Albemarle 410 CONVERTIBLE Owner's Manual download pdf (Page 87)

410 Convertible

12.8 Grounding, Towing and

Rendering Assistance

The law requires the owner or operator of a vessel to render

assistance to any individual or vessel in distress, as long as his

vessel is not endangered in the process.

If the boat should become disabled, or if another craft that is

disabled requires assistance, great care must be taken. The

stress applied to a boat during towing may become excessive.

Excessive stress can damage the structure of the boat and create

a safety hazard for those aboard.

Freeing a grounded vessel, or towing a boat that is disabled,

requires specialized equipment and knowledge. Line failure

and structural damage caused by improper towing have resulted

in fatal injuries. Because of this, we strongly suggest that

these activities be left to those who have the equipment and

knowledge, e.g., the U.S. Coast Guard or a commercial towing

company, to safely accomplish the towing task.

THE MOORING CLEATS ON ALBEMARLE BOATS

ARE NOT DESIGNED OR INTENDED TO BE USED

FOR TOWING PURPOSES. THESE CLEATS ARE

SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED AS MOORING CLEATS

FOR SECURING THE BOAT TO A DOCK, PIER, ETC.

DO NOT USE THESE FITTINGS FOR TOWING OR

ATTEMPTING TO FREE A GROUNDED VESSEL.

WHEN TOWING OPERATIONS ARE UNDERWAY,

HAVE EVERYONE ABOARD BOTH VESSELS STAY

CLEAR OF THE TOW LINE AND SURROUNDING

AREA. A TOW LINE THAT SHOULD BREAK WHILE

UNDER STRESS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS, AND

COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.

RUNNING AGROUND CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY

TO PASSENGERS AND DAMAGE TO A BOAT AND

ITS UNDERWATER GEAR. IF YOUR BOAT SHOULD

BECOME GROUNDED, DISTRIBUTE PERSONAL

FLOTATION DEVICES AND INSPECT THE BOAT

FOR POSSIBLE DAMAGE. THOROUGHLY INSPECT

THE BILGE AREA FOR SIGNS OF LEAKAGE.

AN EXPERIENCED SERVICE FACILITY SHOULD

CHECK YOUR UNDERWATER GEAR AT THE FIRST

OPPORTUNITY. DO NOT CONTINUE TO USE YOUR

BOAT IF THE CONDITION OF THE UNDERWATER

EQUIPMENT IS QUESTIONABLE.

12.9 Flooding, or Capsizing

Boats can become unstable if they become ﬂooded or com-

pletely swamped. You must always be aware of the position

of the boat to the seas and the amount of water in the bilge.

Water entering the boat through the transom door or over the

stern gunnels can usually be corrected by closing the door

and turning the boat into the waves. If the bilge is ﬂooding

because of a hole in the hull or a defective hose, you may be

able to plug it with rags, close the thru-hull valve or assist the

pumps by bailing with buckets. Put a mayday call in to the

Coast Guard or nearby boats and distribute life jackets as soon

as you discover your boat is in trouble.

If the boat becomes swamped and capsizes, you and your pas

sengers should stay with the boat as long as you can. It is much

easier for the Coast Guard, aircraft, or other boats to spot, than

people in the water. If your boat is equipped with an EPIRB,

make sure it is activated. When activated, EPIRBs will send

distress code homing beacons that allow Coast Guard aircraft

to identify your boat and ﬁnd you quickly.

12.10 Fishing

Fishing can be very exciting and distracting for the operator

when the action gets intense. You must always be conscious

of the fact that your primary responsibility is the safe opera-

tion of your boat and the safety of your passengers and other

boats in the area.

You must always make sure the helm is properly manned and

is never left unattended while trolling. If your boat is equipped

with a tower, caution and good common sense must be exer

cised whenever someone is in the tower. Remember, weight

in the tower raises the boat’s center of gravity and the boat’s

motion is greatly exaggerated for the person in a tower.

If you are ﬁshing in an area that is crowded with other ﬁshing

boats, it may be difﬁcult to follow the rules of the road. This

situation can become especially difﬁcult when most boats are

trolling. Being courteous and exercising good common sense

is essential. Avoid trying to assert your right of way and con

centrate on staying clear and preventing tangled or cut lines

and other unpleasant encounters with other boats. Also keep

in mind that ﬁshing line wrapped around a propeller shaft can

damage the strut bearing.

12.11 Man Overboard

If someone falls overboard, you must be prepared to react

quickly, particularly when you are offshore. The following

procedures will help you in recovering a person that has fallen

overboard.

1 2 ... 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 ... 137 138

Comments to this Manuals

No comments

Albemarle 410 CONVERTIBLE Owner's Manual Page 87

Comments to this Manuals