The vessel had just been fueled with 11.5 gallons of gasoline. The vessel left the fueling dock and made it ~30 yards away from the fueling dock when the motor died. The operator threw out the vessel''s anchor and then tried to restart the engine. The operator advised that he was cranking on the engine, for ~10 minutes, when the explosion/flash fire occurred. The explosion raised the stern passenger seat, occupied by a passenger, approximately two feet off the floor of the vessel. The vessel had three foot flames coming out of its stern.  Note: This is a V-drive vessel with the engine mounted in the center of the vessel and the fuel tank at the stern. The passengers jumped out on the starboard side of the vessel into the water. The operator grabbed the vessel''s fire extinguisher and put out the fire. The fire reignited (possibly still burning under the subfloor) and the operator sprayed the fire extinguisher again until it was empty. The operator then jumped out of vessel into the water. The fueling dock worker, who saw the explosion and fire, had jumped in the marina''s work pontoon and picked the passengers and operator out of the water. The operator and marina worker dropped off the passengers at the fueling dock and picked-up two large fire extinguishers from the marina.  The operator and marina worker returned to the vessel and used one of the fire extinguishers to put out the fire (the other fire extinguisher was inoperable). The operator advised that the fired burned on board the vessel for ~10 minutes before it was completely extinguished.  The operator also advised that the vessel''s ventilation system was operable, but he did not have it on.
El Dorado                     