U.S. Department

of Transportation

United States

Coast Guard

Boating Safety Circular 82

Owners and operators of boats equipped with

gasoline-powered generators with exhaust ports

which exit through the transom beneath or near a

swim platform should turn off their generators

when passengers are on the swim platform or

swimmers are in the water.

A September 2000 National Institute for

Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) study

of carbon monoxide deaths on Lake Powell in

Arizona over the last 10 years showed seven

fatalities involved houseboats with throughtransom generator exhaust systems. A similar

National Park Service (NPS) investigation found

dangerous accumulations of carbon monoxide

gases on houseboats with through-transom exhaust

systems when the generator was running and

exhaust fumes became trapped beneath the swim

platform.

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless and

tasteless gas that accumulates rapidly. Carbon

monoxide in high concentrations can be fatal in a

matter of minutes. Unless the symptoms are

severe, carbon monoxide poisoning is often

misdiagnosed as seasickness; however, lower

concentrations must not be ignored because the

effects of exposure to carbon monoxide are

cumulative and can be just as lethal.

Some houseboat transom designs consist of a

recessed area amidships forward of the swim

platform creating a cavity for engine and generator

exhaust ports. When the generator is running the

carbon monoxide gas buildup in this cavity, on or

near the swim platform, and near the rear deck

space is so high, that there is an imminent danger

of death for anyone in or near the cavity for even

a very short period of time.

The Coast Guard has conducted a preliminary

investigation into the problem and has sent a letter

COAST GUARD ADVISORY ON CARBON MONOXIDE HAZARD CAUSED BY

GENERATOR EXHAUST GAS ACCUMULATIONS

to all known houseboat manufacturers informing

them of the hazard and soliciting their ideas for

reducing the danger.

The National Marine Manufacturers Association

has published a pamphlet, “Carbon Monoxide

Poisoning -- Know More About It,” which is

reprinted in this issue of the Boating Safety

Circular. Pamphlets such as this, as well as other

boater educational materials, have historically

concentrated on carbon monoxide hazards created

by the exhaust of the main engines while

underway. Although these hazards still exist and

need to be addressed, new educational materials

need to be developed that include more emphasis

on the additional carbon monoxide hazards of

gasoline powered generators especially while a

vessel is not underway.

 While the NIOSH study and the NPS

investigation were limited to houseboats, the

problem can exist on any boat with a gasolinepowered generator exhaust port located adjacent

to a swim platform on the transom. A common

practice of running gasoline-powered generators

to power air conditioning, entertainment centers

and galley appliances while anchored or moored

exacerbates the problem.

For that reason, all owners and operators of boats

equipped with swim platforms and gasolinepowered generators with exhaust ports on the

transom are advised to turn off their generators

when their boats are at anchor or moored and

passengers are on or near the swim platform or

swimmers are in the water.

March 2001

Inside:

Recreational Boat Factory Visit Program ................ 2

Recall Campaigns ..................................................... 2

Consumer Advisory Notice -- CO .......................... 19
2 Boating Safety Circular

Level Flotation: Most outboard powered

motorboats less than 20 feet in length are required

to float level when they are swamped and to

support a certain percentage of the weight which

they are rated to carry. Boats with “Level

Flotation” problems do not float level when

swamped.

Capacity Label Missing, Maximum Persons

Capacity Overrated, Maximum Weight

Capacity Overrated or Horsepower Capacity

Overrated: Almost all motorboats less than 20

feet in length are required to bear a “U.S. Coast

Guard Maximum Capacities” label. If the label is

missing or the values are overrated, an operator

who is unfamiliar with a particular boat may try to

carry too much weight or, in the case of outboard

powered boats, too much horsepower. Some

insurance companies will not insure a boat that

lacks the label or bears a label with incorrect

information.

The recall list includes new campaigns as well

as old ones. The new campaigns begun since

December 1999, follow:

AMERICAN SUZUKI MOTOR

CORPORATION

(Brea, CA)(990116T)

Year: 1998 and 1999

Models: DF60 and DF70

Units: 1,769

Problem:Shift rod connecting pin and clip may

fall out; potential loss of shifting control

ARCTIC CAT, INC.

Thief River Falls, MN (010003T)

Year: 1999

Models: Tigershark 1100 LI

Units: 522

Problem: Throttle bodies may wear/corrode

causing stiff throttle operation and return; may

result in throttle remaining in open position;

danger of collision

RECREATIONAL BOAT FACTORY VISIT

PROGRAM

On August 21, 2000 the Coast Guard

Recreational Boating Product Assurance Division

awarded a contract to Resource Network

International (RNI) of Silver Spring, Maryland to

train 14 Compliance Associates and to have them

conduct approximately 1,000 factory visits

annually.

The training, which was completed on December

14, 2000, covered Federal regulations and safety

standards, voluntary standards such as those

published by the American Boat and Yacht

Council (ABYC) and Society of Automotive

Engineers (SAE), compliance testing, procedures

and policies, and manufacturer liaison. The

purpose of the factory visit program is to

emphasize the need to comply with Federal safety

standards and regulations, to ensure each

manufacturer understands the regulations and to

assist manufacturers in certifying compliance with

the regulations.

The first factory visit was conducted on January

8, 2001and authorized Compliance Associates

from RNI will be contacting and visiting all

recreational boat manufacturers and importers on

a scheduled basis.

The factory visit program should lead to a

heightened understanding of both Federal and

voluntary safety standards and regulations, and

thereby provide the public with safer recreational

boats.

DEFECT NOTIFICATION AND RECALL

CAMPAIGNS

Problem Descriptions:

Basic Flotation: Most inboard, inboard/

outdrive and jetdrive powered motorboats less

than 20 feet in length are required to contain

sufficient flotation so that some portion of the

boat remains above the surface of the water if

the boat is swamped. Boats with “Basic

Flotation” problems will sink if they capsize or

swamp.