Malibu Boats Wakesetter 20VTX 2019 Owner's Manual

Contents

Malibu Boats Wakesetter 20VTX 2019 Owner's Manual Manual pdf 127 page image

Safety FirstFire Extinguishing EquipmentEven when surrounded by water, fire is a significant concern.In fact, because safe egress from the boat is limited if it becomesnecessary to abandon ship, this issue reinforces the need for easilyaccessible PFDs.When boating in the United States,boats of less than 26 feet in length arerequired to have at least one (1) B1-rated,hand-held fire extinguisher on-board andfully charged, unless there is an automaticfire extinguishing system installed. Anautomatic system is available as an option onMalibu boats. Hand-held units are not includedin standard equipment so that the consumercan choose from a wide range of fire extin-guishers, many of which exceed the minimumrequirements. If the boat does not havean automatic fire extinguishing systeminstalled, the boat owner MUST purchaseand install at least one (1) B1-rated fireextinguisher.Most countries have fire-extinguishingand suppression requirements for recre-ational boats. It is the responsibility of the boat owner and/oroperator to determine the requirements for the body of water onwhich the boating will occur. Being unaware of the law will likelynot be an accepted excuse by law enforcement, and will likelynot prevent the boater from receiving a citation or arrest.The automatic fire extinguishing system is mounted inside theengine compartment. In the event the system’s sensor recognizesextreme heat in the compartment, the system will create a chemicallymixed dry suppression material. In most instances, there is sufficientsuppression material to suffocate the fire and its source. In the eventof a fire, boat operators should immediately turn OFF the boat’sengine, which will also shut down the pressurized fuel system.An automatic fire extinguishing system has an LED-lightedindicator located adjacent to the throttle-shifter at the driver helm. Aspart of the routine safety checks as the boat powers up, the operatorshould verify that the extinguisher system indicator is active.Whenever fire extinguishersor suppression units havebeen used in fighting an on-board fire, a careful determination should be made wheth-er it is safe to operate the boat. In most instances, it isadvisable to have the boat towed to shore rather than riskadditional fire or permanent damage to the drivetrain.The boat should be thoroughly serviced by an authorizedMalibu dealer prior to operation again. Operation priorto service could result in additionaldamage to the boat, and may result inserious injury or death.Following discharge of fire suppressionmaterial, the system will require recharging.If an automatic system has discharged, itis unlikely that the boat can be run. Maliburecommends getting a tow to shore and havingthe engine compartment thoroughly cleanedand the fire suppression system rechargedprior to running the boat’s engine again. Ifhand-held units have been discharged, theywill also require recharging. The chemicals inall fire suppression units can discolor uphol-stery and carpeting. It is recommended thatthe boat be cleaned as soon as practical.The fire suppression manufacturers provideinformation regarding the proper and appropriate cleaning agents.Also pay attention to the cleaning instructions provided in the Careand Maintenance section of this Owner’s Manual to avoid permanentdamage to materials.Even if systems are not discharged, fire extinguishers and sup-pression units require periodic maintenance. For a factory-installedautomatic fire suppression system, a check of the system should bepart of the routine annual maintenance. Hand-held units should beexamined regularly for rust, corrosion, damage, or leakage. Weighthe unit annually to be certain that it meets the minimum listed on thelabel. If it has been used, even partially, it should be recharged by aqualified fire-extinguisher servicing company.When purchasing fire extinguishing and suppression units, Mal-ibu strongly recommends buying units that are prepared specificallyfor the marine environment. The standards for these units has beenestablished by the U.S. Coast Guard and the American Boat andYacht Council (ABYC). In other countries, follow the recommenda-tions and requirements of local jurisdictions and boating authorities.Malibu recommends fire extinguishing and suppression in excessof the minimum requirements. While an automatic fire suppressionsystem is highly effective in most instances of an engine compart-ment fire, it is possible that a fire could occur in another area of the2019 Malibu Boats, LLC Owner’s Manual • Page 114https://www.boat-manuals.com/