Bennington Owner’s Manual 21
Loading Passengers & Gear:
Never overload your boat. Your boat has a plate located near the helm that shows its maximum
weight capacity, maximum persons capacity, and horsepower capacity. The weight rating of your
boat includes the engine, passengers and all equipment. The engine horsepower should never exceed
the posted rating, to do so may cause boat damage and will void all warranty related to structure.
Please read, understand and follow the capacity plate information on your model of
Bennington pontoon boat. The maximum capacities plate is located near your console.
Boarding Your Boat:
Load one person at a time. Never jump into the boat. Do not try carrying large or odd sized items
into the boat. Pass them to someone already on board. Reverse the above method when leaving the
boat. Do not allow passengers to ride on rear or upper sun deck pads or outside of any railings. Fail-
ure to sit in designated seating while underway could result in passengers being thrown overboard,
thus causing injury or death. Never enter a pontoon boat by climbing onto the tubes. Always use a
boarding ladder when entering/exiting from the water.
Boat Weight Distribution:
Weight distribution determines the ride and handling characteristics of your boat. Spread the weight
evenly throughout the boat. Do not have excessive weight in either the bow or stern. Excessive
weight in the bow can cause propeller ventilation. For additional information concerning ventilation
please refer to your engine owner’s manual and to page 7-3 of this manual.
Storage Areas:
Your boat has been designed with storage compartments and can be used to store various gear and
belongings. All loose items should be stowed in their proper compartments before departing from
shore to avoid loss over board or problems with boat operation. Put loose items in storage areas to
avoid passengers from tripping and falling.
Steering Your Boat:
Boat steering is not self-centering. Steering is affected by engine and propeller torque, trim tab
settings, wave- current action, and the speed of the boat through the water. Constant attention to
steering is required for safe operation.
Watch the stern when you turn. When you turn the steering wheel, the stern responds fi rst by swing-
ing in the opposite direction of the bow. When you are leaving the dock or trying to avoid an object
in the water, this swing will be critical. Always give yourself plenty of room to make a turn. You
should also slow the speed of your boat while turning. Never make sharp, fast turns because you can
easily endanger your passengers or lose control of your boat.
When making tight turns, trim engine down for better handling. Since both the thrust and steering
are at the stern of the boat, the stern pushes away from the direction of the turn. The bow follows a
smaller turning radius than the stern.
Your Bennington boat may be equipped with one of two steering systems:
1. Mechanical system: With this system the steering wheel connects to a cable which transfers
movement to the engine.
2. Hydraulic system: With this system the steering wheel movement pumps hydraulic fl uid through
lines to a cylinder which transfers movement to the engine.
Boat Speed:
The maximum speed at which you can make sudden turns without losing control of your boat is the
maneuvering speed of your boat. How fast or slow you move depends on wind, waves, weather
conditions, other boat traffi c and the boat drivers experience. When you encounter a potentially
hazardous situation, adjust your boat speed accordingly.
Pace your speed so that you have enough time to respond to any possible emergency. Never drive
your boat directly behind a water skiier in case the skiier falls down. Your boat at 25 MPH will
travel more than 35 feet per second. If a boat 200 feet in front of you suddenly stops, your boat at 25
MPH will strike the stopped boat in less than 6 seconds.
! WARNING !
Exceeding the posted weight and horsepower capacity could lead to serious conditions
resulting in an accident and/or serious injury.
DO NOT OVERLOAD OR OVER HORSEPOWER YOUR BOAT!
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