NW Explorations HELE MAI A 46, Operating Manual

Page 1: ...2016 Copyrighted See notice next page Section Contents 1 Introduction General Description 2 Important Vessel Numbers 3 Operating Checklists Maneuvering Suggestions 4 Specific Discussion of Boat Systems 5 What to Do for Some Specific Concerns 6 EMERGENCY PROCEDURES 7 Index ...

Page 2: ...r own risk and the author of this manual has no responsibility for your actions whatsoever If you do not feel competent to undertake any or all operations detailed herein do not undertake it them get help from a competent person I thank you and my lawyer thanks you Joseph D Coons Copyright 2008 2010 2011 Joseph D Coons This manual was written for this boat s owner by Joseph D Coons 1220 Birch Fall...

Page 3: ...lution to every circumstance foreseen or unforeseen If you have a question which limits your understanding or handling of this vessel please contact NW Explorations make a list of questions as you read the manual saving them all up to ask at one time 1A2 How the Manual is Organized The manual is divided into six sections numbered 1 to 6 plus an index Section 7 Within each section are subsections l...

Page 4: ...open Of particular note are the easy walk around decks on each side of the vessel enabling safe secure passage around the boat by passengers and crew Under the overhang in the cockpit to port a utility cabinet houses an icemaker for entertaining There are bulwark doors on each side of the boat These doors should be closed when docking or rafting as they overhang the boat s side The owner has thoug...

Page 5: ... expedited using the windlass controls at each helm station The anchor rode is marked to inform the skipper how much chain is deployed see page 22 There is a Cablemaster shore power cord at the swim step and forward is a shore power connection and an unused TV and phone socket at the bow these are selected by a switch in the electric panel when power is to be disconnected the ship AC power circuit...

Page 6: ...ybridge is the helm structure with substantial room for engine controls and instruments plus the ship s full complement of electronics To port forward on the flybridge a half door with sliding hatch above accesses the pilothouse stairway The door and hatch are secured both open and closed by sturdy hardware A Bimini top covers the flybridge seating area making it a wonderful shaded area of course ...

Page 7: ...e floor to left Pipes and valves on the far wall the boat s hull to port are the rudder hydraulic system and you can see the autopilot pump Two 50 gallon tanks are in the lazarette neatly plumbed with sight tank level gauges To starboard aft in the lazarette is the Diesel furnace system The exhaust pipe is wrapped in protective insulation Because of fire risk do not store anything in this area See...

Page 8: ... salon To port an L settee seats up to four it has a cocktail dining table in front The table can be easily opened and expanded to make it more spacious for dining as in the photos Across from this settee are two chairs with a storage cabinet between that also holds the flat screen TV and electronic entertainment equipment Although the furnishings here appear entirely for comfort there are importa...

Page 9: ... galley the crew easily serves both the pilothouse for en route dining as well as the salon and its main table In addition to the storage and facilities directly in the galley U the double door refrigerator freezer is across from it forward of the salon The sink is fitted with a garbage disposal activated by a button on the right top corner of the sink The galley has counters sink stove microwave ...

Page 10: ...ide of the berth there is an intercom phone and a remote control for the ship s Westerbeke generator Head Compartment The head compartment to starboard of the companionway serves both staterooms and has a separate stall shower It has a granite topped counter with storage plus of course a toilet basin and roomy shower compartment There is lots of lighting and an exhaust fan is provided for ventilat...

Page 11: ...rea under the lower berth Good lighting adds to the comfort When guests are not using the berths they convert to a settee The upper berth swings down and supporting hardware secures in a near vertical comfortable position The boat s washer dryer is also in this compartment In this photo you can see one of the barrel bolts holding the berth up as well as the alternate position for making it a seat ...

Page 12: ...ilothouse from the salon The helm itself has an extensive equipment list including but not limited to main engine controls and instruments navigation electronics including two large LCD displays with autopilot with a remote control so the skipper can run from the settee anchor windlass controls stabilizer control VHF radio depth sounder fresh water usage counter and large clear and complete electr...

Page 13: ...nd systems in the engine room are Flo Jet fresh and sea water pumps an oil change system fuel manifold sight gauges on the fuel tanks dual fuel filters for the main engines and a single filter for the genset a hot water heater dripless shaft seals starting generator and house batteries sea valves sea water strainers and the watermaker At the aft end of the engine room is a Westerbeke generator yie...

Page 14: ...t system uses a steel mast to hoist the dinghy using a hoist winch operated by a control that plugs in when needed The control is stowed in the helm console cabinet to port of the helm The battery switch located under the aft salon seat must be on See page 24 regarding water in the dinghy s bilge 1B7 Deck Equipment The boat has mooring lines a stern shore line at least 600 long on a reel in the la...

