Malibu Boats 21 VLX, Owner'S Manual

Page: 158 / 309

safety first
Fire Extinguishing Equipment
Even when surrounded by water, fire is a significant concern. In fact, be -
cause safe egress from the boat is limited if it becomes necessary to abandon
ship, this issue reinforces the need for easily accessible PFDs.
When boating in the United States, boats of less than 26 feet in length
are required to have at least one (1) B1-rated, hand-held fire extinguisher
on-board and fully charged, unless there is an automatic fire extinguish
-
ing system installed. An automatic system is available as an option on Malibu
boats. Hand-held units are not included in standard equipment so that the
consumer can choose from a wide range of fire extinguishers, many of which
exceed the minimum requirements.
If the boat does not have an automatic
fire extinguishing system installed, the boat owner MUST purchase and
install at least one (1) B1-rated fire extinguisher.
Most countries have fire-extinguishing and suppression requirements
for recreational boats. It is the responsibility of the boat owner and/or
operator to determine the requirements for the body of water on which the
boating will occur. To avoid citations and/or arrest, boaters should check
with local governmental agencies regarding specific requirements and
limitations for boating on the applicable body of water.
The automatic fire extinguishing system is mounted inside the engine
compartment. In the event the system’s sensor recognizes extreme heat in the
compartment, the system will create a chemically mixed dry suppression ma
-
terial. In most instances, there is sufficient suppression material to suffocate
the fire and its source. In the event of a fire, boat operators should immediate
-
ly turn OFF the boat’s engine, which will also shut down the pressurized fuel
system.
An automatic fire extinguishing system has an LED-lighted indicator lo
-
cated adjacent to the throttle-shifter at the driver helm. As part of the routine
safety checks as the boat powers up, the operator should verify that the extin
-
guisher system indicator is active.
Whenever fire extinguishers or suppression
units have been used in fighting an on-board
fire, a careful determination should be made
whether it is safe to operate the boat. In most
instances, it is advisable to have the boat towed to shore rather than
risk additional fire or permanent damage to the drive train. The boat
should be thoroughly serviced by an authorized Malibu dealer prior to
operation again. Operation prior to service could result in additional
damage to the boat, and may result in serious injury or death.
Following discharge of fire suppression material, the system will require
recharging. If an automatic system has discharged, it is unlikely that the
boat can be run. Malibu recommends getting a tow to shore and having the
engine compartment thoroughly cleaned and the fire suppression system
recharged prior to running the boat’s engine again. If hand-held units have
2020 Malibu Boats LLC • Owner’s Manual • Page 144