13
yacht. Listen for other fog signals while
continuing to sound your fog bell or horn.
Continue your cruise when conditions im-
prove.
Fire
Fire aboard your yacht is always serious,
but it can usually be brought under control
if you are prepared and act quickly. Fire
extinguishers required by the United States
Coast Guard are the minimum necessary.
Silverton recommends exceeding the mini-
mum requirements by placing additional fi re
extinguishers where they may be needed.
Inspect all fire extinguishing equipment
frequently and review emergency plans on
a regular basis.
As a yacht owner, you should develop a Fire
Response Plan and familiarize all passen-
gers with this plan before departing on your
cruise. The Fire Response Plan will identify
the type of fi re you may encounter and the
appropriate reaction to quickly extinguish it
before it gets out of control. Having a Fire
Response Plan in place and the assignment
of certain responsibilities to your passen-
gers will result in faster and more accurate
decisions and reactions in the event of a fi re
aboard your yacht.
Important: All passengers on board your
yacht should know the location of your fi re
extinguishers and be familiar with their
use.
In the event a fi re does start aboard your
yacht, follow these guidelines:
• If you detect a fi re or suspect a fi re aboard
your yacht, immediately turn OFF your en-
gines and electrical power supply. DO NOT
turn OFF power to your VHF radio.
• Be certain all persons on board put on
their PFD.
• If the fi re is in the engine/generator com-
partment, DO NOT open the hatch. The
fi re will fl are with the sudden introduction
of fresh air.
• If you are able to get to the source of the
fi re, aim your fi re extinguisher at the base
of the fl ames and use a sweeping action to
extinguish it. Concentrating your fi re extin-
guisher in one location may cause the fi re
to spread.
• If the fi re becomes out of control, send
a distress signal and call for assistance on
your VHF radio. Be certain to provide any
potential responders with your location and
a description of your situation.
• Deciding whether to stay on board your
yacht or abandon ship may be difficult
and depends on the extent of the fi re and
the weather conditions. If you decide to
abandon ship, all persons on board should
jump, not dive, overboard and swim a safe
distance away from the burning yacht. Be
certain all persons stay together after aban-
doning ship.
Be certain to read and have a thorough
understanding of the Portable Fire Extin-
guisher System Section and the Automat-
ic Fire Extinguisher System Section of
this Owner’s Manual. They contain valuable
information and warnings for your safety.
Prevention is the safest and most effective
method of fi ghting fi re aboard your yacht.
Always follow these guidelines:
• Use extreme caution and refrain from
smoking while fueling your yacht.
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