Voluntary Inspection; Safe Boating Courses; Water Sports; Water Sport Guidelines - Four winns FREEDOM Owner's Manual

H. Voluntary Inspections
State boating officials in many states or the U.S. Coast
Guard Auxiliaries offer courtesy inspections to check out
your craft. They will check for compliance with safety
standards and required safety equipment. You may vol-
untarily consent to one of these inspections, and you are
allowed to make corrections without prosecution. Check
with the appropriate state agency or the Coast Guard Aux-
iliary for details.
I. Safe Boating Courses
The local U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and the U.S. Power
Squadrons offer comprehensive safe boating classes sev-
eral times a year. You may contact the Boat/U.S. Foun-
dation at 1-800-336-BOAT (2628) or, in Virginia, 1-800-
245-BOAT (2628) for a course scheduled in your area.
Also contact the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary or Power
Squadron Flotilla for the time and place of their next sched-
uled class.
B - 4

WATER SPORTS

Personal Injury!
Four Winns® boats are not designed for and
should not be used for pulling parasails, kites,
gliders or any device which can become airborne.
Use boat only for appropriate water sports. (See
Preface for actual warning label.)
Water skiing, kneeboarding, wakeboarding or riding a
towed, inflatable apparatus are some of the more popular
water sports. Taking part in any water sport requires in-
creased safety awareness by the participant and the boat
operator. If you have never pulled someone behind your
boat before, it is a good idea to spend some hours as an
observer, working with and learning from an experienced
driver. It is also important to be aware of the skill and
experience of the person being pulled. Always have a
second person on board to observe the person in the wa-
ter so the driver can concentrate on operating the boat.
Freedom™/Horizon™ Owner's Manual
A. Water Sport Guidelines
Everyone participating in a water sport should observe
these guidelines:
1. Allow only capable swimmers to take part in
any water sport.
2. Always wear a personal floatation device (PFD)
approved by the U.S. Coast Guard. Wearing a
properly designed PFD helps a stunned or un-
conscious person stay afloat.
3. Be considerate of others you share the water
with.
4. Give immediate attention to a person who has
fallen. He or she is vulnerable in the water alone
and may not be seen by other boaters.
5. Approach a person in the water from the lee side
(opposite the direction of the wind). Turn off
the motor at least a boat length from the
person.
6. Turn engine off and anchor before swimming.
7. Always participate in water sports in safe ar-
eas. Stay away from other boats, beaches, re-
stricted areas, swimmers and heavily traveled
waterways.
8. Swim only in areas designated as safe for swim-
ming. These are usually marked with a swim
area buoy (see Figure B15). Do not swim alone
or at night.
Figure B15: Swim Area Buoy
Rotating Propeller!
Rotating propeller can cut or sever causing seri-
ous injury or death. Shut engine off and remove
ignition key when anyone is swimming nearby.
(See Section B-3D.)
Section B
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