Axis A24 - Page 29

 Althoughwaterintrusionandwavesspillinginsideaboatisanobviousboatinghazard,
thishazardcanbeincreasedwhenweightingyourboatforwatersportssuchas
wakeboardingorwakesurng.Aswakeboardinghasevolved,ballastsystemshave
beendevelopedtoaddweightandincreasethesizeofthewake.Thesimplest
ballastsystemonthemarketisthewaterballasttype,suchasthe“FATSAC.”The
questforthelargestwakehascausedsomeboatoperatorstoexcessivelyoverload
theirboats.Itisnotuncommontoseeoperatorsuseaftermarketballastsystems
andthenputadditionalpeopleandgearintheirboat.Beadvisedthatthispractice
canleadtooverloadingyourboatwhichmayleadtoanyofthefollowing:changes
inhandlingandperformance;capsizing,ooding,andsinking;boatoccupantsgoing
overboard.Do not overload your boat.
 Alwaysbeawareoftheloadinyourboatanddonotloadtheboatinexcess
ofthelistedcapacity.Eachboathasamaximumcapacitylabeldisplayingthe
maximumweightofpeople,gearandballastthatcanbeplacedintheboat.
 Whenloadingyourboat,giveattentiontotheeectthattheloaddistribution
hasontheboat’strimangle.Trimangleisthetechnicaltermfortheupordownpitchangleof
yourboat(alsoknownasthe“bowup”or“bowdown”angle).Theforeandaftloaddistribution
ofweight,passenger,andgearcanaecttherunningtrimangleoftheboat.
• Excessiveweightplacedinthesternoftheboatcancausetheinabilitytogetonplane,high
bow-upangles,andcanleadtosteeringdiiculties.Highbow-upanglescanbedangerous
duetothereductionintheoperator’sforwardvisibilitywhichcanleadtocollisionsand
groundings.Highbow-upanglescauselongertransitiontimesfromdisplacementmode
(slowvelocity,0to5mph)toplaningspeeds(18to20mphandabove).Duringtransition,it
isimportantthattheboatoperatorpaysattentionsothat(s)heisabletoseeforwardand
thatthetimeintransition(orinthe“hump”speedregion)isminimized.
• Excessiveweightplacedinthebowoftheboatcanleadtoveryatplaningtrimangles
whichmayleadtheboattoturnaggressively,unpredictably,andwithoutsteerinput.The
phenomenonofyawinstabilityiscausedbyheavybowweightsandrunningveryat(bow
downorattrimangles).Thiscanoccurwithexcessiveweightinthebowcomparedto
weightinthesternoftheboat.Anotherilleectoftoomuchbowweightincomparisonto
sternweightisthatwithextremelyheavybowloads,theboat’sbowmaydiveorsubmerge
whencomingoplane(deceleratingrapidly,orencounteringwaves/wakesatslowspeed).
Ifthebowsubmerges,thenwaterwillenterandoodyourboat.
• Whenencounteringconditionswhichmayleadtobowdivingorbowsubmergence,itis
recommendedtoacceleratetheboatbeforethewave/wakeinordertohelpraisethebow
andgetoverthewave/wake.
• Ifthebowsubmerges,therecommendedactionistoreducethrottletostopforwardspeed,
getpassengerstomoveaft,andturnonthebilgepump.
 Itistheboatoperator’sresponsibilitytotellpassengerstomovetootherseatsonthe
boat,soastonotoverloadthesternorbowoftheboat,norrestricttheboatoperator’sforward
visibility.(SeeGetReadysectionofthisowner’smanualforadditionalinformation.)Thereisno
singlerecommendedseatingorloaddistributionforallconditions.Experiencewithyourboatwill
allowyoutodeterminewheretoproperlyallowpassengersandgeartobeplaced.
Excess and improper loading of bow area forward of windshield may
cause water inux, operating instability, and loss of control resulting
in injury or death. Bow Capacity Limit - X persons or XXX lbs. person,
gear and ballast. This is posted separately on your boat but still
included in overall capacity. Use good judgment when weighting your or any towed water sports.
Visibility of the Operator
The operator of the boat is responsible, by law, to “maintain a proper lookout by sight and
hearing.” The operator must ensure that he/she has appropriate visibility for safe operation.
weighting
your boat
during
watersports
activities
Axis
Owners
Manual
2019
Page 20