Page 15: ...om that can be manually operated by pulling a handle on the aft side of the TV Stereo cabinet in the salon There is a First Aid Kit in the head compartment cabinet There are Carbon Monoxide Monitors in the master stateroom forward and on the aft side of the entertainment cabinet There are VHF Radios at both helms and there are handheld VHF radios aboard A Lifesling rescue system is in the cockpit ...

Page 16: ...ep and anchor pulpit Beam 15 feet Draft 5 feet 6 inches Displacement 42 000 Pounds full load Fluids Motor Fuel 2 Diesel Motor Oil mains 15W 40 Chevron Delo Multigrade Transmission Oil 30 weight Chevron Delo Engine Coolant 50 50 mix ethylene glycol water corrosion inhibitor added Supply on boat already mixed Operating Parameters Estimated RPM Speed Total Fuel Consumption Naut Miles G allon 1400 5 6...

Page 17: ...hat to Do If Center stabilizers See page 55 Leaving Dock Only 3 4 minute engine warmup required Aft Side deck bulwark doors closed Shore Power Generator switch to Gen VHF On and monitoring ch 16 Shore power switch Off Shore power cord removed stowed on board Rover with fender as you leave dock Fenders hauled aboard and stowed Lines and other deck gear secure stowed Doors and hatches closed and sec...

Page 18: ... confirm on bar graphs Anchor is lowered from pulpit while boat is backed up slowly away from anchor When desired chain length out 4 1 or 5 1 scope windlass is stopped Engine reversed for count of five until chain pulls up virtually straight Generator Starting Stopping Hold Preheat switch for 15 seconds then while holding Hold Start switch until it starts if it does not start repeat preheat step C...

Page 19: ... This will bring the stern close to the dock Let the bow line out enough so that the boat can rest against the stern and midships fenders 3B2 Maneuvering in a Harbor Because of its substantial weight this boat is predictable Take advantage of its momentum inertia you will find that if you maneuver slowly and thoughtfully you can maintain control at all times Before undertaking docking in a tight s...

Page 20: ...o not limit usage to only one boat depending upon length Anchoring safely requires two persons one at the helm maneuvering the boat and one on the bow operating the anchor Putting the bow of the boat over the spot where the anchor is to be placed after checking the depth on the depth sounder the windlass foot switches are used to lower the anchor slowly toward but not onto the bottom by watching t...

Page 21: ...llow for our Northwest tides occasionally twelve feet and sometimes 20 feet when further north Check the present tide and high and low tides before beginning anchoring No sense anchoring in 15 feet of water if you re at the top of a 15 foot tide To get to the shore you will need to have a dinghy down and then have your mate keep the boat s stern toward shore with short bursts of reverse gear Somet...

Page 22: ...he bridle on the chain just in front of the anchor pulpit bow roller 3 Then secure the bridle rope ends through the side coaming hawse pipes to the bow cleat on each side so the bridle lines are equal in length and as long as possible 4 Last operate the windlass to pay out anchor chain so the chain slacks and is supported by the bridle the chain forming a loop right in front of the boat s bow If y...

Page 23: ... Anchor Windlass The anchor on Hele Mai is raised and lowered by a large Maxwell 2200 vertical Windlass on the bow pulpit The windlass is controlled by foot switches at the bow and toggle switches at each helm If the windlass should fail to operate when its foot switches are depressed trouble shoot as follows Listen to the windlass as a switch is depressed Is the chain motionless and the motor sil...

Page 24: ...witch in case it is defective There is also a high water alarm on the safety panel see below If a float switch fails and runs the pump continuously you can turn it off by using the breaker If you turn off the breaker check that pump s bilge frequently Note the warning lights for the High Water Alarm System The alarm will sound and the lights will warn if water is higher than any of the bilge pump ...

Page 25: ...wer deck to protect Hele Mai 4 Using care to protect the lower end skeg of the outboard motor from damaging Hele Mai s decks or rails swing the dinghy into place over its supports and lower it 5 Stow the hoist control and re attach the tie downs and canvas as necessary 4E2 Dinghy The dinghy aboard this boat is a 12 Bullfrog rigid boat with a center console For safety and compliance with U S rules ...

Page 26: ...urn key to center On and Right to start There is an automatic choke 4 Lift the lever on the top of the control quadrant to advance throttle without engaging gears 5 From neutral grip handle to release center lock and push control handle forward up or back down to engage gears and advance throttle either way The Honda outboard Cover removed The red arrow points to the dipstick Motor control qudrant...

