A man badly burned after his boat exploded in Norfolk has died, his family told 13News.

Frederick "Fritz" Hartz, 54, was working on his 40-foot wooden sail boat August 8 at Bay Point Marina when a propane tank on board created a massive explosion.

The blast sent fiery debris 40 feet in the air and shattered windows in nearby boats.

"He'd always come down to my boat and have a beer with me, and tell me about his trials and tribulations about whatever he was working on," said friend Keith Howell. "He was just a nice guy to have around."

Investigators say propane gas collected in the cabin, caused either by a leak from a hose or an accidental cut in the hose during the work.

Hartz suffered severe burns and infection.

He was well-known around the marina, where his friends tell 13News they are working on a memorial for him.