OPERATION MANUAL Sophie Welcome aboard! We are happy you have chosen Sophie for your vacation. We are sure you will enjoy cruising the lovely islands of the Pacific Northwest. Sophie is named after Captain Jack Aubrey s first command in the historical novel Master and Commander. She is a very well constructed and stiff boat and stands up well to a blow, but draws less than 5 feet! She is set up for easy sail handling with furling main and headsails and all sail controls in the cockpit. She has a powerful engine and can push through unfavorable winds and waves. She has toe rails and plenty of handholds for safety. She is well equipped and all the hardware is heavy duty. She has an autopilot. For comfort she has a large comfortable cockpit, large refrigerator, heat, air conditioning, and screens on all cabin hatches. She is a lot of fun to sail and we think she really pretty, too! We hope this manual will help you become familiar with the boat. Please remember this is a non-smoking vessel. If you have questions about the boat or about places to visit, please do not hesitate to ask the AYC staff. 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Boat Rules 4 Boat Operation 5 Boat Specifications 5 Engine Inspection 5 Start-Up 7 Shutdown 8 Getting Underway 8 Docking 8 Fueling 9 Boat Electrical Systems 10 A.C. (Shore) Systems 10 Inverter 11 D.C. (House) Systems 11 Sanitation Systems 13 Marine Toilet 13 Holding Tank 14 Y-Valve 14 Water Systems 15 Fresh Water Tanks 15 Fresh Water Pump 15 Hot Water 15 Shower 16 Galley 16 Stove/Oven 16 Refrigeration 16 Sink 17 Heating Systems 17 Diesel Heater (DC) 17 AC Heater/Air Conditioner 17 2
Electronics 18 VHF Radio, Depth Sounder, Radar 18 GPS/Plotter 18 Autopilot 19 Entertainment 19 Anchoring/Mooring 20 Sails/Furling Systems/Rigging 21 Barbecue 23 Dinghy 243 Safety 24 Thru-Hull Locations 25 Sophie s Unique Interior 26 3
Boat Rules We ask that you remove shoes when below. If weather permits, we would prefer no shoes on deck, as well. Even boat shoes pick up grit and gravel that can damage the fiberglass. The carpets are ugly but please leave them in place except when you have to move them to close a door. A shoe basket is provided that fits under the helmsman s seat and under the berth in the aft cabin. Please use coasters for all mugs and glasses and place mats or table cloths when eating to protect the wooden tables. If you are wearing a wet bathing suit, please stay on deck or in the cockpit. No smoking on board. The wooden table top behind the starboard settee back is a bit fussy to remove and return to its spot. Be sure the hooks are facing toward you (toward the center of the cabin) before attempting to stow it. Be patient and don t force it. Also, be careful with the partition between the forward saloon and the galley. It is awkward to handle and easy to drop. Everything fits together but the hardware is light and easy to damage. Again, be patient and don t force things. The hatches in the cabin roof have struts that must be released properly to close the hatches. Please take the time to release them and don t force them. Do not stow anything in the aft locker next to the swim step. The heater exhaust is there and should not be crushed, nor should it contact any combustible item. Be careful when lowering the swim step. Do not let a child do this! Lower the back of the helmsman s seat and then raise the seat. A bungee cord is located underneath to hold it. Release the clamps that hold the swim step. Be careful not to hit the dinghy. The step is very heavy. Please don t let it drop and don t wrap the cables around your fingers when releasing it. When lifting the step, be sure the clamps are clear of the cable and the swim ladder or you won t be able to lock them. Boat Operation Manuals Manuals for all the equipment aboard are in three binders in the upper locker on the starboard side of the forward saloon, near the stereo. Boat specifications Sophie is 36 feet long at the waterline but her overall length is about 48 feet, counting bowsprit and dinghy in the davits. Mast height is about 50 feet. Draft is 5 feet. Beam is 12 feet. She has a long keel with a fore cutaway and a cutaway aft in front of the rudder and prop. The keel has a lead bulb 4
at the bottom. Hull speed is about 7 knots. Sophie is easy to steer and responsive but will not pivot on her keel like a boat with a short keel. In reverse there is a slight prop walk to port. If the boat needs to be hauled from the water, slings should be put even with the front and back of the cabin. Engine Inspection Remember your WOBBS every morning: Water (Coolant), Oil, Bilges (Inspect and Pump-out), Belts and Sea Strainer. Check the level of COOLANT in the expansion tank. The expansion tank is located in the second locker on the port side of the cockpit. Push down on the cap and turn a quarter turn counterclockwise to release pressure. Turn it another quarter turn and then remove the cap. Engine coolant is a mixture of 50% antifreeze and water. The coolant in the jug is full strength and needs to be diluted! Do not remove the coolant cap on the engine; if you do the coolant in the expansion tank will run out. If you need to purchase more coolant, be sure to get propylene glycol (green) coolant! Lift the companionway steps and secure them with the hook and strap to the eye on the ceiling. Check the level of OIL in the engine with the dipstick located on the port forward side of the engine. Please move the small cushion above the dipstick so that the dipstick does not touch the forward edge of the cusion! A pair of etch marks on the dipstick indicates the proper oil level. Do not