Defender Inflatables – Operation, Maintenance & Warranty Manual
Page 8 of 16
2.8.2
Towing the boat
If the boat is to be towed, the boat must be
empty. Remove outboard, fuel tank and equipment.
Warning
- Never tow your craft with people aboard.
- Frequently inspect the towing painter.
- Periodically check the towing conditions and
especially that the craft is not taking in water.
-Towing at a high or unsafe speed may void
your warranty
2.8.2.1 Towing of an inflatable
NOTE
IMPORTANT
: The bow lift handle should never
be used for towing.
Use the port and starboard D-rings for towing.
Towing this way makes the boat steady and secure
behind the towing boat, and helps to avoid damage
to your Defender Inflatable boat.
Attach the towing ropes as in the following
scheme:
Attach a line between the towing rings to form a
bridal. Attach a towing line to this bridle and tow
the boat at slow speed.
2.8.2.2 Towing of a RIB
Attach a line from the bow eye in the fiberglass
hull.
Defender Inflatables – Operation, Maintenance & Warranty Manual
Page 9 of 16
3.
Safety and operation recommendations
3.0
Important Safety Information.
Read this
:
Lanyard Stop Switch.
The purpose of a lanyard stop switch is to turn off
the engine when the operator moves far enough
away from the operator's position (as in accidental
ejection from the operator’s position). This would
occur if the operator accidentally falls overboard or
moves within the boat a sufficient distance from the
operator's position
Tiller handle outboards and some remote-control
units are equipped with a lanyard stop switch. A
lanyard stop switch can be installed as an accessory
- generally on the dashboard or side adjacent to the
operator's position.
The lanyard is a cord usually between 4 and 5 feet
in length when stretched out, with an element on
one end made to be inserted into the switch and a
snap on the other end for attaching to the operator.
The lanyard is coiled to make its at-rest condition
as short as possible to minimize the likelihood of
lanyard entanglement with nearby objects. Its
stretched-out length is made to minimize the
likelihood of accidental activation should the
operator choose to move around in an area close to
the normal operator's position. If it is desired to
have a shorter lanyard, wrap the lanyard around the
operator's wrist or leg, or tie a knot in the lanyard.
a. Lanyard cord
b. Lanyard stop
switch
Falling overboard and accidental ejections are
more likely to occur in certain types of boats such
as low sided inflatables, bass boats, high
performance boats, and light, sensitive handling
fishing boats operated by a hand tiller. Falling
overboard and accidental ejections are also likely to
occur as a result of poor operating practices such as
sitting on the back of the seat or gunwale at planing
speeds, standing at planing speeds, sitting on
elevated fishing boat decks, operating at planing
speeds in shallow or obstacle infested waters,
releasing your grip on a steering wheel or tiller
handle that is pulling in one direction, drinking
alcohol or consuming drugs, or daring high speed
boat maneuvers.
While activation of the lanyard stop switch will
stop the engine immediately, a boat will continue to
coast for some distance depending upon the
velocity and degree of any turn at shut down. While
the boat is coasting, it can cause injury to anyone in
the boat's path as seriously as the boat would when
under power.
We strongly recommend that other occupants be
instructed on proper starting and operating
procedures should they be required to operate the
engine in an emergency (e.g., if the operator is
accidentally ejected).
DANGER
Should the operator fall out of the boat, the
possibility of serious injury or death from being
run over by the boat can be greatly reduced by
stopping the engine immediately. Always
properly connect both ends of the stop switch
lanyard to the stop switch and the operator. It is
unlawful to neglect this responsibility.
Accidental or unintended activation of the
switch during normal operation is also a possibility.
This could cause any, or all, of the following
potentially hazardous situations:
Occupants could be thrown forward due to
unexpected loss of forward motion - a
particular concern for passengers in the front
of the boat who could be ejected over the bow
and possibly struck by the gear case or
propeller.
Loss of power and directional control in
heavy seas, strong current or high winds.
Loss of control when docking.
DANGER
Avoid serious injury or death from deceleration
forces resulting from accidental or unintended
stop switch activation. The boat operator should
never leave the operator's station without first
disconnecting the stop switch lanyard from the
operator.
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