Albemarle 41 CONVERTIBLE Owner'S Manual Download

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10 Convertible

12.8 Grounding, Towing and

Rendering Assistance

The law requires the owner or operator of a vessel to render
assistance to any individual or vessel in distress, as long as his
vessel is not endangered in the process.

If the boat should become disabled, or if another craft that is
disabled requires assistance, great care must be taken. The
stress applied to a boat during towing may become excessive.
Excessive stress can damage the structure of the boat and create
a safety hazard for those aboard.

Freeing a grounded vessel, or towing a boat that is disabled,
requires specialized equipment and knowledge. Line failure
and structural damage caused by improper towing have resulted
in fatal injuries. Because of this, we strongly suggest that
these activities be left to those who have the equipment and
knowledge, e.g., the U.S. Coast Guard or a commercial towing
company, to safely accomplish the towing task.

THE MOORING CLEATS ON ALBEMARLE BOATS
ARE NOT DESIGNED OR INTENDED TO BE USED
FOR TOWING  PURPOSES.   THESE  CLEATS  ARE
SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED AS MOORING CLEATS
FOR SECURING THE BOAT TO A DOCK, PIER, ETC.
DO  NOT  USE THESE  FITTINGS  FOR TOWING  OR
ATTEMPTING TO FREE A GROUNDED VESSEL.

WHEN TOWING  OPERATIONS  ARE  UNDERWAY,
HAVE EVERYONE ABOARD BOTH VESSELS STAY
CLEAR  OF THE TOW  LINE  AND  SURROUNDING
AREA.  A TOW LINE THAT SHOULD BREAK WHILE
UNDER STRESS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS, AND
COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.

RUNNING AGROUND CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY
TO PASSENGERS AND DAMAGE TO A BOAT AND
ITS UNDERWATER  GEAR.  IF YOUR BOAT SHOULD
BECOME  GROUNDED,  DISTRIBUTE  PERSONAL
FLOTATION    DEVICES  AND  INSPECT THE  BOAT
FOR POSSIBLE DAMAGE.  THOROUGHLY INSPECT
THE  BILGE  AREA  FOR  SIGNS  OF  LEAKAGE.
AN  EXPERIENCED  SERVICE  FACILITY  SHOULD
CHECK YOUR UNDERWATER GEAR AT THE FIRST
OPPORTUNITY.  DO NOT CONTINUE TO USE YOUR
BOAT IF THE CONDITION OF THE UNDERWATER
EQUIPMENT IS QUESTIONABLE.

12.9 Flooding, or Capsizing

Boats can become unstable if they become ﬂooded or com-
pletely swamped. You must always be aware of the position
of the boat to the seas and the amount of water in the bilge.
Water entering the boat through the transom door or over the
stern  gunnels  can  usually  be  corrected  by  closing  the  door
and turning the boat into the waves.  If the bilge is ﬂooding
because of a hole in the hull or a defective hose, you may be
able to plug it with rags, close the thru-hull valve or assist the
pumps by bailing with buckets.  Put a mayday call in to the
Coast Guard or nearby boats and distribute life jackets as soon
as you discover your boat is in trouble.

If the boat becomes swamped and capsizes, you and your pas-
sengers should stay with the boat as long as you can.  It is much
easier for the Coast Guard, aircraft, or other boats to spot, than
people in the water.  If your boat is equipped with an EPIRB,
make sure it is activated.  When activated, EPIRBs will send
distress code homing beacons that allow Coast Guard aircraft
to identify your boat and ﬁnd you quickly.

12.10 Fishing

Fishing can be very exciting and distracting for the operator
when the action gets intense. You must always be conscious
of the fact that your primary responsibility is the safe opera-
tion of your boat and the safety of your passengers and other
boats in the area.

You must always make sure the helm is properly manned and
is never left unattended while trolling. If your boat is equipped
with a tower, caution and good common sense must be exer-
cised whenever someone is in the tower. Remember, weight
in the tower raises the boat’s center of gravity and the boat’s
motion is greatly exaggerated for the person in a tower.

If you are ﬁshing in an area that is crowded with other ﬁshing
boats, it may be difﬁcult to follow the rules of the road.  This
situation can become especially difﬁcult when most boats are
trolling.  Being courteous and exercising good common sense
is essential.   Avoid trying to assert your right of way and con-
centrate on staying clear and preventing tangled or cut lines
and other unpleasant encounters with other boats.  Also keep
in mind that ﬁshing line wrapped around a propeller shaft can
damage the strut bearing.

12.11 Man Overboard

If someone falls overboard, you must be prepared to react
quickly, particularly when you are offshore. The following
procedures will help you in recovering a person that has fallen
overboard.