Page 27: ... and current indications for both AC and DC power The left three meters are AC voltage and circuit 1 and circuit 2 current the right hand two meters are for DC power see below When connected to 50 amp shore power or when the generator is running you will have 110 volt power on both circuits this is because a 50 amp connection and the generator have a three wire plus ground connection Two Hot wires...

Page 28: ...er Switch Water Heater S To Water Heater Thermostat Battery Charger DON T USE S To Battery Charger AirconStateroom B To Stateroom A C Switch Aircon Salon B To Salon A C Switch Aircon Pilot B To Pilothouse A C Switch Cooling Pump S Turns on A C Cooling Pump Eng Rm Lights B To E R Light Switch door Trash Compactor B To Trash Compactor control Watermaker B To Watermaker Items powered by Inverter when...

Page 29: ...aving the air conditioning breaker off If you need air conditioning you will have to run the generator You will have the switch set to Shore Power 1 or 2 depending on whether the connection is fore or aft the Daily 120v on and the Air Cond breaker off the white Inverter breaker on all required AC equipment breakers can be on except the Air Conditioning and Pump breaker Generator Operation The boat...

Page 30: ... shore power connections you may trip the dock breakers or the boat s own breakers on the left of the switch 4F5 AC Shore Power Reverse Polarity Although we tend to think of AC Electricity as having only two conductors it actually has three One of these is called neutral one is hot and one is ground that is it is supposed to be the same as the water around the boat and the earth ashore The vessel ...

Page 31: ... two switches However do not hold the switch for longer than 15 seconds See if generator does not start warning under Generator Problems below More next page 3 Check or listen to the generator exhaust to confirm that cooling water is being pumped 4 After a brief warmup of a minute or so turn the large power selector switch to Gen The Running light by the start stop switches should be lit Stopping ...

Page 32: ...s and the microwave It will not run the water heater battery charger or refrigeration and also is a Battery Charger Making DC from AC The Inverter can also do the reverse If there is AC power available from a shore side source or the generator it can recharge the house batteries The battery charger function receives that power through the Inverter In breaker on the AC panel Since this breaker must...

Page 33: ...e most important of these meters have been made available via the FAVS button and there should be little reason to use the other meters available via the METER button CTRL Setup Tech Please do not use these soft keys Remember the important note above under Connecting Disconnecting Shore Power The inverter if on will draw a lot of current when bulk charging so be careful not to overload a shore pow...

Page 34: ...agement in mind whenever they turn an electrical gadget on or off It is with this concern that we can cite a reality If we need more electricity than the batteries alone must provide and if the propulsion engines aren t running we will need to get our electrical power from an alternative source That s the most important reason why we plug the boat in to shore power or use the generator To keep fro...

Page 35: ...ng of a 12 volt battery is used for starting each main engine only That way we won t run it down playing the stereo for instance and then be unable to start an engine This battery is charged by the main engine s stock alternator when running or by the battery charger if it is on when there is shore power or the generator is running In the event of a low engine starting battery the operator can sta...

Page 36: ...The electrical sw itch panel is photographed at an angle to avoid glare The nerve center of the DC electrical system is the DC circuit breaker panel by the helm On this panel are the switches that control power to the boat s various systems As for the breaker panel itself just as in your home most of these switches are true circuit breakers they feed power to somewhere in the boat where there is a...

Page 37: ...Electronics SubPanel 1 B To electronics panel 1 Stabilizer S To Stabilizer Control Unit Cablemaster B To Cablemaster in out switch Head Exhauster B To Master Head Exhaust Fan Underwater Lights S To underwater lights Fuel TX Pump B To Transfer System Switch Wash Down Pump B To deck w d pump pressure sw Courteous Lights B To Night Lights Switch In general when on the boat you ll have all the green a...

Page 38: ...ition port or starboard AUTO Engages the autopilot to hold the heading that existed when pressed When engaged Auto appears above the heading that was set TRACK Connects the autopilot to the vesel s navigation system Track appears in the display in front of the heading called for by the navigation system RESP Decrease or Increase pilot s sensitivity by pressing this button then the or buttons DO NO...

Page 39: ...s 4H3 Electronics Depth Sounder Graphic This depth sounder shown by paragraph 4H2 above works on either of two frequencies and serves as an accurate fish finder as well Display is on any of the Raymarine multipurpose displays For full operation instructions see the unit s manual 4H4 Electronics Depth Sounder Interphase Forward Looking There are two displays for this depth sounder system one at eac...

