255 Owner’s Manual
2-7
Responsibilities and Safety
Foreign Species
If you trailer your Cobalt boat from lake to lake, you
may unknowingly introduce a foreign aquatic
species from one lake to the next. Thoroughly clean
the boat below the water line, remove all weeds and
algae, and drain the bilge before launching the boat
in a new body of water.
Components, Maintenance and Repairs
Only your authorized Cobalt dealer should make
any alterations, modifications or repairs that could
affect safety, design integrity or warranty coverage.
Included with your owner’s packet are your
propulsion unit manuals. These manuals were
prepared by the manufacturer and contain
information concerning the operation and care of
your engine and drive unit. Please read these
manuals thoroughly and become acquainted with
this information.
It is advisable to maintain a service log to record
service checks, such as oil changes, so you can
determine when it’s time for servicing. A
maintenance log is helpful when requesting
warranty service using the extended warranty
coverage. Be sure to collect receipts for work
performed and make an entry in the Service Log in
the back of this manual.
Emergency Considerations
Be prepared to deal with emergencies before they
happen. Try to formulate a plan for each type in
advance so that decisions can be made quickly and
without hesitation. Precious moments lost can
mean the difference between losing and saving a
life.
Fire
You must be prepared and act quickly when dealing
with a fire. It is not recommended to battle a fire for
an extended period of time. Turn engines off and
abandon the boat if the fire cannot be extinguished
quickly. Swim at least 23 meters (25 yards) upwind
from the boat and use the visual distress signals to
get assistance. Onboard fires involving the fuel
system usually result in either an explosion that
completely destroys the boat, or the boat burning to
the waterline and self-extinguishing. Deciding on
abandoning the boat or staying to fight the fire is
difficult and depends on many factors. Try to
formulate a fire plan in advance to make that
decision quickly and without hesitation.
The USCG and other law enforcement agency
requirements for fire extinguishers are only the
minimum needed. Your Cobalt boat is equipped
with at least one portable fire extinguisher and may
have fixed fire extinguishers in the generator
compartment and in the engine compartment (fixed
fire extinguishers are normally an option on most
Cobalt boats). If you are in question of whether your
boat is equipped with fixed fire extinguishers,
contact your authorized Cobalt dealer. For the
location of your fire extinguisher, refer to
Section 1
,
Layout
. Remember, install extra extinguishers
where they might be needed. Inspect extinguishers
on a regular basis.
A
WARNING
Avoid injury or death. Gasoline will float
on top of water and can burn. If the boat
is abandoned, swim up wind, far enough
to avoid fuel that may spread over the
surface of the water.
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