V1 WAS DOING A SEA TRIAL. BOTH OCCUPANTS ON BOARD WERE VESSEL MECHANICS. WHILE ON THEIR WAY BACK, THE PASSENGER WENT BELOW DECK TO CHECK ON SOMETHING IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND FOUND THAT THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. A PASSING VESSEL CALLED IN A DISTRESS ON VHF AND ADVISED THAT V1 HAD HEAVY SMOKE COMING FROM IT. A MINUTE LATER THE SAME VESSEL CAME ACROSS VHF STATING THAT V1 WAS ON FIRE. A FT LAUDERDALE FIRE BOAT WAS CALLED FOR. UPON THE OFFICER'S ARRIVAL, THE TWO V1 OCCUPANTS WERE ATTEMPTING TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE WITH NO LUCK. TOW BOAT US TOWED THE VESSEL AWAY FROM HOUSES ALONG THE INLET, AND THE FIRE BECAME LARGER. THEN TOW BOAT US CALLED FOR ASSISTANCE GETTING THE MECHANICS OFF THE BOAT.
FT LAUDERDALE                 