Welcraft 232 Coastal, Owner'S Manual

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Chapter 9:
SAFETY EQUIPMENT
9.1 General
Your boat has 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 equipment on each boat. This
equipment varies according to length and type of
boat and type of propulsion. 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 equipment for your boating area.
9.2 Required Safety Equipment
Besides the equipment installed on your boat by
Wellcraft, certain other equipment is required by the
U.S. Coast Guard to help ensure passenger safety.
Items like a sea anchor, working anchor, extra dock
lines, flare pistol, life vests, a line permanently
secured to your ring buoy, etc., could at some time
save your passengers’ lives, or save your boat from
damage. Refer to the “Federal Requirements And
Safety Tips for Recreational Boats” pamphlet for
more detailed description of the required equipment.
You also can contact the U.S. Coast Guard Boating
Safety Hotline, 800-368-5647, for more information
on boat safety courses and brochures listing the
Federal equipment. Also, check your local and state
regulations.
The Coast Guard Auxiliary offers a “Courtesy
Examination”. This inspection will help ensure that
your boat is equipped with all of the necessary
equipment. The following is a list of the accessory
equipment required on your boat by the U.S. Coast
Guard.
Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs)
PFDs must be Coast Guard approved, in good and
serviceable condition, and of appropriate size for the
intended user. Wearable PFDs must be readily
accessible, meaning you must be able to put them
on in a reasonable amount of time in an emergency.
Though not required, the Coast Guard emphasizes
that PFDs should be worn at all times when the
vessel is underway. Throwable devices must be
immediately available for use. All Wellcraft boats
must be equipped with at least one Type I, II or III
PFD for each person on board, plus one throwable
device (Type IV)
In addition to the requirements set by the Coast
Guard, individual states may have additional
requirements for children and specific types of
recreational activity. Please visit www.nasbla.org for
state laws.
Visual Distress Signals
All boats used on coastal waters, the Great lakes,
territorial seas, and those waters connected directly
to them, must be equipped with Coast Guard
approved visual distress signals. These signals are
either Pyrotechnic or Non-Pyrotechnic devices.
Pyrotechnic visual distress signals:
Pyrotechnic visual distress signals must be Coast
Guard approved, in serviceable condition, and
readily accessible. They are marked with a date
showing the service life, which must not have
expired. A minimum of three are required. Some
pyrotechnic signals meet both day and night use
requirements. They should be stored in a cool, dry
location. They include:
•
Pyrotechnic red flares, hand held or aerial.
• Pyrotechnic orange smoke, hand-held or floating
• Launchers for aerial red meteors or parachute
flares
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