Page 40: ...ws display of a radar image on the Raymarine screens at both helms the same ones that show navigation information These are used combined with the electronic chart unit for operation in restricted visibility with the radar primarily serving as a device for collision avoidance while the chart unit provides position When you turn on the Raymarine unit it will display a data screen Press the power bu...

Page 41: ...H10 Electronics VHF Radios There is an Icom VHF radio at the lower helm station another is on the flybridge The radios are designed for easy access to Channel 16 which is the hailing and emergency channel in the Northwest In addition they use Digital Selective Calling for emergency communications Detailed instructions are in the manuals A portable VHF radio is on the starboard side shelf for use i...

Page 42: ...r daily check since once underway you will probably not check them while in use tucked away as they are in the engine room Please perform this check each morning when the engine room is cool CHECK THE OIL The oil level should be between the two marks on the dipstick located on the top of the engine the stick pulls out upward Use a paper towel wipe the stick reinsert and take reading The distance b...

Page 43: ...net To check a strainer shine a flashlight through it While some fuzziness from trapped thin growth is normal you should see the light clearly on the other side if obscured you should clean the strainer See page 57 4J3 Engine Controls Hele Mai is fitted with Morse electronic engine controls for throttle and shift They have the following advantages 1 they are very easy to operate with no drag and 2...

Page 44: ... It is unlikely that any oil will need to be added Be sure to check under the transmissions for leaks Low transmission oil is a serious matter With the engine idling remove the transmission dipstick Wipe it with a towel reinsert it and take a reading If the level is below the add mark stop the engine add a pint of 30 weight high quality non synthetic engine oil through the plug in the top of the t...

Page 45: ...ectric heater that is the hot water source if it points aft the source is the Everhot system heated by the Diesel Furnace 4K3 Fresh Water Pump The water line from the tank leads to the boat s fresh water pump located in the engine room to port aft of the engine Provided the F W Pump circuit breaker top switch right hand row is On the pump will run whenever its built in pressure switch detects low ...

Page 46: ...ages 31 33 in the Village Marine operating manual kept in the grey manual box in the salon cabinet at the port end of the galley counter 4L Fuel System 4L1 Fuel System Concept and Introduction Fuel System Diagrams are on page 48 for your reference The 700 gallons of Diesel fuel aboard Hele Mai is carried in forward tanks of 250 gallons each side of the engine room aft tanks of 100 gallons each sid...

Page 47: ...e tanks 4L4 Fuel Filters The primary fuel filters get larger impurities out of the fuel before it reaches the engine s fuel pump There are a pair of these primary filters for each main engine The filter in use from each pair is selected by a valve arrow on the front of each filter unit There is another filter in the engine room for the generator just inboard of that unit The secondary fuel filter ...

Page 48: ...ith contaminated fuel to be isolated from the others Note The Lazarette Tanks though detailed in this manual are not to be used 4L6 Fuel Manifolds The Fuel Manifold is located directly in the forward starboard corner of the engine room The main engines and the generator each have a fuel supply and since extra fuel is pumped to the engine that is used to cool the engines injection pump there is a f...

Page 49: ...Fuel TO Port Engine 8 Fuel FROM Fuel Transfer Pump 9 Return TO Aft Tank in Engine Room 10 Return TO Forward Tank in Engine Room 11 Fuel TO Fuel Transfer Pump 12 Fuel FROM Aft Engine Room Tank 13 Fuel FROM Forward Tank in Engine Room 14 Fuel TO Generator 15 Fuel TO Starboard Engine INTENDED ACTION VALVE DESCRIPTIONS Run from Forward Tanks On Port 3 6 7 Starboard 10 13 15 Generator 14 All others Off...

Page 50: ...e air conditioning control panel has symbols The red dot white dot button turns the area on or off The button with the fan blades symbol regulates fan speed The red and green thermometers control the temperature Your settings are shown in the readout and the led s show the system s status 4M2 Furnace Concept The boat is equipped with a Webasto Diesel circulating hot water heating System The furnac...

Page 51: ... shut down to avoid running the batteries dead After the batteries are fully charged the furnace then should operate 4M5 Furnace Thermostats See illustration to right The buttons control the temperature settings 4N Galley Appliances Hele Mai is fitted with a number of appliances for your convenience Most of these like the microwave are easy to operate just like a home appliance But some marine uni...

Page 52: ... second valve a solenoid valve in the propane line immediately after the manual valve This electric valve is controlled by a switch panel in the galley itself in this way the cook can shut off the propane supply to the stove at its source when it not being used simply by throwing the switch In addition each stove burner including the oven is fitted with a thermocouple a heat sensing device that al...

