Safety Information
Modifications
Do not attempt to modify this outboard motor.
Modifications to your outboard motor may
re
duce
safety and reliability, and render the
out
board
unsafe or illegal to use.
Boating safety
This section includes a few of the many
important safety precautions that you should
follow when boating.
Alcohol and drugs
Never operate after drinking alcohol or taking
drugs. Intoxication is one of the most common
factors contributing to boating fatalities.
Personal flotation devices
Have an approved personal flotation device
(PFD) on board for every occupant. You must
wear a PFD
whenever boating. At a minimum,
children
and non-swimmers should always
wear
PFDs, and everyone should wear PFDs
when there are potentially hazardous boating
conditions.
People in the water
Always watch carefully for people in the water,
such as swimmers, skiers, or divers, whenever
the engine is running. When someone is in the
water near the boat, shift into
neutral and stop
the engine.
Stay away from swimming areas. Swimmers
can be hard to see.
The propeller can keep moving even when the
motor is in neutral. Stop the engine when
a
person is in the water near you.
Passengers
Consult your boat manufacturer's instructions for
details about appropriate passenger locations in
your boat and be sure all passengers
are
positioned properly before accelerating
and when operating above an idle speed.
Standing or sitting in non-designated locations
may result in being thrown either overboard or
within the boat due to waves, wakes, or sudden
changes in speed or direction. Even when people
are positioned properly,
alert your passengers if
you must make any
unusual maneuver. Always
avoid jumping
waves or wakes.
Overloading
Do not overload the boat. Consult the boat
capacity plate or boat manufacturer for maxi-
mum weight and number of passengers. Be
sure that weight is properly distributed
according to the boat manufacturers
instructions. Overloading or incorrect weight
distribution can compromise the boats handling
and lead to an accident, capsizing or
swamping.
Avoid collisions
Scan constantly for people, objects, and other
boats. Be alert for conditions that limit your
visibility or block your vision of others.
Operate defensively at safe speeds and keep
a
safe distance away from people, objects, and
other boats.
•
Do not follow directly behind other boats or
water skiers.
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