neutron]

What most people dont realize is they feel that they dont smell exhaust so they are fine. Its definitely not the case. NO ONE rides on my swim platform.
As you stated @buckbuck i only allow someone to get on the platform for a few seconds if i am docking so the can jump on the dock

 

[ripler]

This is the exact reason why it's illegal in every state.

 

[F.M.]

Thanks for the work put into this. Great info.

I never let anyone on the swim deck while the boat is running. I get lots of pushback from my kids, because they think its a dumb rule. This will help prove to them I’m not overreacting about nothing.

 

[drewkaree]

I got that one too, I thought their testing method was pretty dumb. Use a lit cigarette ?‍. I smoke cigars, so it wasn't a big deal, but running it near the tail pipe of my car worked too.

What was eye opening to me was how quickly it jumped over 500ppm, and just how long it took to drop below 100ppm

I'm hoping to test it in the cockpit, near the rear seats to see how much blowback there is at no wake speeds.

Nice $35 spend

 

[buckbuck]

I hung it on the ignition keys and when putting the boat on the trailer it went into alarm. The wind was blowing the exhaust back over the cabin and I believe it goes into alarm at 50 ppm. Probably not a serious issue at 50 ppm but something to be aware of.
Thanks @drewkaree for providing that link in the other thread.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

I appreciate you measuring and posting results!

So…. How many of you drive in stop and go traffic everyday?

It would be interesting to put one of these monitors in your car while sitting in traffic.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

I got that one too, I thought their testing method was pretty dumb. Use a lit cigarette ?‍. I smoke cigars, so it wasn't a big deal, but running it near the tail pipe of my car worked too.

What was eye opening to me was how quickly it jumped over 500ppm, and just how long it took to drop below 100ppm

I'm hoping to test it in the cockpit, near the rear seats to see how much blowback there is at no wake speeds.

Nice $35 spend

Thats interesting, when I was welding for a living and using TIG for the root pass on full Xray tested welds we used to tape up both ends of the pipe and put an Argon hose in one end and seal it it, then poke holes in the tape of the opposite end, we would hold a lit cigarette by the opposite end, as soon as the that escaping air would start putting the cherry out the pipe had been purged of atmosphere and you were ready to make the weld.

 

[Neutron]

I rarely hav

So…. How many of you drive in stop and go traffic everyday?

It would be interesting to put one of these monitors in your car while sitting in traffic.

I rarely have my windows open, and a/c or heat is always on recirculation

 

[flyingnugget]

Great post...Just got mine the other day and will be installing it this weekend. Very curious to see the reading.

It's so tempting to say yes when passengers ask if the can sit there...But it's always a no from me.

 

[HangOutdoors]

One of the biggest issues is that the half life foryour body to get rid of the CO2 in your system is long. So even multiple short intemittent exposures can build up and then there is a point of no return if the level gets to high in the person. At a certain point nothing can be done.

https://jetboaters.net/threads/yamaha-boats-featured-on-today-show-story-about-carbon-monoxide.35211/post-565855

Its basically ppm over time which can build over multiple exposures during the CO's half life. So even minimal time with high PPM over repetition on same day could cause a lethal build up. Or minimal PPM over shorter time with repetition can cause a lethal build up.

It also builds up in the body and doesn't vacate quickly. The half-life of carboxyhemoglobin is approximately 5 hours. This means that for a given exposure level, it will take about 5 hours for the level of carboxyhemoglobin in the blood to drop to half its current level after the exposure is terminated. Which means multiple short sessions have a period of a long session, this is typically what causes the grave circumstances on a boat. Furthermore it isn't just the amount of time you are exposed, it is also about PPM over time, so a broad statement such as "Not long" is of no significance unless you can determine the PPM rate. A chart below for reference, that I copied.

