XN000022-1979-04-19 — Page 6

THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 1979

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PLEASURE CRAFT OWNERS ADVISED ON

TYPHOON MEASURES

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PLEASURE CRAFT OWNERS SHOULD TAKE PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES TO PREVENT THEIR BOATS FROM BREAKING FREE FROM MOORINGS DURING TYPHOONS.

THIS WAS STATED TODAY (THURSDAY) BY A MARINE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN IN AN APPEAL TO OWNERS TO MAKE SURE THEIR BOATS ARE SECURE.

HE POINTED OUT THAT DURING THE PASSAGE OF SEVERE TROPICAL STORMS EACH YEAR, A CONSIDERABLE NUMBER OF PLEASURE CRAFT BREAK FREE AND DRIFT FROM THEIR MOORINGS. AS A RESULT. SOME ARE DAMAGED WHILE OTHERS ARE STRANDED, SINK OR ARE SWAMPED BY RAIN WATER.

+A FEW SIMPLE AND COMMONSENSE PRECAUTIONS CAN PREVENT MANY OF THESE ACCIDENTS, HE STRESSED.

IN OUTLINING SOME BASIC PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES THE SPOKESMAN SAID IT WAS ESSENTIAL TO CHECK THE MOORING AND THE BOAT BEFORE AND AFTER A STORM.

+ IF THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE, THEN MOOR THE BOAT FOR TYPHOON CONDITIONS WHENEVER IT IS LEFT UNATTENDED DURING THE TYPHOON SEASON,+ HE SAID.

ON MOORING ROPES, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THEY SHOULD BE LONG ENOUGH TO ALLOW FOR HIGH TIDE AND A STORM SURGE TO PREVENT THE BOAT FROM LIFTING ITS MOORINGS FROM THE SEABED.

THE ROPES SHOULD BE OF GOOD QUALITY MANILA OR NYLON AS SOME TYPES OF SYNTHETIC ROPE DETERIORATE IN SUNLIGHT WITHOUT SHOWING ANY VISIBLE SIGNS.

A MOORING ROPE, HE SAID, SHOULD BE PROTECTED AGAINST CHAFING BY FITTING FLEXIBLE PLASTIC TUBING, LEATHER OR CANVAS.

HE ALSO ADVISED OWNERS TO USE TWO MOORING ROPES TO EACH MOORING BUOY, ONE FROM PORT AND THE OTHER FROM STARBOARD, OR BETTER STILL, AN ADEQUATE MOORING CHAIN SHACKLED TO THE BUOY MOORING CHAIN.

MOOR ING ROPES SHOULD BE SECURED TO AT LEAST TWO POINTS ON THE BOAT SO AS TO OBVIATE THE DANGER OF CLEATS AND BOLLARDS BEING TORN FROM THE DECK WHEN A HEAVY STRAIN IS PLACED ON THE MOOR ING.

ADEQUATE FENDERS SHOULD BE USED TO PREVENT CONTACT DAMAGE TO ADJACENT BOATS, AND OLD CAR TYRES MAKE VERY GOOD FENDERS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

/+WHEN MOTOR