Insurance
Even if someone else is operating the
boat, the owner is generally held liable for
any damages or injuries that occur. It is in
the owner’s best interest to maintain suf-
cient personal liability and property dam-
age insurance on the boat in anticipation of
potential judgments. Guarding against theft
is another consideration.
Weather
Never leave the dock without rst check-
ing the local weather forecast. Weather
information is available from television,
radio, local newspaper, online or from a
weather channel on a VHF radio.
At certain times of the year, weather can
change rapidly and boaters should always
keep an eye out for weather conditions. While
boating, pay attention to the following:
• Watch for cloud build-up, especially rap-
id, vertically rising clouds.
• Sudden drop in temperature.
• Sudden change in wind direction and/or
speed.
• On-board barometers, where placed
on-board by the boat owner, should be
checked every two-to-three hours. A ris-
ing barometer indicates fair weather and
a rise in wind velocity; a falling barom-
eter indicates stormy or rainy weather.
What to do in severe weather:
• Reduce speed, keeping enough power to
maintain headway.
• Put on PFDs.
• Turn on running lights.
• Head for the nearest shore or safe harbor
that is safe to approach, if possible.
• Head bow of boat into waves at about a
45-degree angle, if possible.
• Keep bilges free of water.
• Seat passengers on bottom of the boat,
near the centerline.
• If the engine fails, tie a sea anchor on a
line from the bow of the boat to keep the
boat headed into the waves. A bucket will
work as a sea anchor in an emergency.
• Anchor the boat, if necessary.
• Seek shelter on-shore whenever possi-
ble. Particularly avoid riding out a storm
that includes high wind and/or lightning,
which is especially dangerous. Avoid
contact with metal portions of the boat
such as handrails, windshields, tower
and cleats.
Safety Knowledge • 2014 MasterCraft Owners Manual Page 1-25
S A F E T Y K N O W L E D G E
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