Run your engine room blowers!

We don't need to use the blower for 5 minutes. What could happen?

OMG!!!

(Thread re-titled for better indexing)

I think you mean flame "arrestor" not detector. However that stops carb flareups not bilge explosions or fires. Either not good friends or serious paranoia if you won't go on a boat just cause it's gas. Virtually every boat under 36' you see is a gasser.

Detectors are a must, but they don't replace the old snoz in the bilge That boat looks like it just finished fueling, which seems to me one of the more critical times to run your blower and do that old fashion smell test. Looks to me like standing on the platform with that transom piece as a shield saved that lady from a tragic burn?/

Early nineties we were friends with one partner in the Millionair FBO on Clevelands Burke Lakefront airport. On Mothers Day the other partner was tied up at Shooters Bar in the Flats. Wife, four year old and 2 grand parents. Someone started the generator. The four year old survived as an instant orphan. Lake Erie gave him back three months later.

No gassers for me.

Wow! Revived a vivid memory of trolling about 50nm offshore on a buddy's gasser, opened the console door to check the Loran, and smelt fumes! Opened the engine hatches and the stb engine had a leak on the carb. Shut all down and spent about an hour+ flushing the bilge with raw water and airing out. We were close to being a debris slick on the water, tightened some loose screws on the carb and fished on. No inboard gasser for me, ever.

I believe you edited your post from flame to fume. Yes fume detectors are a must.