| In the first installment of this two-part
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| | particular part of the boat at the same
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| series, we highlighted five dangers (aka:
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| | time for safety sake. It's easy to lose
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| Five Stupid Ways to Injure Yourself or
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| | sight of this when there's something funny
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| Others) you could experience on a pontoon
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| | going on in the water and everyone rushes
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| boat. In this second, and final,
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| | to the port side to see it. Pontoon boats
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| installment we introduce six additional
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| | are pretty stable, but don't tempt fate by
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| dangers - that you may or may not have
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| | throwing out common sense and putting
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| considered. Our intent is to bring these
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| | physics and pontoon boat engineering to
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| dangers to the forefront of your mind
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| | the test. Keep your pontoon boat load
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| right now, so that when you are out
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| | evenly distributed.
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| enjoying the waterways - you will have
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| | Danger #9: Too much weight - don't
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| been exposed to concepts that emphasize
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| | overload your watercraft. Don't take
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| good precautions to take - so that your
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| | twelve people out on a boat that's
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| focus will be on enjoyment of safe and
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| | designed for six. It's not just a load
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| thoughtful boating.
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| | balancing danger, but you're putting
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| Let's start with Danger #6 and work our
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| | dangerous strain on the structure of your
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| way up to Danger #11:
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| | watercraft and it's engine.
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| Danger #6: Passengers riding in dangerous
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| | Danger #10: Leaving inland waterways -
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| areas - don't let passengers sit in seats
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| | Pontoon boats were designed for inland
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| or on parts of the deck from which they
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| | waterways. Rivers, small and mid-sized
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| can easily fall into the water when a your
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| | lakes, and ponds don't put boaters in
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| boat makes sudden changes in movement.
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| | jeopardy like larger bodies of water such
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| Sitting on the bow, rail, transom, sun
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| | as the Great Lakes, or the Gulf of Mexico.
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| deck, swivel fishing seats, and like areas
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| | Even trying to boat long stretches of the
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| should not be allowed. Neither should
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| | Mississippi River can be dangerous. Avoid
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| standing during transit. If someone falls
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| | open seas and oceanic voyages on pontoon
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| from the front of your pontoon boat while
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| | boats. Waves and winds on the open sea or
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| you're in transit, there's very little you
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| | oceans can be stronger than you (the
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| can do (if anything) to prevent the
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| | skipper) and your pontoon boat can handle.
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| propellers from hitting them as your boat
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| | Danger #11: Carbon monoxide poisoning
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| passes over the top of them.
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| | kills - especially if your boat has an
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| Danger #7: Boat running while swimmers and
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| | enclosed canopy and you've got a backwind
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| skiers enter the water - Shut off the
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| | blowing your boat motor exhaust fumes into
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| engine before swimmers and skiers are
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| | that canopy. Keep in mind that carbon
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| allowed to enter the water. If you must
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| | monoxide is a poisonous gas and can still
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| turn the engine on before everyone's back
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| | kill you even if you're on the open water.
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| in the boat, make sure that no one is
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| | Boating can be a safe and fun recreational
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| under the boat, or near the engine. Don't
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| | activity if we're mindful of our actions
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| let your passengers rush to get into the
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| | and take responsible steps for avoiding
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| water. Making people wait until you kill
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| | many of the situations in which people get
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| the motors isn't being a grinch, it's
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| | hurt or killed. By keeping these six
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| being smart.
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| | dangers in mind, and making it
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| Danger #8: Unbalanced loads - don't
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| | second-nature to avoid them, you'll be far
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| distribute all the weight to one portion
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| | safer on the water and find your time on
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| of the boat. Let all the passengers know
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| | the water more enjoyable.
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| that they all should stand on an
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