overfill! Make sure the dipstick is firmly put back in! Check the oil with a paper towel or a rag, never the dish towel! Check the general condition of the BELTS, HOSES, and FUEL LINES. Ensure the valve on each RAW WATER THRU-HULL is in the Sea water position toward amidships. This is a three way valve. The engine cooling raw water thru-hull is located in the aft portion of the engine compartment, under the aft cover in the quarter berth. The sea strainer is to port of the engine battery. Observe the glass of the RAW WATER STRAINER for debris. Check this daily! It fills up fast, especially if you travel where there is eelgrass!. If necessary, close the seacock by moving it to the winter position, open the strainer cover, clean the strainer, and reassemble. Be careful to seat the O ring properly or you will have a leak. If you leave the thru hull in the vertical position the hose fitting with the yellow cap will leak. REOPEN THE THRU-HULL by moving it back to the Sea water position! Check the bowl of the Racor fuel filter for water. It is the red glass bowl over the silver bowl under the filter housing, which is on the starboard side of the engine room between the engine and the battery. The fuel shutoff to the Racor is astern of it. There is a drain plug (Metric 15) on the underside of the silver bowl to drain the water from the fuel. Have a cup or other receptacle ready when you loosen the plug. The slightest amount of air in the bowl will make the engine malfunction. If you change the filter element, you will have to top up the container with a small amount of diesel fuel. Be sure everything is tight before starting. Again, a small air leak will cause the engine to lose power. The transmission is a square box abaft the engine. The transmission fluid is checked by unscrewing the dip stick, on the top on the port side, with a 17mm metric wrench. Do not overfill. 5
Engine oil, transmission fluid, and coolant are located in the forward cockpit locker, which is also accessible through a hatch in the after bulkhead of the head. Engine Sophie has a 63 horsepower 4-cylinder Westerbeke diesel engine, which drives a three-bladed fixed propeller through a reversible transmission. The combined shift lever and throttle control is on the starboard side of the helm station. The instrument panel, audible alarms for oil and temperature, and diesel gauge are on the port side. The engine is stopped by turning off the key; there is no engine stop lever. The engine will propel the vessel to 6 knots in calm water at 2600 RPM. Your best cruising is at 2400 RPM for longer periods. To increase motor RPM with the transmission in neutral, pull out the button below the shift lever. The button has a lanyard on it. When sailing, put the transmission in reverse with the engine off to prevent autorotation of the prop. Using higher throttle settings will produce very little increase in forward speed but will greatly increase fuel and oil consumption and the wear on the engine. For this reason, we ask that you limit the use of higher power settings to real emergency situations. This boat has a definite prop walk to port in reverse with not much noticeable affect in forward. When in reverse, be careful to keep a firm grip on the wheel. Use only low RPMs. Prolonged idling is bad for marine diesel engines! Sophie has a shaft seal instead of a regular stuffing box. This seal does not normally drip like a stuffing box. When the boat has been out of the water, you need to move the black rubber bellows back and forth a few times to allow the seal to fill with water. Instructions are in the manuals in the binders in the upper starboard locker in the saloon. Starting Set the BATTERY SELECTOR SWITCH on the instrument panel to separated. (See battery section). Place shift lever in neutral (straight up in center). Note there is a button under the throttle that engages the transmission when pushed in and releases it when pulled out. Make sure this button is in the out (release) position when starting the engine. The preheat glow plugs must be used or the engine will not start. Turn on the key. Hold the preheat button for 5-15 seconds, depending on how cold it is. Do not exceed 30 seconds. Your oil and temperature alarms will sound. Push the starter button while holding the preheat button down. Hold for 5 seconds. After the engine catches, check on the port side for water exiting with the exhaust. The tachometer and charging circuit will not operate if the engine is kept at low RPM. Accelerate to over 1000 RPM for a few seconds to kick on the tach. Allow the engine to warm up by idling for 10 minutes at about 1000 RPM before putting under load. 6
Do not hold the start button on for more than 15 seconds at a time. If the engine does not start the first time, WAIT for about 15 seconds before trying again. The key must remain on for the engine to run. Push the button in under the throttle to engage the transmission (still in neutral idle position). Pull up on clutch (part of the throttle handle), move throttle forward for forward motion, or back for reverse. The clutch is only for changing between neutral, forward, and reverse. The clutch should not be engaged at high RPM. Check to make sure cooling water is coming out of the exhaust pipe on the port side of the stern! Normal cruising speed is 2000 to 2400 RPM. It is unlikely that you will run out of fuel or have air in the fuel lines. If you do, you need to remove (bleed) the air from the fuel system. The boat has an electric fuel pump ahead of a mechanical one and is virtually self-bleeding. The engine should start even with a small amount of air in the system. Do not crank more than 30 seconds, however. If it is necessary to bleed the fuel system, the bleeder is on the fuel pump mounted on the port aft side of the engine. It has a round knob on top and the bleeder screw is on the side. You are supposed to pump the knob up and down until no more air comes out the bleeder. You should have the ignition on for this so the electric pump is operating, but the engine stopped. Consult the Westerbeke manual. 7
