Operator and wife lived aboard the vessel.  While the wife was at work, operator took vessel out for a cruise.  Operator had replaced the carburators in 2010 and had approximately 23 hours of use with no issues.  He had approximately 1100 hours of time as operator of the boat.

Operator said that the boat was heated by a propane powered catalytic converter in the forward portion of the boat.  He said that he lit the heater and then returned to the pilot house, 15 minutes later he smelled smoke.  When he went down into the main cabin, he saw flames coming from the v-berth area where the heater was located. He also described seeing electrical arcing. The operator attempted to put out the fire with a fire extinguisher but was unable to.

The operator called a may-day on his radio and put on a pfd, launched the dinghy and distanced himself from the boat.  He was later picked up by a fishing boat and transferred to a police boat.  

Operator thinks that something inside the vessel may have fallen down and landed on the heater and ignited.  

There were no injuries and the vessel was a total loss.

Mukilteo                      