Boating and Sailing.pdf - Moja ladja

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Part 5: Staying Safe Afloat
A nice extra on powerboats with enclosed engine compartments is an automatic fire system.
It includes a heat-sensitive spray nozzle (like those used in fire-protection systems in
hotels) and a fire extinguisher. If temperature gets too high in the engine compartment,
the seal on the nozzle lets go and the contents shoot out to put out the fire.
Vents and Electrical Fans
All boats with inboard and inboard/outboard engines are required to have vents and electrical
fans to suck flammable gases out of the engine area. Any boat you buy is likely to
have the required vent system in place, but check to make sure the fans still function and
that the hoses still reach to the lowest part of the bilge, the area where the fumes are most
likely to gather.
Sound Signals
Boats to 39.4 feet must have some sort of sound signal aboard—an electric horn is fine, as
is an air horn with a compressed air can attached. Boats over 39.4 feet must have a signal
that can be heard at a half-mile and must also have a ship’s bell.
Boat Bytes
If you ever need to use
visual distress signals,
make sure you don’t waste
them. If there are no boats
or aircraft in sight, there
may not be anyone near enough
to help. There’s a temptation to
fire the flares immediately when
you start taking on water,
according to those who have
been there, on the hope of
immediate rescue. But you’ll be
more certain to survive if you
save the distress signals for when
you’re sure a potential rescuer is
within range.
Arresting Flame Development
All inboard and inboard/outboards have a backfire
flame arrester atop the air intake. You can’t tell it from
an air cleaner by looking at the outside, but there’s a
series of fine metal or other nonflammable grids inside.
These block any ignited gases that “backfire” from
inside the firing chamber from escaping back up into
the engine compartment. This will be in place when
you buy the boat, but don’t get the idea of improving
performance by removing it; this makes your boat both
illegal and dangerous.
Visual Distress Signals
Powerboats more than 16 feet long are required to
carry visual distress signals to let other vessels nearby
know when immediate help is needed. Of course, you
hope your radio will do the job on this, but the visual
signals are your backup.