Owners Manual

Congratulations on purchasing your Typhoon Boat. The owner’s manual has been designed to outline salient safety and operational points.

Take time to familiarise yourself with that you are unsure of, note in particular any dos and don’ts.

Read the warning signs.
Observe instructions regarding the care of your new boat.
If a skipper’s licence is not mandatory in your state, then it is recommended that you get one.
Complete and return any warranties that apply to the boat, motor, trailer, et al.
Read operational manuals that come with the rig, in particular the engine manual taking note of the alarm systems that indicate trouble.

If you are novice boatie.

Make certain that you have received a "show tell have ago" familiarisation from the seller, of all parts and components before attempting your first attempting your first launch.
Find a suitable location and practice backing the trailer. (outboard up) Always use a spotter to guide you.
Best if you have an experienced boatie with you as a mentor for your first on water experience.
The safety and success of any boat trip is dependent on the level of preparation before you leave. When planning your trip whether it be long or short. It is important that you consider the following.

Pre Launch Checks before Leaving Home.

Check the forecast and get regular updates.
Out Board Motor has oil.
Boat has fuel. (fill up on way to launch spot)
Key in ignition switch.
Bungs have been fitted to boat.
Life jackets are on board.
Epirb. on board.
Flares are on board
Boat winch handle on boat.
Suitable Anchor with suitable length rope, shackles and chain
Someone has been informed of where you are going.
Bailer if you don’t have bilge pump.
Torch.
Tools.
Test that the Boat radio is operational.
Launching Rope Bow & Stern.
Fuel in Vehicle…
Run Boat motor before leaving home.
Number of personnel on boat must comply with ABP.
Fire Extinguisher.
First Aid Kit

Check list below is in addition to, not instead of…there may be some double up.
https://www.transport.wa.gov.au/mediaFiles/marine/MAC_P_BESTCheck_MarineSafety.pdf

Check your marine radio is working properly. Do not head Offshore without a marine radio. Do not rely on mobile phones for distress communications at sea as there is normally no reception.
Don’t drink (or do drugs) and drive.

The Trip.
Giving trip details to a responsible person puts duty of care on two people:

You and the responsible person
Be aware that the responsible person may not have much marine understanding, so it is necessary to write the plan down, and go through it with them. Including writing down that they are to contact the police if you don't make contact at the agreed time.
That’s why it is important to report in when you return.
Stick with the trip plan unless you are able to make contact and advise the responsible person of any changes.

A fridge magnet is available from the Department of Transport for you to fill out your trip details on and give to a responsible person.
The most common responsible person, though, is the duty officer at your local sea rescue group, contacted by radio.
Always report in when you return.
Familiarise yourself with the positions of the navigational aids and hazards you are likely to encounter.

Brief the crew of what their roles are. Touch on what is required. Who does what. Eg Who is going to hold the Bow line (or tie off to the trailer when launching)
Where the safety items are placed in the boat.
What to do in an emergency:

Recommended that you perform the following steps.
1. Make certain that you have received a full explanation and applicable demonstrations of your vessels systems from the seller.
2. Read this manual thoroughly, paying particular attention to the subjects of fuelling, loading limits, launching, and docking, recommendations for safety, maintenance and warranty.
3. Participate in a safe boating course in your area.

Make sure the outboard is raised to clear obstacles, (when moving the boat) Before commissioning a new boat, do not plan an extensive trip until you have had a shakedown cruise to make sure all equipment is functioning properly and you are familiar with the boats operation.
Ensure all potential operators and passengers on board are familiar with the operations and systems of the boat.
Mandatory safety equipment…. Ensure the Rig complies with the States list of mandatory safety equipment that is required to be carried. There are different requirements for inshore and off shore operations. Check with Google.
Be mindful of expiry dates on items such as flares, fire extinguishers etc. Mandatory Safety Equipment can include: Personal Flotation Device (PFD) per person of a suitable size is required for each person aboard the boat. Ensure children always wear PFD’s. Check that PFD’s are a good fit, and are fit for purpose, and never hesitate to have all persons wear them whenever circumstances cause the slightest doubt about safety or where local boating regulations stipulate their use.

Know the limits of your boat and your seaman ship. Although Typhoon boats like a bit of rough, don’t over estimate your seaman ship. Use commonsense and reduce Australian Builders Plate personnel loading if conditions demand it.