PPM CO	Time	Symptoms
35	8 hours	Maximum exposure allowed by OSHA in the workplace over an eight hour period.
200	2-3 hours	Mild headache, fatigue, nausea and dizziness.
400	1-2 hours	Serious headache-other symptoms intensify. Life threatening after 3 hours.
800	45 minutes	Dizziness, nausea and convulsions. Unconscious within 2 hours. Death within 2-3 hours.
1600	20 minutes	Headache, dizziness and nausea. Death within 1 hour.
3200	5-10 minutes	Headache, dizziness and nausea. Death within 1 hour.
6400	1-2 minutes	Headache, dizziness and nausea. Death within 25-30 minutes.
12,800	1-3 minutes	Death

Since you don't vacate it the moment you stop inhaling it, is where things can get bad. If you re expose during the day (check Half Life of CO in body) then it just adds and adds.

 

[Scottintexas]

I have read with only mild interest the threads that have mentioned CO exposure on the swim deck while idling the boat. I will state I may have allowed people to remain seated on the swim deck while repositioning the boat due to the wind getting us close to the shoreline. Someone recently posted a link to a cheap CO monitor so I thought I would investigate myself. The attached word document has the results but I will say I was seeing more than 400 ppm while idleing the boat in forward going with the wind. Even going into the wind I was seeing above 100 ppm.

Guys this is kinda serious. If you are allowing people to stay on the swim platform with the engines running they are inhaling CO. Granted it will take hours of exposure to get to a life threatening situation. But after seeing what I saw today, I will be altering some of my practices.

Just wanted to give some firm data so you can be a responible boat captain.

Buck,
where did you have the monitor on the rear platform readings ? did you just lay it on the step, did you velcro it to the step through, did someone sit in the cabin and hold it over the walk through ?

I'd also like to know what the reading is for surfers, maybe run a tube 6 feet back on the surf side, I occasionally smell a lot of exhaust,

 

[Murf'n'surf]

I'd like to see readings from a wake surfers position.

 

[HangOutdoors]

Well..... Where are the electric Jet Boats with a 150+ mile range......? I would get in line....

Or better yet a hydrogen powered boat jet boat with unlimited range using the water?

 

[HangOutdoors]

Wonder if I will still be boating when these things become available and reality on Consumer Boats

Yamaha Develops Hydrogen Fuel System - Yamaha Outboards

 

[buckbuck]

Buck,
where did you have the monitor on the rear platform readings ? did you just lay it on the step, did you velcro it to the step through, did someone sit in the cabin and hold it over the walk through ?

I'd also like to know what the reading is for surfers, maybe run a tube 6 feet back on the surf side, I occasionally smell a lot of exhaust,

I MAY have sat on the swim deck and held it in front of my face while my son in law piloted the boat.
Your surf observation has got me quite interested. This device is IP65 rated so I think I could take it out with me. I just don't think it will read anything because we are moving through the air at 10 mph.
But we will see. Stay tuned.

 

[Neutron]

I always wondered about wake surfing because you are very close to the transom

 

[drewkaree]

I MAY have sat on the swim deck and held it in front of my face while my son in law piloted the boat.
Your surf observation has got me quite interested. This device is IP65 rated so I think I could take it out with me. I just don't think it will read anything because we are moving through the air at 10 mph.
But we will see. Stay tuned.

When I stuck it near my exhaust, obviously it instantly climbed, but even moving about 8-10' away, it wasn't dropping anywhere near as fast as I expected it to, about 5-20ppm, the 20 due to some gusts. It took a good minute for it to drop to 350ppm from whatever the high reading was, and if I had to guess, in or near the stream of exhaust where I was would have still not dropped below 150 even over time.

I suspect you're right, that the movement you're mentioning may mitigate the issue, and I didn't even realize what you pointed out about it being IP65 rated. Throw the strap around a wrist, and you should be able to perform a valuable test

 

[Murf'n'surf]

Try it with a shield facing the boat to create a vacuum around the obstruction so it is sampling slower moving air. For example, put the reader in a small margarine tub and face the bottom of the tub to the boat. There has to be a high concentration because you are continually moving through this "cloud" of exhaust. These results will be interesting!

 

[HangOutdoors]

Try it with a shield facing the boat to create a vacuum around the obstruction so it is sampling slower moving air. For example, put the reader in a small margarine tub and face the bottom of the tub to the boat. There has to be a high concentration because you are continually moving through this "cloud" of exhaust. These results will be interesting!

Interested in this and the readings..... I would do it but unfortunately I cannot Wake Surf