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When all your pre-departure checks have been com-
pleted and the engine has warmed up, you will be ready
to leave the dock. Take into account the amount of wind,
tide current, and other forces that may affect your ma-
neuvering as you leave the dock. Idle speeds work best
when maneuvering to and from the dock. Do not forget
to release the mooring lines.
A. Leaving the Dock
You are ready to leave the dock after the engine has
warmed up. Check all gauges for appropriate readings
before casting off. If oil pressure is abnormally low or
engine temperature is abnormally high, stop the engine
immediately. Check voltmeter to be sure the charging
system is working properly. Check for fuel, oil, and ex-
haust leaks. Correct the cause of any abnormal condi-
tion before getting underway.
Make sure passengers do not obstruct the
operator's vision when casting off or while un-
derway.
After making sure your boat is ready, check wind, tide,
current and other forces that will affect the way you
maneuver your boat away from the dock. Throw moor-
ing lines off to your boat. Shift your boat's engine into
forward or reverse depending on whether you want to
move the bow or the stern away from the dock first.
Run your engine at a slow speed as you move away
from the dock. If you move the bow out first, watch that
the stern of the boat does not swing into the dock or a
piling.
Once away from the dock, devote some time to learn-
ing how to maneuver. Practice docking using an imagi-
nary dock. Practice stopping and reversing.
B. Stopping
Boats have no brakes. Stopping is accomplished by
backing down on the throttle. Practice stopping maneu-
vers and learn early how your boat reacts. From for-
ward motion, pull the throttle back towards NEUTRAL.
Depending on your speed, the distance the boat travels
until it comes to a complete stop will vary. The ability to
measure the distance will only be acquired through ex-
perience.
378 Vista™ Owner's Manual
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Once the boat has slowed and motor is idling, place
the shift in REVERSE. Gradually increasing reverse
power with the throttle will allow you to stop the boat in
a very short distance.
NOTE: A boat will not respond to steering in reverse
nearly as well as it does when going forward, so do not
expect to accomplish tight turning maneuvers when
backing up.
Remember that all boats steer by the stern (the feeling
is much like steering your automobile in reverse). This
means that the stern of your boat will swing in the di-
rection opposite to your turn. For example, when you
turn the helm wheel to the left, the stern of your boat
will swing in the direction opposite to your turn. This is
especially important to keep in mind when docking, op-
erating in close quarters with other boats, or when ap-
proaching a swimmer or downed skier in the water.
Always look behind you and to both sides of the boat
before slowing down. Tell your passengers your inten-
tions to allow them time to make adjustments to their
balance or positions.
Slowly pull back on throttles, glance back and see if a
large following wave is approaching the transom. If so
give the engines a little throttle as the wave arrives to
keep wave from rolling over the transom.
Once you have spent enough time practicing maneu-
vers and have a feel for how the boat handles, you will
be ready to run in open waters.
S - 6
ACCELERATION
Before accelerating to bring you boat on plane,
be sure that the area in front of your boat is
clear. The bow will rise out of the water mo-
mentarily before you plane and may tempo-
rarily obstruct your vision.
If you have never had your boat on plane before, choose
a calm day for your first on plane experience. Never
boat beyond your ability and experience.
Before bringing your boat "on plane", check the entire
area to make sure you have a clear, safe path. As you
throttle up to accelerate, your boat will increase its angle
of trim, causing the bow to ride high. From a maximum
angle, the boat will level out to its planing attitude with
continued acceleration. This maximum angle is known
Section S
Page 4
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