11.7 OPERATION AND PRECAUTIONS AT SEA

• During navigation do no unlock the chain stopper because you can seriously damage the yacht bow.
• Maintain a safe speed for the sea conditions, visibility, and when near other yachts.
• Do not exceed speed limits in harbour and confined waters.
• Follow all navigation rules applicable to the waters in which you are operating.
• Obtain plastic laminate reference cards for the Navigation Regulations and keep them handy on the helm position.
• Consult charts for information on locations of reefs, rocks, shoals, or other hazards to make sure that the yacht is not at risk of grounding or collision with fixed or floating structures.
• Frequently check that your route ahead and around the yacht is unobstructed (no yachts or objects in the expected route or approaching your yacht).
• Frequently confirm the yacht’s position as you cruise, using all available aids, such as charts, visual observations and bearings.
• Before night navigation, make sure that navigation lights and search lights are operational. Ensure that the correct navigation lights are turned on for operation at night. Do not keep the anchor riding light on while the yacht is navigating.
• Use navigation lights in all conditions of reduced visibility, such as fog and rain and at all times between sunset and sunrise.

WARNING

When navigating at night, visual sharpness is crucial for a safe passage. To avoid collisions, reduce speed at night to compensate for limitations of visibility. Avoid switching on inner lights that may affect the captain’s night vision.

• Know the characteristics of the sea bottom prior to anchoring. Keep well clear of other anchored yachts.
• During anchoring, pay special attention to avoid the rotating parts of the winch and take precautions when handling the anchor chain as it comes off the winch. Caution is needed to avoid injury to hands and fingers. Pay attention to ensure that your feet and legs do not get caught in the anchor rod.
• While the yacht is navigating, all persons on board must be seated in the designated seating areas in order to prevent injury due to falls caused by yacht movements with rough sea and in active wake areas or in the event of sudden changes in yacht speed or during manoeuvring. No one must be in the aft area when the yacht is under way.
  

WARNING

For comfort and safety, reduce the speed in the presence of waves.

WARNING

Persons entering the engine compartment when the yacht is navigating should be aware of the hazards of the yacht’s motion and their potential exposure to high ambient temperatures, hot equipment components and operating machinery within the engine compartment.
Prior to entering the engine compartment, set the yacht on the most comfortable heading for sea and wind conditions. Persons in the engine compartment should maintain communication with the Captain.

CAUTION

To avoid heavy injuries or even death caused by hazards in the engine compartment, avoid the contact with hot and/or moving parts, while you are working in this area, wear proper safety clothing and also safety goggles and safety gloves. Be very careful around hot or moving parts. Wear hearing protection if the engines are running.

DANGER

It is forbidden to carry out sudden manoeuvres at high speed.
This can result in accidents to persons on board.

DANGER

It is forbidden to stand or sit in the bow area during navigation.

DANGER

It is absolutely forbidden to perform reverse run with one of the two engines stopped. This operation is allowed only in case of life danger for the persons on board and for the safety of the yacht itself, however when the engine is running it should not run higher than 1000 rpm.

Observing the following guidelines will improve comfort, minimize noise inside the yacht, avoid damage and assist in the proper operation of the yacht.

• Do not run the engines at idle longer than necessary.
• Avoid sudden accelerations and decelerations, which create stress on engine turbochargers.
• Run at idle for a few minutes before shutting down the engines, to allow a gradual cool-down.
• Once the yacht is at cruising speed, the engine instrumentation readings should remain steady. However, if, during normal operating conditions, the engine gauges show abnormal or contradicting values, investigate for possible systems and/or equipment problems or failures (stop the engines).
  Monitor the control panel gauges and system condition alerts frequently.
• Once in open waters and well clear of other yachts, increase the engine rpm gradually, until the desired speed is reached. Adjust the interceptor positions for the best performance.
• Adjust the speed to accommodate sea conditions.
• Check the engine exhausts. Very black smoke means in particular dirty filters or unburned fuel, due to improper calibration of injection pumps or injectors. Very white smoke may mean presence of water in the fuel. Bluish smoke may mean abnormal oil combustion.
• In case of abnormal vibration, reduce speed and run at slow rpm until the cause of the vibration is determined. If the vibration is severe, take the engines out of gear. It may be necessary to check the propeller condition.
• Perform a visual inspection of the bilges periodically.

For the supply of fuel to consider the distance that we intend to cover.

WARNING

While the yacht is cruising, all persons on board must be seated in the designated seating areas in order to prevent injury due to falls caused by sudden yacht movements in active wake areas or in the event of sudden changes in yacht speed or during manoeuvring. No one should be seated on the stern area or on the bow area when the yacht is cruising.