11.9 OPERATION AND PRECAUTIONS
DURING NAVIGATION

• 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.
• Provide laminated plastic reference cards for the Rules of Navigation and have them available for quick reference at helm station.
• 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, depth soundings, GPS, radar, etc..
• If the yacht is controlled by the autopilot, be especially careful to keep a good visual watch. The autopilot cannot see.
• 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. Also, take care to avoid entangling feet and legs in the anchor rode.
• 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 should be seated on the platform or forward decks when the yacht is navigating.

WARNING

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

WARNING

Persons entering the engine room 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 room.
Prior to entering the engine room, set the yacht on the most comfortable heading for sea and wind conditions. Persons in the engine room should maintain communication with the captain.

CAUTION

To avoid heavy injuries or even death caused by hazards in the engine room, 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 extremely cautious in proximity to hot and moving parts. Wear hearing protection if the engine is 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 on the forward cockpit while sailing at high speed.

DANGER

It is absolutely forbidden to perform reverse run with one of the two engines stopped. This operation is allowed only in case of endangering life 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.

WARNING

In order to achieve the best compromise between comfort and speed, while minimizing fuel consumption, it is recommended to keep the engine operating speed in the range between 1500 and 2000 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 boats, 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. It may also be necessary to have a specialist check the propeller shaft alignment.
• 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 underway, 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 spoiler or forward deck when the yacht is navigating.

WARNING

Persons operating your yacht must never be under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The yacht’s pilot should be experienced in the use of all instruments and controls, and know the handling characteristics of the yacht at all speeds and sea conditions.
You should be certain that persons intending to operate your yacht are completely knowledgeable about its proper operation. If you are not certain about an individual’s qualifications or competence, the person must be supervised by a qualified operator.

The yacht is very efficient and is equipped with very responsive rudders; nevertheless, because of its size and performance capability, only persons experienced, competent, responsible, cautious and with necessary qualifications should operate the yacht.

The yacht is manoeuvred by means of the steering wheel in the helm station. The steering wheel operates the rudders by means of an electric system. The steering gear operation is independent from the engine operation. Never leave the steering wheel unattended when the yacht is navigating.

Keep in mind that the rudder effect is proportional to the propeller rpm and the yacht’s speed, especially when moving forward.
As a consequence, the rudder efficiency is high at high rpm and speed.
On the contrary, when the engines are idling and the yacht’s speed is low, the yacht’s reaction to the tiller angle is almost negligible.

If necessary, or when in restricted waters, you can steer the yacht with the engines by varying and/or reversing the engine speeds and alternating power from port and starboard engines.

At low rpm, operating on a single engine, alternating port and starboard engines and using the “back and fill” method for turning the yacht is the recommended practice. Learn and practice the skills for handling the yacht at low speed and engine rpm.

When the yacht’s speed increases, the transition of the hull from displacement mode to planing mode is a critical phase.
The transition to the planing mode should be done as quickly as practical to achieve fuel efficiency and provide a comfortable motion.

The minimum planing speed depends on yacht’s displacement, on load distribution, on interceptor position and on sea conditions.

Adjust speed and interceptor position according to sea conditions and to the loading conditions of the yacht, in order to ensure an easy yacht movement and to avoid stress to the structure due to the effects of sea conditions.

WARNING

At high speed, the use of the autopilot is dangerous and not recommended. Anyway, be always very careful during navigation also when the autopilot is in use.

The high quality engines allow the yacht to be run safely at cruising speed for extended periods of time.