Page 53: ...t you should check the operating manual for use of the detergent doors amount of detergent to use etc before use Also be aware that to run the dryer especially you may need to run the generator as shore power alone often cannot support its heavy electrical current needs You will need to have the water tanks filled with ample water Be sure to clean the filters after each use 4P1 Overview 4P Head Sy...

Page 54: ...nty seconds or so until you hear the head pump stop before flushing again As the pedal is released the ball valve at the bottom of the head seals the head so that the vacuum can be pumped up when the pump will stop and the head is again ready for use Only things which were eaten or drunk or the toilet paper supplied with the boat should be put in the heads Facial tissues tampons and other foreign ...

Page 55: ... secured usually with a wire tie in the Holding Tank position If the vessel is boarded the operator will be cited if this is not so 4Q Running Gear 4Q1 Shaft Seal The vessel is equipped with a dripless shaft seal that is lubricated by water from the engine the seal should be occasionally checked by the owner to be sure that there is not inappropriate water leakage Adjustment should be rarely requi...

Page 56: ...nter and Active buttons must be manually operated When either of these conditions is true care should be exercised to be sure that the fins are centered when not moving forward through the water or in heavy following seas Other controls The Roll Angle control determines how far the fins rotate to correct rolling The Roll Rate control determines how quickly the fins respond to the vessel s rolling ...

Page 57: ...hrough it If you see significant debris it needs cleaning If a sea strainer needs cleaning here is the procedure 1 Follow the hose from the strainer to the valve at the hull On one side of the valve will be a handle 2 Turn the valve lever so it is perpendicular to the thru hull or hose parallel to the hull 3 Unscrew the top of the sea strainer Then remove the strainer by pulling it out the top of ...

Page 58: ...lm 1 There are switches for each of the three windshield wipers 2 A toggle switch operates the windshield washer 4T3 Defrosters The pilothouse windshield is equipped with defrosters that are part of the Webasto furnace system To use the defroster the furnace must be on a thermostat must be up enough for heat and the control on the port engine control pod in the pilothouse set Defroster control on ...

Page 59: ...es are equipped with a shear pin to protect them if you sheared the pin you will have to haul the anchor by hand using the emergency handle 5D BATTERIES HOUSE KEEP RUNNING DOWN Have you run the engines or generator enough Is something left on like the engine room or mast lights too many electronics etc that is too great a load for the time you were not charging Are you using the inverter for big j...

Page 60: ...ration Try turning shaft by hand in engine room both should be turn able with engine in neutral Is shaft noisy or does it load engine Do not use that side or call Vessel Assist See emergency procedures next chapter 5N WATER FRESH WON T FLOW Is there water in the tank Is F W Pump breaker on If capable check pressure switch on pump run manually if necessary Try Reset Procedure in Fresh Water System ...

Page 61: ...n touch Be sure that the status and safety of the boat and crew is someone s responsibility while you sort out the boat s problem For example delegate your mate to keep a watch for hazards or to operate the boat on course slowly while you deal with the difficulty Here is a checklist for solving the problem A Isolate it B Get the manuals C Get parts D If necessary call vendors for help Over the yea...

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Page 63: ...5 Dinghy 3 4 6 14 15 21 22 24 26 59 61 Dryer 30 32 53 DVD 41 DVD player 41 E Electronics 3 6 12 22 31 38 41 59 Emergencies 28 Emergency 14 15 23 36 41 42 59 62 Engine 6 12 15 17 20 24 26 31 32 34 36 38 39 41 48 50 55 60 62 Engine control 17 58 EPIRB 57 Exhaust 10 18 31 32 51 Exhaust fan 10 F Fenders 4 14 17 19 51 Filters 13 46 47 53 Fire extinguishers 15 Flares 15 Flashlight 43 57 Flybridge 4 6 12...

Page 64: ...lity 40 Reverse Polarity 30 Rudder 19 38 40 62 Rudder Indicator 40 S Satellite 41 Seacocks 57 Sea Strainer 31 32 57 59 Sea Water 13 30 32 35 Shaft 13 55 60 Shore Line 14 20 21 23 Shore Power 5 17 18 27 35 45 46 50 51 53 59 Shower 10 33 46 Spares 59 Stabilizers 13 17 22 55 56 Starting 13 17 18 31 32 35 36 55 Steering 7 38 Stereo 15 35 38 41 Stern Line 19 21 T Table 8 10 12 35 50 Temperature 38 42 5...