Indigo Power Systems propellers are rigorously designed for safety in their intended use, which is the propulsion of marine and freshwater vessels for which our propellers are suitable.
Caution must be exercised when handling, installing, removing, maintaining, or operating any propeller. The following warnings should always be heeded to avoid serious injury or death:
- Handling: Propellers are heavy and may possess sharp edges. Always wear protective gloves and footwear. Handle the propeller carefully to avoid cuts or dropping the propeller, and always secure the propeller on a stable surface for storage. Never approach or touch a propeller installed on any motor or engine without first assuring that the engine is off, the ignition key is removed, the engine control is in the neutral position, and the battery leads are disconnected.
- Installation and Removal: Always use the proper installation and removal tools to install or remove the propeller. The vessel must be rated for the engine(s) installed on the vessel, and the engine(s) must fall within the rating of the propeller torque limit defined in the propeller specifications. Additionally, the engine(s) must be designed to avoid injury to operator and passengers in the event of impact with an underwater object, and must include a safety shutoff switch that immediately shuts the engine(s) off if the operator leaves the helm station. The propeller should never be installed on any vessel where it could result in unsafe vessel handling, vessel instability, or excessive vessel speed. In addition to an installed propeller, the vessel should always be provisioned with at least one spare propeller per engine, along with the proper parts and tools required to replace the propeller(s).
- Inspection: Always inspect the propeller for any damage or debris prior to each use, and never operate a propeller with visible damage.
- Operation: Propellers in operation on a vessel represent a serious potential hazard to occupants in the vessel, occupants in nearby vessels, and other occupants in or near the body of water in which the vessel is operating, as well as other vessels and objects or structures located in, on, under, or bordering the body of water. Operating propellers can cause serious injury or death due to the moving propeller striking the body while in operation, or from the release of propeller blades or other parts of the propeller in the case of catastrophic failure of the propeller (e.g. due to accrued damage from striking objects, extended surface operation, lack of proper care and maintenance, etc.). The vessel operator should be properly trained and not impaired by drugs, alcohol, or other factors, and be at least 18 years of age. The operator should always assure the propeller is clear of any people, animals, or objects (including the bottom) before starting and during all operation, and immediately shut down the engine in the event of an occupant falling overboard, or people, animals, or objects becoming too close to or in the path of the propeller. Passengers should always be properly secured in the vessel with sufficient barriers to prevent them from falling overboard, and they should never be permitted where there is risk of propeller injury due to falling overboard or from hanging extremities overboard (e.g. sitting on the bow, gunnels, transom, engine, engine bracket, or dive platform, dragging of feet, legs, hands, or arms in the water). Waterskiers, wakeboarders, tubers, snorkelers, divers, or swimmers must not be permitted to be close to the operating propeller. Additionally, the operator and passengers should never be located in the plane of rotation of the operating propeller, as the potential exists for blades to break and fly radially outward from the shaft. Always operate with caution and in a manner consistent with current conditions and hazards. The vessel should always be operated in a safe manner under applicable speed limits, and extreme caution should be exercised whenever operating a vessel at high speed or during aggressive maneuvers or acceleration. In the event of impact with the bottom or a submerged object, the propeller must be inspected for any damage before continued operation.