Highfield Reef Series Owner's Manual page 6

- Make sure that yourself and every passenger are wearing a suitable personal flotation device.
- Make sure there is an extra buoyant device that can be thrown to rescue person in the water.
- Check that the boat is equipped with 2 paddles or oars.
- Make sure you respect the maximum load authorized for the boat as described on the manufacturer's
plate.
- Make sure the load in the boat is distributed evenly.
- Check that every passenger is securely seated and holds a safe line, grab handle or rope.
- Make sure that there is a 4m towing rope in the boat.
- If boating with passengers, instruct at least one passenger in the basics of boat handling, starting and
operation of the outboard motor.
- Make sure that all safety gears are on board (whistle, floating ropes, waterproof flashlight, first aid kit,
fresh water, tool kit...).
2. Inflation
To inflate the chamber, first unscrew the valve cap by turning a quarter of a turn counterclockwise. Check
that the plunger in the centre of the valve is closed i.e. upper position. If closed i.e. spring compressed, down
position, push the plunger down and rotate to the closed position.
Connect the air pump to the valve, rotate the connector into the valve to lock it and start inflating.
Inflate each chamber in turn, do not inflate a chamber completely then move on to the next one. Start with the
rear chambers. Repeat procedure until all chambers are evenly inflated to the recommended working
pressure. Use air gauge to measure the tube pressure. If you do not have any gauge, press firmly the tube
with one finger, if it goes down by about 10mm, the tube pressure is correct.
Inflatable boats can be damaged by extreme internal air pressure . Such pressure can be caused by
temperature differences. A boat properly inflated in the morning may become dangerously over - pressurized
as the day warms up. The internal pressure can multiply many times as the surface temperature increases
and under such conditions, seams can separate and bonded materials can delaminate. Avoid subjecting your
inflatable to such conditions by relieving pressure in all chambers of your boat as the day heats up or before
leaving the boat exposed to hot midday sun. It is highly recommended that the boat be stored in the shade or
under cover when it is not being used.
Do not use a compressed air source to inflate the tube or you may compromise the integrity of the seams or
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a- Valve cap
b- Plunger
internal baffles. Seams or baffle rupture due to non respect of inflation procedure are not covered under the
warranty.
Using the boat with under inflated tubes may cause serious damage, including transom cracking.
Caution
Do not used compressed air source to fill the air chambers. Over inflation may result in
seams or diaphragms rupture.
a- Use of drain plug
Your boat is equipped with a drain plug installed on the transom.
When driving the boat, open the plug to get rid of the water on the
floor. The water will automatically be drained by Venturi effect.
When launching the boat or stopping on the water we recommend
you to keep the plug sealed. When the boat is lifted, stowed,
stored, not used, or transported, drain plug shall remain open to
drain any water that could fill the deck.
Caution
Keep the drain open when the boat is kept outside of the water. The rain water could fill
the boat and create stress and damage.
Danger
Do no open the drain plug when the boat is afloat but not in motion.
b- Load distribution
Please refer to the maximum number of passengers and load capacity of the boat in this manual or on the
manufacturer's plate. Do not exceed the maximum number.
Position the passengers and distribute the load evenly in the boat to help counterbalance the weight of the
outboard.
In rough waters, load can be moved forward to ease the motion of the craft.
c- Performances
To achieve best performance, the boat must plane. If the boat does not plane you may check the following:
- Make sure the bilge / deck is dry, drain the water otherwise.
- Make sure the tube is correctly inflated.
- Make sure you have the correct weight distribution. Sea conditions may require passengers to move
forward to the boat to get the boat on plane before they return to their initial positions.
The outboard engine plays a big role in the performance of the boat. Please make sure you use a suitable
outboard engine for the boat.
Outboard trim angle can be adjusted to improve planning and general performance. Adjust the position of
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