Have enough fuel for the duration of time on the water, plus 50% in reserve. Your engine will use more fuel in rough conditions so calculate your fuel usage based on the worst conditions you will encounter.

Points to consider when filling the underfloor tank.

The under floor fuel tank is filled via a stern fitting. Keep the fuel nozzle in contact with the fitting. whilst filling to avoid possible ignition from static electricity. Replace the cap once the tank is full.
Ensure all electrical equipment is turned off and that there is no potential for ignition.

When filling the underfloor tank from empty, note how many litres it takes to get the gauge to start

moving.
Record how many litres are in the underfloor tank at the on gauge halfway point. This will assist in future trip planning when estimating fuel requirements.
Always clean up any fuel spills. Spilt fuel can damage your boat and be a fire hazard.
Spare fuel should be carried in an approved container and kept in a safe place.
As fuel can “go off” it is recommended that the boat be fuelled up on the way to the water.
Portable fuel tank(s) to be removed from the boat, before being filled (fire hazard)
Your outboard may require a petrol/oil mix, follow the engine manual instructions for the correct mixture.
Do not overfill tank(s), allow for thermal expansion of the fuel on very hot days.
Wipe any fuel spillage from the tank before securing it back in the boat.
Check for any vent screws on the portable tank which may be open during the engines operation Warning: Do not use fuels that incorporate any form of alcohol or alcohol derivatives as it may be detrimental to the fuel systems.

Loading your boat on the water.(Passengers + luggage etc)

When loading your boat on the water, it is important that the weight is distributed evenly. Too much weight in one area of the boat can impact the boats performance and safety. It is therefore important to take care to evenly distribute the weight about the boat to achieve a desirable running attitude. This can be maintained by minimising the movement of passengers while underway.

Trailering the Boat on the road.

Before using your trailer for the first time familiarise yourself with the trailers owner manual. A trailer with skids is recommended for aluminium boats as they allow an equal distribution of the boats weight on the trailer. Preventative maintenance is an important part of trailer care and longevity.

Ensure that you are familiar with and comply with the towing regulations in your state.

Be sure to check the trailer is safely connected to the car, check the coupling, safety chain and lights. It always a good idea to double check these items.

Towing a boat can change the behaviour of the way your vehicle handles. Take care when towing that you keep a safe following distance from the vehicle in front of you and allow for additional braking distance.

Ensure that the trailer and boat do not exceed the towing capacity of the vehicle.

The boat should be secured to the trailer by a cable from the bow eye to the winch.

A safety chain should also be used from the bow eye to the winch stand or trailer tongue. The stern of the boat should also be tied down to the trailer using suitable tie down straps. There are normally supplied when you purchase the boat.

All loose items in the boat should be secured, so they do not shift whilst underway.

Always carry a Spare wheel and Jack and wheel brace.

Check that tail lights and indicators work when plugged into the towing vehicle.

It is recommended that you use a motor support bracket.

IMPORTANT: DO not use your boat as a trailer. Do not carry excess weight in the boat while trailering or travelling.

Launching and Retrieving your Boat.

Always have someone keep watch when reversing.

Pre launch preparation – check that the bungs are fitted to the boat!

Launching your boat – before descending the ramp disconnect the trailer lights to avoid the chance of blowing out the lights when the trailer is submerged. Ensure that the boat is firmly attached to the trailer.

Tie a line to the bow of the boat and keep hold of this, while you launch the boat

Have your passengers get on board once the boat is launched. Starting the engine – Before starting the engine, ensure that the engine is in neutral and there are no fuel leaks.

Retrieving the boat – When returning to the ramp, have a plan as to who is going to hold the boat and who is going to get the towing vehicle. Ensure that the person holding the boat is capable of doing so in the prevailing conditions.

Checks before heading home – remove the bungs; ensure that boat is secured to the trailer/vehicle in the same manner as directed above.

On the Water manoeuvring the boat.

When first driving the boat, practice manoeuvring at slow speed to get used to the way the boat handles. A boat does not have brakes. To stop the boat, allow the boat to slow down to under 10km/h. putting the engine in reverse and slowly increasing power will stop the boats forward movement.

Remember, all boats steer by the stern. Although many boats have a steering wheel like a car, they handle quite differently. While a car steers from the front, a boats steers from the rear. While a car sits directly on a hard surface like the road and is not as adversely affected by weight, a boat sits on the water – a soft surface, and weight distribution is important because if affects the boats “attitude” or the way it sits in the water.

