Apeks wtx series Owner's Manual page 7

WARNING: A buoyancy compensator (BC) is NOT a life jacket!
It is not designed to provide face-up flotation in all situations;
therefore it does not meet U.S. Coast Guard regulations for
a life preserver or personal flotation device (PFD). If you
become unconscious in the water without a buddy present to
immediately give assistance, you may suffer serious injury or
death from drowning.
Your buoyancy compensator is primarily designed to help you
maintain neutral buoyancy while in a comfortably balanced,
face-down swimming position underwater. It is also designed
to provide you with flotation so that you can rest on the
surface, but it is not designed to function as a life preserver
or personal flotation device (PFD). In order to meet U.S.
Coast Guard regulations, a PFD must be designed so that
it automatically rights you to a face-up position and holds
your head out of the water on the surface. The design
characteristics of a personal flotation device are different
from those of a buoyancy compensator. The ability of any
flotation device to float you in a face-up position can also
be affected by other diving equipment you wear, including
a cylinder, weight or exposure suit, and whether it can be
inflated before you lose consciousness.
For this reason, it is important to always dive with a buddy,
and maintain close proximity with them at all times. Do not
depend on any flotation device to hold your face above the
surface in the event that you are rendered unconscious in the
water while diving.
WARNING: Although this manual provides some basic guide-
lines for certain buoyancy control techniques, it is not a
substitute for training from a professional diving instructor.
Failure to weight yourself properly may create a hazardous
condition that could lead to serious injury or death. If you are
unsure how to weight yourself in order to achieve optimum
buoyancy underwater and on the surface, do not dive until
you have obtained the necessary instruction from your diving
instructor or an authorized Aqua Lung/Apeks Dealer.
If you have any questions regarding your Buoyancy Compensator or
these instructions, contact your local dealer or Aqua Lung/Apeks at:
WTX Series Owner's Manual
(760) 597-5000
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