3 • u, Ection, Sing – Baja Marine Islander 242 User Manual

Page 40

3.4

eCtIon

3 • u

sIng

our

oat

242 Islander

• If there are passengers not wearing PfDs,

the PfDs must be readily accessible. “Readily

accessible” means out of the storage bag and

unbuckled.

• All throwable flotation devices (cushions, rings,

etc.) must be right at hand.

6. p

assenGer

nsTrucTion

anD

ocaTion

• Everyone on board must be told about the boat’s

behavior from starting to getting up on plane.

• Before the operator does any high-speed

maneuvers or rapidly accelerates or decelerates

the boat, passengers must be warned to sit and

hold on and must heed the warning.

• The operator may have to make rapid changes

in speed and/or direction to avoid a problem,

with little or no time for alerting passengers. It

is critical that all passengers be seated in the

designated seating areas and holding on to

prevent falling overboard or getting knocked

about in the boat at all times when the boat is

underway.

7. s

TarTinG

The

nGine

The engine operation and maintenance manual

furnished with your boat describes pre-start and

starting procedures. We urge you to thoroughly read

and understand your engine manual.

listed below are basic pre-start and starting

reminders. These are not a substitute for the engine

manufacturer’s specific recommendations.

Open the engine compartment and check for the

smell of gasoline.

• If yOU sMEll gasOlInE, get everyone off

the boat, do not operate any electrical switches

or light any matches, lighters, etc. get trained

help to find and fix the problem, before starting

the engine or operating any switches on the

boat.

• If you DO nOT smell gasoline:

1. Check all fluid levels and any other necessary

checks as specified in Section 8 and in the

engine manual.

2. Check that water level in bilge is minimal. Verify

that the bilge pump is operating by turning the

bilge pump switch to ManUal and listening for

the pump running and check to see that bilge

water is being pumped overboard.

3. Close engine compartment.

4. Check fuel level. Be sure

you have enough fuel for

your trip. Remember the

“1/3 Rule”: Use no more

than 1/3 of your fuel for

outbound trip; use 1/3 of

the fuel for return trip; keep

1/3 for reserve in case of

emergency (fIg 3.4.1).

5. Run bilge blowers for at least 4 minutes before

attempting to start engine (fIg 3.4.2).

Unlike your automobile engine

which is naturally ventilated

even when it is not moving, your

boat engine compartment (the

bilge) does not have sufficient

natural ventilation when the

boat is not moving or moving

slowly. That is why the engine compartment must

have forced ventilation, using the bilge blower, to

remove potentially explosive gasoline vapors before

the engine is started and when the boat is moving

slowly.

Because it may be difficult to remember to turn on

the bilge blower every time you slow down the boat,

Gasoline vapors can explode

Before starting the engines, open engine compartment

and check for gasoline smell.

• If you smell gasoline, do not start engine; get

everyone off the boat and get trained help to find

and fix the problem.

• If there is no gasoline smell, perform checks

specified by manual, then and only then, close

engine compartment and run blower for at least

4 minutes before starting.

DANGER

(

FIg

. 3.4.1)

(

FIg

. 3.4.2)