MOORING
The motor should be tilted up out of the water when you moor the boat in shallow water or if the motor will not be used for some time, to protect it from damage by underwater obstacles at low tide or corrosion from salt water.
Refer to the TILT UP LOCK ARM section (DF9.9B/9.9BR/15A/15AR/20A/20AR) or TILT UP LOCK KNOB section (DF9.9BT/9.9BTH/ 15ATH/20AT/20ATH) for details on how to tilt up the motor.
If you leave the motor tilted up for a long period of time with the fuel line connected, fuel can leak out. Disconnect the fuel line whenever you leave the motor tilted up for a long period of time.
Improperly securing your boat may cause damage to your boat or motor, or other property damage.
Do not allow your motor to rub against quay walls, piers or other boats when the boat is tied up.
OPERATION IN SHALLOW WATER (DF9.9B/9.9BR/15A/15AR/20A/20AR)
When operating your outboard motor in shallow water, use the shallow water position to tilt the motor slightly from the normal trim angle. When using the shallow water position, however, you should only operate the motor at slow speeds. After returning to deep water, be sure to release the shallow water position and move the tilt lock lever to the “lock” position.
To tilt the motor slightly, set the shallow water position as outlined in the SHALLOW WATER POSITION section.
When the shallow water position is used, the tilt lock will not work. As a result, forces such as from propeller thrust during operation in “REVERSE” gear, rapid deceleration, and striking an underwater object can cause the motor to lift out of the water, resulting in personal injury. When using the shallow water position, proceed with caution and only at very low speeds.
If you do not take proper precautions when operating your boat in shallow water, your outboard motor or boat could be damaged.
• When you operate your motor in shallow water using the shallow water position, make sure that the water intake holes remain in the water at all times and that water is always spraying out of the water discharge hole.
• Do not allow your motor to hit bottom, particularly when operating in “REVERSE” gear, or serious damage can result. When the motor hits bottom while operating in “REVERSE” gear, the shock acts directly on the transom, and both the motor and the boat could be damaged.