Gallery Update

KNYSNA NEWS – Smoke emanating from an electrical fire on board a catamaran on the Knysna Waterfront may have had onlookers fearing for the worst on Monday 24 April. 

But, swift response by crew and local firefighters ensured that the fire didn't get out of hand and was quickly dealt with.

The catamaran, called Caritas, was fresh off the factory floor, having been delivered last week by local manufacturer Vision Yachts, according to co-owner of the company, James Turner. 

"It was due for collection in two weeks' time," he said. It hadn't even left the harbour yet.

While the cause of the fire is yet to be determined, Turner confirmed it was an electrical fire that started inside the catamaran. 

"It caused the most damage to the saloon area and a couple of the lockers, but thankfully the cabins weren't badly damaged other than the soot that came from the fire," he said.

PHOTO GALLERY: Swift action saves catamaran from being destroyed by fire

Three vehicles from the Knysna Fire & Rescue Department responded swiftly to the scene.

A cause for relief for both Turner and the clients is that the exterior of the boat was by and large unscathed, "other than a small bit of easily repairable damage", Turner indicated. 

He said the boat is still salvageable and that they will be pulling it out of the water this week to take it back to the factory for immediate repairs.

"Repairs will probably take two to three months, so we really want to get going on them as soon as possible, so we can give our clients the dream catamaran life they're looking forward to," he said. 

Although official valuations on the damage haven't been done yet, Turner estimated the extent of the damage to be in excess of R1,5m.

He credited the ability to salvage the boat and the minimal extent of the damage to swift response by his staff and the Knysna Fire & Rescue Department. "My staff had just arrived to do some cleaning on the boat when they spotted the smoke, and jumped into action immediately," he said.

They also notified the fire department and in a matter of minutes they were on scene, putting out the fire, bringing it under control in less than an hour. 

"They really were incredible and a massive thanks must go to the fire department," Turner said.

A firefighter wets the outside of the boat with their hose.

Boats that were docked alongside the Caritas were moved from the scene to avoid possible damage.

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