Specifications

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COcancollectwithinaboatinavarietyofwaysExhaustleaks–the
leadingcauseofcarbonmonoxidefatalities–canallowCOtomigrate
throughouttheboatandintoenclosedareasEvenproperlyventedex-
haustcanre-enteraboatifitismooredtooclosetoadockoranother
boat,oriftheexhaustispushedbackbyprevailingwindsExhaustcan
alsore-enterboatswhencruisingundercertainconditions,especially
withcanvasinplace,whichproducesthe“stationwagon”effectEx-
haustcanalsocollectinenclosedspacesnearthesternswimplatform

Scheduleregularengineandexhaustsystemmaintenanceinspections
byexperiencedandtrainedmechanics
BeawarethatdangerousconcentrationsofCOcanaccumulatewhen
aboat,generator,orotherfueleddeviceisoperatedwhiletheboatisat
apier,nearaseawall,oralongsideanotherboatDonotrunenginesor
equipmentforextendedperiodsoftimeundertheseconditionswithout
continuousmonitoring
Keepforward-facinghatchesopentoallowfreshairtocirculateinac-
commodationspaces,evenininclementweather
Keeppeopleclearofthereardeckareaandswimplatformoftheboat
whilethegeneratororenginesarerunningAlwaysmonitortheswim-
ming
area
Anotherdangerouspracticetoavoidisthetowedwatersportof“teak”
surfing(alsoreferredtoas“drag”or“platform”surfing)Teaksurfingis
anactivitywhereparticipantshangontotheboat’sswimplatformwhile
theboatmovesforwardslowlythroughthewaterandtheparticipants
surfinitswakeThisisdangerousontwolevels:itplacesindividu-
alsincloseproximitytothevessel’spropeller,anditexposesthemto
dangerouslyhighlevelsofcarbonmonoxidecreatedbythevessel’s
exhaustIndividualscanloseconsciousnessinsecondsTeaksurfing
isadangerouspracticethathasbeenprohibitedbylawinmanystates
Donotconfusecarbonmonoxidepoisoningwithseasicknessorintoxi-
cationlfsomeoneonboardcomplainsofirritatedeyes,headaches,
nausea,weakness,ordizziness,immediatelymovethepersontofresh
air,investigatethecause,andtakecorrectiveactionIfnecessary,seek
medicalattention
Installacarbonmonoxidedetectorineachaccommodationspaceon
yourboatCheckthedetectorsperiodicallytobesuretheyare
functioningproperly

EachTrip:
• Makesureallexhaustclampsareinplaceandsecure
• Lookforexhaustleakingfromtheexhaustsystemcomponents,
asevidencedbyrustand/orblackstreaking,waterleaks,orcor-
rodedorcrackedfittings
• InspectrubberexhausthosesforburnedorcrackedsectionsAll
rubberhosesshouldbepliableandfreeofkinks
• Confirmthatcoolingwaterflowsfromtheexhaustoutletwhenthe
enginesandgeneratorarestarted
• Listenforanychangeinexhaustsoundthatcouldindicatea
failureofanexhaustcomponent
• Testtheoperationofeachcarbonmonoxidedetector
• operatethevesselifanyoftheseproblemsexist
AnnualMaintenancetobePerformedbyaQualifiedMarineTechnician:
• Replaceexhausthosesifanyevidenceofcracking,charring,or
deteriorationisfound
• Inspecteachwaterpumpimpellerandinspecttheconditionof
thewaterpumphousingReplaceifwornorcracked(refertothe
engineandgeneratormanualsforfurtherinformation)
• Inspecteachofthemetallicexhaustcomponentsforcracking,
rusting,leaking,orloosenessPayparticularattentiontothe
cylinderhead,exhaustmanifold,andwaterinjectionelbow
• Clean,inspect,andconfirmtheproperoperationofthegenerator
coolingwateranti-siphonvalve(ifsoequipped)
Regularmaintenanceandproperoperationoftheboatarethebest
defensesagainstpoisoningfromcarbonmonoxideTofindoutmore
abouthowyoucanpreventcarbonmonoxidepoisoningonrecreational
boats,visittheUSCoastGuardBoatingSafetyDivisionwebsiteat
wwwuscgboatingorg/command/cohtm