Weight in a boat should be kept as low as possible as to not impact the stability of the boat

Be attentive to your surroundings when driving your boat. You need to keep a watchful eye for other craft, swimmers and divers. The wake left by your boat can impact other craft. Smaller craft can even capsize as a result of the wake from another boat. You may be responsible for any damage caused by the wake of your boat.

It is highly recommended that you do an accredited course on safe boating; this is normally part of the many boat licensing courses that are available. These accredited courses will teach you the “rules of the road” when at sea as well as many other helpful and safe practices to make your boating experience safe and enjoyable.

Keep an alert look out. Serious accidents have resulted from failure to do so. IMPORTANT: There is a risk of falling or being thrown out of the boat if standing or moving while the boat is in motion. People should not stand or kneel or change position if the boat is in motion. If someone must stand whilst the boat is underway, avoid speed changes that could cause the standing person to loose balance. The following are helpful things to remember for your boating trip.

The Ramp
Before making you way down the ramp make sure the bungs are in the bow rope is attached and held or secured and all equipment is placed in the boat.

Be polite to other boaties, you may never know when you will need their help.

Launching

Maintain a firm grip on the bowline, once the boat in launched, load your passengers after the engine has started. Park the trailer in a sensibly and considerate location.

Tools and Spares.

You should always carry appropriate tools and spares in case of a breakdown.

Always carry the correct safety equipment in accordance with your State or Territory, so if something goes wrong you still have options.
Being able to inform someone on shore will greatly improve your chances of solving any boating problems. We recommended a marine radio.

After your day out

After being in saltwater or fresh water, always wash your boat and equipment with fresh water (not bore water).

It is also a wise idea to flush your engine out, and give your trailer and wheels a good wash.

Also remember salt can damage electrical components on your boat.

What is Corrosion/Oxidation

Corrosion is something we have all experienced through out our lifetime; it is simply metal naturally changing. It’s a similar process, which we see when Iron rusts, one of the minerals which make up iron is a brownish-red powder and in time and subject to the elements it wants to return to its natural state, thus
rust, this also applies to Aluminium. When Aluminium is exposed to air, a thin oxidized film forms on the surface protecting the metal from corrosion.

Causes of Bubbling / Flaking Paint

Aluminium Corrosion or Oxidation Corrosion is commonly used to describe what happens when a boats paint bubbles or flakes off, however this is rarely the case. Oxidization is normally the cause of most paint problems.

Electrolysis

Presence of stray current in the hull is the main cause of electrolysis, normally originating from the engine or electrical wiring in the boat. Other origins are external wiring leaks, such as electric winch mounted on the boat trailer or a boat marina. All aluminium contains a small percentage of dissimilar metals in its manufacture, when stray currents runs through the boat it will find these dissimilar areas first and attach dissimilar metals and fittings. This reaction causes paint to stat bubbling and flake. In unpainted boats the results of the reaction consist of a white powdery substance, if left for long periods of time, the alloy will corrode badly.

Important Points:

When storing your boat for a period of time disconnect the battery.
Keep your boat dry and clean
Never wash your boat with detergents which are caustic or acid based.
Always rinse your boat with fresh water only after each use.
When conducting regular maintenance checks, check the engine earth wiring and sacrificial anodes are in good condition.

Craft Care

To maintain your boats in tip top shape always wash your boat down with fresh water after use, this will help to remove the salt, oil, and dirt from the hull.

Cleaning your boat.

The following items which are left on your boat my cause corrosion, discolouration and stains – wash off as soon as possible:

Seawater
Dust, iron powder from factories, chemical substances such as acids, alkalis, cola, tar etc
Bird droppings insect’s carcasses, dried old bait, sap etc.
Fuel spills.
Lead sinkers and steel hooks can react with alloy. Always remove and loose sinkers and hooks from the floor of your boat.

Do not use the following to clean your boat as they can react with the alloy and paint. Carbon tetrachloride

Nail polish remover
Petrol
Acetone
Bore Water
Lacquer thinner
Paint thinner
Benzine

Turpentine

Washing
After every use spray your boat with fresh water (not bore water) to remove the salt and dust. Next use ample fresh water and a sponge or soft washing brush, wash the boat from top to bottom. This will clean away all the chemicals which are contained in the dirt and dust that is picked up from the road and the prolonged exposure to dried salts from seawater can damage the paint coating and aluminium of your boat.

