Boston Whaler 280 Dauntless, Owner'S Manual

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Chapter 1 • Safety
1-8
R R
280 Dauntless
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.
2. Making Contact
• Stop or slow the boat and circle toward the
person overboard.
• Try to approach heading into the wind or into
the waves.
• Keep person overboard constantly in sight.
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 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 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°F
(21.1°C). There are three steps that must be taken
when a person has fallen overboard:
• 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 harmful fumes.
Fire
The reboarding ladder can be deployed to
accommodate a person reboarding the boat without
assistance.
Unassisted Reboarding
• Fires can spread quickly. Have the proper
fire fighting equipment close at hand, and
in good working order to respond quickly.
• Small fire extinguishers have short
discharge times. Aim at the base of the fire
with a sweeping motion to maximize the
use of the fire extinguisher contents.
!
DANGER