Stopping The Boat In An Emergency; Protecting People In The Water - Mercury Jet 65 Manual

Avoid serious injury or death from deceleration forces resulting from accidental or unintended stop switch
activation. The boat operator should never leave the operator's station without first disconnecting the stop switch
lanyard from the operator.
Accidental or unintended activation of the switch during normal operation is also a possibility. This could cause
any, or all, of the following potentially hazardous situations:
• Occupants could be thrown forward due to unexpected loss of forward motion - a particular concern for
passengers in the front of the boat who could be ejected over the bow and possibly struck by the jet drive.
• Loss of power and directional control in heavy seas, strong current or high winds.
• Loss of control when docking.

Stopping the Boat in an Emergency

A jet powered boat has emergency stopping capability unique to this form of propulsion.
Using the emergency stopping capability of the jet drive will slow down the boat in an emergency. However,
sudden stopping may cause the occupants in the boat to be thrown forward or even out of the boat. This action
may result in serious injury or death.
In an emergency, putting the jet outboard into reverse and applying reverse throttle can rapidly slow down the boat
and reduce stopping distance. However, such a maneuver may cause occupants in the boat to be thrown forward
or possibly out of the boat.

Protecting People In The Water

WHILE YOU ARE CRUISING
It is very difficult for a person standing or floating in the water to take quick action to avoid a boat heading in his/
her direction, even at slow speed.
Always slow down and exercise extreme caution when boating in an area where there might be people in the water.
Avoid shallow water or where any loose material such as sand, shells, seaweed, grass, tree branches, etc., can
be pulled in and expelled from the pump as a high speed projectile.
WHILE BOAT IS STATIONARY
Avoid injury resulting from contacting the rotating impeller or having hair, clothing or loose objects drawn into
the water intake and wrapping around the impeller shaft. Stay away from the water intake and never insert an
object into the water intake or water outlet nozzle when the engine is running.
Stop the engine immediately whenever a person is in the water near the boat. The jet drive is always drawing water
through the water intake when the engine is running. Stay away from the water intake located under the jet drive
and never insert an object into the water intake or outlet nozzle when the engine is running.
GENERAL INFORMATION
WARNING
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WARNING
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WARNING
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