Four winns FUNSHIP - Visual.distress.signal.devices; Sound.signaling.devices

Owner’s Manual Page 26Boating Safety - Section B
NOTICE
Using a portable re extinguisher with an
access/re port in the engine compartment is
preferred to opening the engine compartment
to ght the re. However, using a portable
extinguisher in this way provides less protection
against re than a xed suppression system.
NOTICE
Do not test re extinguishers by squirting small
amounts of the extinguishing compound. The
re extinguisher might not work when you
really need it.
Four Winns sport boat and deck boat models are
considered to be Class 1 powerboats (16 to less
than 26 feet). Since they have permanently-installed
fuel tanks, they are required to carry one (1) B-1
typehand-heldportablereextinguisher.Iftheboat
isequippedwithaxedreextinguishingsystemin
the engine compartment, one (1) B-1 type hand-held
portablereextinguisherisstillrequired.
Sport boats and deck boats that are Class 2 power-
b
oats (26 to less than 40 feet) are required to carry
two(2)B-1typeapprovedhand-heldportablere
extinguishers or one (1) B-2 type approved hand pro-
tablereextinguisher.Whenaxedreextinguishing
system is installed in machinery space(s), at least
one(1)B-1typeaprovedhandportablereextin-
guisher is required.
AnautomaticFE241agentreextinguishersystemis
optional on some boat models. The equipment utilized
hasbeensochosen,andlocated,toprovidesufcient
volume and coverage of the entire engine compart-
ment. While the system ensures excellent overall
bilgereprotection,it does not eliminate the USCG
requirement for hand-held re extinguishers. Refer
to the extinguisher manufacturer’s literature included
in the owner’s packet.
F. Visual Distress Signal Devices
Visual distress signal devices approved by the US
Coast Guard are required on all recreational boats
operating on coastal waters and to boats owned in
the United States when they are operating on the
high seas. Coastal waters include territorial seas
and those waters directly connected to the Great
Lakes and the territorial seas up to a point where the
waters are less than two miles (3.2km) wide. Visual
distress signal equipment may be of the pyrotechnic
or non-pyrotechnic type. Regulations prohibit display
of visual distress signals on the water under any
circumstances except when assistance is required to
prevent immediate or potential danger to persons on
board a vessel.
The equipment must be approved by the US Coast
Guard, be in serviceable condition, and be stowed
in a readily accessible location. Equipment having
a date for serviceable life must be within the speci-
ed
usagedateshown.Carefulselectionandproper
stowage of visual distress equipment is very impor-
tant if young children are aboard.
Distress Signal Table
The minimum visual distress signals required in
coastal waters for a Class 1 or Class 2 powerboat is
the following:
Oneorangeagwithblacksquareanddisc(daytime);
and an S-O-S electric light (nighttime); or three orange
smokesignals,hand-heldoroating(daytime);or
threeredaresofhand-held,meteor,orparachute
type (daytime/nighttime).
NOTICE
No single signaling device is appropriate for all
purposes. Consider keeping various types of
equipment on board.
G. Sound Signaling Devices
Class 1 and Class 2 powerboats are required to carry
a hand, mouth or power operated horn or whistle.
It must produce a blast of two-second duration and
audible at a distance of at least one-half (1/2) mile.
The following are standard whistle signals:
• One Prolonged Blast = Warning Signal
• One Short Blast = Pass on my Port Side
• Two Short Blasts = Pass on my Starboard Side
• Three Short Blasts = Engines in Reverse
• Five or More Blasts = Danger Signal