Boston Whaler 170 Montauk, Owner'S Manual

Page: 30 / 103

1-9 170 Montauk
Section 1 • Safety
R
There are three (3) steps that must be taken when a
person has fallen overboard:
1. Returning to the victim:
• Immediately make everyone onboard aware
that someone is overboard and keep the victim
in sight.
• Slow the boat and keep pointing toward the
person overboard. At night or in low light, point
the best available light source at the person.
• Throw a life ring/preserver to the victim, even
if they are wearing one it will serve as another
marker.
Prevention is the safest approach. We hope that you
are never involved in an emergency situation, but if
you are it is imperative that you react.
Medical Emergency
You may be far from professional medical help when
you are boating. At least two (2) persons on board
your boat should be CPR certified, and should have
taken a first aid course. Your boat should have a well
stocked first aid kit on board. In many situations
your radio will be your only link to reaching medical
assistance. Keep the radio in working order and
understand which channels are used for emergencies,
these channels are constantly monitored and will
be useful when situations arise. Cell phones are
becoming more common and can help in some areas,
but they are limited and unreliable and should not be
used in the place of a good VHF radio.
Water Rescue
In most situations a person that has fallen overboard
will succumb to hypothermia if not rescued
immediately. Life expectancy decreases as rescue
time increases in water temperatures below 70°
(21.1°C).
Emergency Situations
2. Making contact:
• Stop or slow the boat and circle toward the
person overboard. Never reverse your boat to
pick up someone in the water.
• Try to approach heading into the wind or into
the waves.
• Keep person overboard constantly in sight.
• When almost alongside, stop the engine in gear
to prevent propeller “windmilling”.
3. Getting back aboard:
• Try to reach the person overboard with a pole,
or by throwing a life preserver. NEVER swim
to them except as a last resort.
• Assist the person in boarding. Boarding should
be done at the stern of the boat.
• If the person is injured or incapable of boarding
by themselves, a rescuer should don a life
preserver with a safety line and enter the water
to assist the person onto the boat.
• Handle the person carefully, spinal injuries
might have occurred and could be worsened by
rough handling.
• Check for other injuries, render medical
assistance immediately.
Fire is a serious boating hazard. Boats will burn
quickly. Do not remain onboard and fight a fire for
more than a few minutes. If the fire is out of control
and cannot be put out with the fire suppression
equipment onboard, abandon ship immediately.
The fumes released during a fire are toxic and should
be avoided. Even after the fire has been extinguished,
proper ventilation of the area is required to minimize
exposure to these harmful fumes.
Fire
The law requires the operator to assist any
person or boat in distress as long as rendering
assistance does not endanger the operator, the
passengers or the boat.
NOTICE
The transom ladder (See page 3-14) can be deployed
to accommodate a person reboarding the boat without
assistance.
Unassisted Reboarding