I think this is rare, but so tragic I wanted to share so boaters are at least aware should they observe the signs of CO poisoning and if they are idling for long periods. I remember as a kid my parents not driving our station wagon w/ the rear window down b/c of fear of exhaust gasses coming back in thru the open window, but had not really considered the risk of long distance idling in the open air on a boat. Like I say, I think this is extremely rare, but the consequences are so huge for a family and easily preventable that I figured it was worth posting.

https://www.today.com/health/mom-shares-warning-after-son-dies-carbon-monoxide-poisoning-t192631

Have never heard of this happening like that.

It makes you wonder if there was also a mechanical issue with the boat/engine/exhaust. IDK, I had never heard of it either.

Was thinking the same thing. Maybe thru hull exhaust with an issue??

Wondering what kind of boat this was

Never thought about wake surfing causing the conditions to make this happen

I’ve heard of this. Short ropes equal cO2. There is an advantage to being a good distance behind the boat.

I've heard of it once before several years ago. It's tragic whenever it happens because it seems to happen when wakesurfing is involved. Out for a day of fun then boom, it's no longer fun.

The social media repost by the mom said a Malibu boat.

I know they are inboard, but cant recall where the exhausts exit.

From reading the article, it sounds like a typical station wagon effect with the exhaust gasses coming back into the boat. Even with side exhausts, that can easily happen. How many times have you been going slowly and seen your flag pointed into the boat instead of towards the back?

We have a carbon monoxide detector in the salon of our boat (and also in our berth) and it sometimes goes off when cruising at slow speeds. We have some options to vent the boat different ways that can do away with the station wagon effect, with the risk of getting some minor water in the boat, a small price to pay for safety.

Boats are horrible for this, I'm kinda surprised at the responses. Right after we got the SkipperLiner, I parked the Party Cruiser in the next slip, stern-in. One day I fired it up to play with the idle and timing as it wasn't running all that great. Note that the slip is 20' long and 10' wide, and the Skip's rear entry fit perfect at the dock finger's end. Which means the rear door of the Skip was about18' away lengthwise and about 14' sideways from the running outboard on the PC. It was 15 or 20 minutes later that the C0 alarm went off in our bedroom, on the far wall about 9' from the door. The PPM was in the 90's and going up. I've also had the generator, which exhausts thru the transom under the diving deck (and somehow passed marine regs, I even have the paperwork) set off the C0 alarm while cruising with the bedroom door open (about 7mph typical). Keeping the window (port side only) and sliding door closed fixed that problem. Genny never runs when anyone's playing in the water...

Even at displacement speed in a boat, passing air causes a low air pressure area at the stern, other air will naturally gravitate to the low pressure area to fill the void, and then that air just kinda sits there percolating. "Station wagon effect" is correct, same with semi trailers... Think of sitting in the bed of a cruising pickup truck against the cab while cruising, or watching leaves blowing around the cab in the rear view mirror while driving...You'll get more airlflow IN the truck with the windows down. Sitting a the rear of a boat, and especially on the diving deck, the C0 from the exhaust is going to join that barely moving air percolating around the stern. Anyone sitting way back, and especially on a diving deck, is likely sitting in a cloud of C0...