drive the boat with the bow too low to prevent the boat
from turning abruptly.
Do not drive at high speeds with a negative power trim
(bow low). If you do so, the boat may veer to one side
and become unstable when turning.
WARNING! Waves make it harder to control the boat and tend to
make it heel. Reduce the speed when waves get high.
Learn and follow the rules of the waterways and comply with the
COLREG (Convention on the International Regulations for Prevent-
ing Collisions at Sea) regulations. Navigate with care and use new
or updated nautical charts.
Always adjust your speed to prevailing conditions. Consider the
following:
− Swell (listen to your passengers)
− Wake (greatest when starting to plane and smallest at displace-
ment speeds below 6 knots). Observe the No Waves signs. Reduce
your speed to diminish the wake out of respect for others and for
your own safety.
− Visibility (islands, fog, rain, sun in your eyes)
− Familiarity with the route (time required for navigation)
− Width of the channel (other boaters, noise and wake hitting the
shore)
− Room required for stopping and evasive manoeuvring.
5.9.2 Visibility from the steering position
When the weather is fine and the sea calm, boating is simple pro-
vided that you keep a sharp lookout in accordance with the COLREG
regulations. Make sure that you have the best possible visibility
from the steering position:
− Position the passengers, curtains, etc., in such a way that they do
not limit your field of vision.
− Do not drive continuously at the planing threshold because the
high bow will decrease visibility.
− Control the attitude of the boat by adjusting the power trim to
prevent the rising bow from reducing visibility.
− Use windshield wipers when necessary.
− In poor visibility conditions, open the cabin roof hatch to see better.
− Keep a lookout astern particularly in shipping lanes.
When it is dark or visibility is limited (e.g. fog), switch on the naviga-
tion lights. Turn off the cabin lights if the reflections decrease visibility.
5.10 Proper seamanship – recommendations
and instructions
5.10.1 Protection from falling overboard and
means of re-boarding
In calm seas, the easiest way of re-boarding is to use the swim lad-
der mounted onto the transom. The ladder can also be pulled down
by a person who is in water. Fig. 4.
5.10.2 Stowage of life raft
On Silver Eagle Cabin models, a stowage point for the life raft is
provided in the open space astern.
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