Impact With Underwater Hazards - Mercury 75 User Manual

The primary concern is the boat changing direction while in the midst of the jump. In such case the landing may
cause the boat to veer violently in a new direction. Such a sharp change in direction can cause occupants to be
thrown out of their seats, or out of the boat.
Avoid serious injury or death from being thrown within or out of a boat when it lands after jumping a wave or
wake. Avoid wave or wake jumping whenever possible. Instruct all occupants that if a wake or wave jump occurs,
get low and hang on to a boat hand hold.
There is another less common hazardous result from allowing your boat to launch off a wave or wake. If the bow
of your boat pitches down far enough while airborne, upon water contact it may penetrate under the water surface
and submarine for an instant. This will bring the boat to a nearly instantaneous stop and can send the occupants
flying forward. The boat may also steer sharply to one side.

Impact With Underwater Hazards

Reduce speed and proceed with caution whenever you drive a boat in shallow water areas, or in areas where you
suspect underwater obstacles may exist which could be struck by the outboard or the boat bottom. The most
important thing you can do to help reduce injury or impact damage from striking a floating or underwater object is
to control the boat speed. Under these conditions, boat speed should be kept to a minimum planing speed
24 to 40 km/h (15 to 25 MPH) .
To avoid serious injury or death from all or part of an outboard coming into the boat after striking a floating or
underwater obstacle maintain a top speed no greater than minimum planing speed.
Striking a floating or underwater object could result in an infinite number of situations. Some of these situations
could result in the following:
• Part of the outboard or the entire outboard could break loose and fly into the boat.
• The boat could move suddenly in a new direction. Such a sharp change in direction can cause occupants to
be thrown out of their seats or out of the boat.
GENERAL INFORMATION
WARNING
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WARNING
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