Monterey Boats 186MS, Owner'S Manual, Page: 17 / 254

17
MONTEREY
BOATS
SAFETY EQUIPMENT
1.1 General
Your boat and engine have been equipped with
safety equipment designed to enhance the safe
operation of the boat and to meet U.S. Coast
Guard safety standards. The Coast Guard or state,
county, and municipal law enforcement agencies
require certain additional accessory safety equip-
ment on each boat. This equipment varies accord-
ing to length and type of boat and type of propul-
sion. The accessory equipment typically required
by the Coast Guard is described in this chapter.
Some local laws require additional equipment. It
is important to obtain “Federal Requirements And
Safety Tips for Recreational Boats,” published by
the Coast Guard, and copies of state and local
laws, to make sure you have the required equip-
ment for your boating area.
Your boat is equipped with engine alarms and could
be equipped with an optional automatic fire ex
-
tinguishing system. These systems are designed
to increase your boating safety by alerting you to
potentially serious problems in the primary power
system and the engine compartment. Alarm sys-
tems are not intended to lessen or replace good
maintenance and pre-cruise procedures.
This chapter also describes safety related equip-
ment that could be installed on your boat. This
equipment will vary depending on the type of
engine and other options installed by you or your
dealer.
1.2 Engine Alarm
Inboard and outboard engines are equipped with
an audible alarm system mounted in the helm area
that monitors selected critical engine systems.
The alarm will sound if one of these systems be-
gins to fail. Refer to the engine owner’s manual
for information on the alarms installed with your
engine.
If the alarm sounds:
• Immediately throttle the engine back to idle.
• Shift the transmission to neutral.
• Monitor the engine gauges to determine the
cause of the problem.
• If necessary, shut off the engine and investigate
until the cause of the problem is found.
1.3 Neutral Safety Switch
Every control system has a neutral safety switch
incorporated into it. This device prohibits the
engine from being started while the shift lever is
in any position other than the neutral position. If
the engine will not start, slight movement of the
shift lever may be necessary to locate the neutral
position and disengage the safety cutout switch.
Control or cable adjustments may be required to
correct this condition should it persist. See your
Monterey dealer for necessary control and cable
adjustments. Please refer to the Helm Control
Systems chapter for more information on the
neutral safety switch.
Throwable Device & Personal PFD
Chapter 1: