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Figure B3: Type III, Wearable
PFD Type IV, Throwable (Figure B4) is required in ad-
dition to the PFDs previously discussed. The most com-
mon Type IV PFD is a buoyant cushion or ring buoy. It
is designed to be thrown to a person in the water,
grasped and held by the user until he or she is res-
cued. A Type IV PFD should always be in serviceable
condition and immediately available for use. Grasping
this PFD may be difficult if the rescue is delayed or if
the user is overcome by hypothermia (loss of body heat).
Figure B4: Type IV, Throwable
PFD Type V, Wearable (Figure B5) when inflated, it
provides buoyancy equivalent to Type I, II, or III PFDs.
When it is deflated, however, it may not support some
people.
Figure B5: Type V, Wearable
D. PFD Pointers
The purpose of a PFD is to help save your life. If you
want it to support you when you are in the water, it needs
to fit, float, and be in good condition.
1. Try the PFD on and adjust it until it fits comfortably
in and out of the water. Mark your PFD if you are
the only wearer.
Vista 248/268 Owner's Manual
03/00
2. To make sure the PFD works, wear it in the water.
This will show you how it works and give you confi-
dence when you use it.
3. Teach children how to put a PFD on and allow them
to try it in the water. That way, they know what the
PFD is for and how it works. They will feel more
comfortable with it if they suddenly find themselves
in the water.
4. If the PFD is wet, allow it to dry thoroughly before
storing it. Do not dry it in front of a radiator or heater.
Store it in a well ventilated area.
5. Keep PFDs away from sharp objects which can
tear the fabric or puncture the floatation pads.
6. For their own safety and the safety of others, all
nonswimmers, poor swimmers, and small children
should wear PFD's at all times, whether the boat is
stationary or moving.
7. Check the PFD frequently to make sure that it is
not torn, that floatation pads have no leaks, and
that all seams and joints are securely sewn.
8. If a PFD contains kapok, the kapok fibers may be-
come waterlogged and lose their buoyancy after
the vinyl inserts are punctured. If the kapok be-
comes hard or if it is soaked with water, replace it.
It may not work when you need it.
E. Emergency Stop Switch
This safety device automatically stops the engine if the
lanyard is attached to the operator and the operator
falls from his work station. Refer to the engine manual
for detailed information about using this switch.
The emergency stop switch (Figure B6) incorporates a
shutoff switch, switch clip, lanyard, and lanyard clip. The
lanyard clip must be securely attached to the operator's
PFD, clothing, arm, or leg. Be sure to attach the lan-
yard to a place where it is free of obstructions and to
something that will move with the operator if he or she
leaves the helm station. If the engine shuts down be-
cause this switch was activated, the clip may have to
be reinstalled on the interrupter switch before the en-
gine can be started.
Section B
Page 2
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