Running Aground; Dangerous Weather; Engine Or Boat System Failure; Accidents, Collisions And Giving Assistance - Monterey Sport Cruiser 260SCR Owner's Manual

Section 4
Figure 4-3

RUNNING AGROUND

When a boat runs aground, the stop is usually
abrupt. Because passengers are not secured to a
seat, abruptly stopping a boat while in motion can
cause serious personal injury or even death.
First, turn off the engine(s) immediately, locate all
passengers and attend to any injuries, calling for
emergency assistance as needed. Then, assess
the damage to your boat and determine if there
are any other immediate threats such as water
leaking into your boat, or fuel or flammable
materials leaking into the water or inside your
boat. Immediately call for assistance if threats
exist that could endanger the safety of
passengers.
If there are no immediate safety threats to
passengers and your boat is not damaged,
attempt to propel it away from the obstacle. If the
engine or drive system has been damaged and
the engine restarts, be aware of excessive
vibrations or uncommon noises, which usually
indicate damage to the drive system. If this is the
case, it is not safe to proceed. Call for emergency
or professional towing assistance immediately.
WARNING! Use extreme caution when using
tow lines and when connecting tow lines to
cleats. Death or serious injury could occur
when lines and/or cleats fail while they are
under extreme tension.
If the engine restarts and your boat can be
navigated back safely to port, proceed slowly
back to port and be ready to call for emergency
assistance if needed. Even if your boat and
engine appear to be in good operating condition
after running aground, have the boat inspected by
4-4
a qualified marine technician BEFORE returning
it to service. Damage may have occurred that is
not obvious to you as an operator.
DANGEROUS
WEATHER
Take special precautions when encountering or
operating in dangerous or hazardous weather
conditions.
KC-0013-A
For additional information, see Severe
Weather on page 5-1.
ENGINE OR BOAT
SYSTEM FAILURE
In the event of an engine or boat system failure
and when not in immediate danger, try to
troubleshoot or identify the problem before calling
for assistance.
For additional information, see
Troubleshooting on page 12-1.
ACCIDENTS,
COLLISIONS AND
GIVING ASSISTANCE
A collision or accident may occur when you least
expect it. Formulate a course of action in advance
in case of a collision or accident. Keep in mind
the following guidelines:
• If an accident or collision occurs involving your
boat, locate all passengers first and verify and
secure their safety. Check for injuries and
provide all passengers with a flotation device.
• Once you have determined that your
passengers are not in danger, provide
assistance to passengers on the other boat.
• Immediately call for help and then assess the
damage to the boats. Render necessary
assistance to prevent further damage or
personal injury.
The USCG requires the owner/operator of a boat
involved in an accident to report the incident
immediately to the proper marine law
enforcement agency for the state in which the
accident occurred.
Cruiser