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NOTICE
Using a portable fire extinguisher with an
access/fire port in the engine compartment is
preferred to opening the engine compartment
to fight the fire. However, using a portable
extinguisher in this way provides less protection
against fire than a fixed suppression system.
NOTICE
Do not test fire extinguishers by squirting small
amounts of the extinguishing compound. The
fire extinguisher might not work when you really
need it.
The V series models that measure 26 to less than 40
feet are considered Class 2 powerboats. All Class 2
powerboats are required to carry two (2) B-I type ap-
proved hand portable fire extinguishers or one (1) B-II
type approved hand portable fire extinguisher. When
a fixed fire extinguishing system is installed in machin-
ery space(s), at least one (1) B-I type approved hand
portable fire extinguisher is required.
All Class 3 powerboats (40 to less than 65 feet) are
required to carry a minimum of three (3) B-I type, US
Coast Guard approved, hand portable fire extinguish-
ers when there is no fixed fire extinguishing system
in the machinery space. If the boat is equipped with a
fixed fire extinguishing system in the machinery space
the minimum requirement of two (2) B-I type approved
hand portable fire extinguishers is required. Addition-
al note: One (1) B-II type approved hand portable fire
extinguisher may be substituted for two (2) B-I type
approved hand portable fire extinguishers.
F. Fire Extinguisher System
An automatic fire extinguisher system is available on
certain boat models. The type of extinguishing agent
used may vary. Other models may have a fire extin-
guishing system in conjunction with an automatic shut-
down system available. If applicable, the equipment
utilized has been so chosen, and located, to provide
sufficient volume and coverage of the entire engine
com part ment. While the system ensures excel lent
overall bilge fire protection, it does not elimi n ate the
USCG requirement for hand-held fire extin g uishers.
Refer to the manu facturer's literature included in the
owner's packet if this feature has been installed.
On models equipped with an automatic HFC-227ea
agent fire extinguisher system If fire breaks out aboard
a diesel powered vessel, the engine(s) must be shut
Boating Safety - Section B
down immediately for the fire extinguisher system to
effectively extinguish the fire. Continued engine opera-
tion may remove the agent, lowering the concentration
required to effectively extinguish the fire.
G. Visual Distress Signal Devices
Visual distress signal devices approved by the US
Coast Guard are required on all recreational boats
operating on coastal waters and to boats owned in
the United States when they are operating on the
high seas. Coastal waters include territorial seas
and those waters directly connected to the Great
Lakes and the territorial seas up to a point where the
waters are less than two miles (3.2km) wide. Visual
distress signal equipment may be of the pyrotechnic
or non-pyrotechnic type. Regulations prohibit display
of visual distress signals on the water under any
circumstances except when assistance is required to
prevent immediate or potential danger to persons on
board a vessel.
The equipment must be approved by the US Coast
Guard, be in serviceable condition, and be stowed
in a readily accessible location. Equipment having
a date for serviceable life must be within the speci-
fied usage date shown. Careful selection and proper
stowage of visual distress equipment is very impor-
tant if young children are aboard.
Distress Signal Table
The minimum visual distress signals required in
coastal waters for a Class 1 or Class 2 powerboat is
the following:
One orange flag with black square and disc (daytime);
and an S-O-S electric light (nighttime); or three orange
smoke signals, hand-held or floating (daytime); or
three red flares of hand-held, meteor, or parachute
type (daytime/nighttime).
Owner's Manual Page 29
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