Important information regarding your Boat.

In order to discourage saltwater oxidation in the hull of your boat, it is recommended that you flush the full out twice a year with fresh water.

What to do if you find water in your hull?

It is recommended that after every use you check your boat hull for water in the bilge. Any excess water should be drained from the hull removing the bungs. If there is a continuation of the water build up, it will require an inspection of the hull by a boat builder/repairer..

Waxes and some other polishes containing highly abrasive compounds should not be used. Such waxes or polishes are harmful to the lustre of the painted surface as they remove part of the film of the painted coating.
Touching up the paintwork is important, Deep scratches left untreated can result in blistering around the effected area, so ensure any touch ups seal the exposed aluminium.
Before and additional welding is conducted on the boat, the fuel tank and line must be removed.

Touch Ups

Paint is 2 – Pak Marine quality paints. Deep scratches left untreated can result in electrolysis, touch ups will seal the exposed aluminium.

Storage :

When storing your boat for any length of time you must ensure the following:

Do not store your boat under a tarp as some contain chemicals, which may react with the aluminium or paintwork, only use proper boat covers.
Always ensure that the bungs are removed and the jockey well is fully extended, to ensure the boat is angled so the water can drain freely out of the boat. v Batteries should never be connected or left in the boat, if the boat will be stored for a great length of time. Batteries, which may leak or give off acid vapour or uncontrolled electrical currents, can increase your boats susceptibility to electrolysis.

Boat Handling:

How a boat handles is largely based on skipper experience, the number of passengers, where they are placed, and how the motor’s controls are used.

Stability and trim are determined by placement of personnel and luggage and motor trim

Trim is the balance of the boat in a fore and aft direction and is crucial to the boats behaviour at sea. The position of the boats load, the tilt of the motors leg and the boats speed can all influence trim.

Incorrect trim will cause the boat to “Plow” which means the bow of the boat is to low in the water.
Incorrect trim will cause the boat to “Porpoise” which means the bow of the boat will slap the water. All this can be fixed by making a slight trim adjustment. Adjustments should me made to both speed and trim in adverse weather conditions.

CORRECT TRIM GIVES MAXIMUM “PERFORMANCE”

Having a problem with trailer can take a lot of the fun out of boating.

Badly adjusted trailer rollers/skids can cause long-term damage to the boat. Search YouTube- re trailer set up.

Hints for towing

Make sure the boat is tied down to the trailer.
Use a motor support bracket
A long trailer, allows wheel axles to be adjusted to reduce weight on the draw bar. A longer draw bar can make for easier reversing.
Do not overload the boat and trailer. If unsure of the total weight of loaded trailer, take it over a weighbridge and obtain a weighbridge certificate.
Ensure the trailers gross weight (Tailer, Boat and Gear) is under that shown on the trailer information plate.
To calculate the weight of Boat and gear. Subtract the unladen (tare) weight from the gross (aggregate) weight; the difference is the weight of boat and gear. The Gross weight of the trailer, boat and gear must not exceed the towing capacity of your vehicle. Remembering if overloaded, your vehicle will be instable and your insurance may be invalid.

Important: Your boat will have a compliance plate that shows the maximum load capacity. This should NEVER be exceeded.

Using the Radio.

Appendix    Using the Radio.   Example only.
Radio: Only use 27.90 MHz or VHF channel 73 for logging on/off and general calls to VN6KC ( e.g. weather information).
27.88 and VHF channel 16 are to be used for emergency calling only. VHF channel 16 is monitored by Coast Radio Perth 24 hours a day.:
Logging On:
You call ……. “Victor November 6 KC ………Victor November 6 KC” ….this is--- Delta Hotel 782…………….. ……..    Delta Hotel 782 ……………………
V SR (volunteer sea rescue) replies…… “Delta Hotel 782 ………………….. Delta Hotel 782 ….. over”
You call …….. “VN 6 KC ….VN 6 KC”… this is …….
……… “Delta Hotel 782”………I wish to log on….. I have   ……….. People on board and 100 Litres of fuel. I launched from …………………… My destination is Cockburn sound then I will be nudging out to sea and my ETR is ………1400 Hours……Out.
Logging Off:
You call …. “VN 6 KC ….VN 6 KC”… this is ……. Delta Hotel 782… I wish to log off.