Shutdown Place the transmission in neutral and allow the engine to cool down for several minutes. Usually this is about the amount of time it takes to secure your lines and plug into shore power. Switch off the key. When sailing with the engine off, put the transmission in reverse to prevent prop autorotation. Getting Underway To disconnect, first turn off the two AC power switches on the boat s electrical panel. One is at the top of the right hand column of switches and the other is above it to the right. Then turn off the breaker at the shore panel and disconnect the shore end of the cord. Disconnect the POWER CORD from the boat inlet located on the port side of the cockpit forward of the jib sheet winch. To reconnect shore power, plug in cord (boat end first), turn on shore breaker, and then turn on ship s AC breaker. Watch for reverse polarity. The shore power cord is stowed in a blue plastic bag in the anchor locker. Close the PORTHOLES, WINDOWS, and FORWARD HATCHES. All hatches on Sophie have a support strut that must be released by pulling and turning the knob. Don t force them! Take the time to release them! You may have to lift slightly on the hatch to relieve the pressure on the catch to release them. If you have secured the portholes in the open position with the little white cords, be sure to disengage the button before lowering and closing the port. Once outside the marina, idle the engines while crew brings in fenders and lines. Assign one crew member to be in charge of securing ports and assign one to be in charge of the dinghy if towing. Shorten the line on all close-quartering maneuvers. Docking Have your crew make ready the lines and fenders and give clear instructions on how you will be docking. Adjust the fenders when you see the height of the dock. For docking at Anacortes Marina, the ends of the fenders have to be just above the surface of the water. Have bow, stern, and spring lines ready. Often times it is best to lead them to the mid section of the boat (the fattest part) where your crew member can easily step off and secure either one. As you are coming in to dock, have your best communicator mid ships to give you distances from the dock. It is often hard to judge how close the dock is. Calling out distances (i.e. 20 feet, 10 feet, 4 feet etc.) will only add to a successful docking. Be aware that you have a bowsprit in front and the dinghy davits in back, so your overall length is about 48 feet! The bowsprit has a bobstay below it that has been known to catch on docks or cleats. Be aware of it when the bow is close to the dock. Even though Sophie is 36 feet at the waterline and is called a 36, she should go into a 45-50 foot slip! 8
Sophie is heavy and has a lot of momentum. Despite her long keel, she can turn quickly and stops quickly when put in reverse. Use the rudder and throttle to help kick the stern around when necessary. The bowsprit has some windage and the bow tends to fall off to leeward even in a light breeze from the side. To minimize the effect of the windage and maintain control, it is important to keep the boat moving fast enough to have steerage but not so fast that you can t stop her in time. If you have to make a tight circle, do it clockwise to capitalize on the effect of prop walk. Sophie can be steered effectively in reverse, but you have to keep some way on to do it and overcome the windage of the bow. If you find you are too far off the dock, BACK OFF and do it again. THERE WILL BE NO HEROIC JUMPING BY CREW MEMBERS! It will spoil your vacation if you lose someone overboard or crush some body part between boat and dock. Fueling Up There are two ways to monitor your fuel supply. There is a fuel gauge on the binnacle and the Tank Tender. To use the tank tender, hold down button two and GENTLY and SLOWLY pump the little pump to the right. One or two strokes is all it takes; don t pin the needle. The needle will go up past 35 on outer scale. Keep holding the button and the needle will come down and stop to show the level of fuel in the tank. Full is about 34 on the dial. You will need to fuel up before returning to your slip at the end of your charter. The fuel tank holds 60 gallons of diesel fuel. Before pumping, have an oil/fuel sorbs handy to soak up spilled fuel. You should have a rough idea of the number of gallons you will need by the engine hour indicator. Your vessel uses approximately 1.5 gal/hr. Also periodically have someone turn on the key to watch the fuel gauge. The fuel deck cap is located in the bow on the starboard side, just aft of the anchor locker. CHECK THAT YOU HAVE THE CORRECT DECK OPENING! Use only DIESEL! Do not add water or pump-out at the same time you are fueling. Your deck fitting key is located in the nav station. Place the DIESEL nozzle into the tank opening, pump slowly and evenly, and note the sound of the fuel flow. Pumping too fast may not allow enough time for air to escape, which may result in spouting from the tank opening. As the tank fills, the sound will rise in pitch or gurgle. Pay attention to the TANK OVERFLOW VENT on the inside of the port toe rail. The sound may indicate that the tank is nearly full. Top off carefully, and be prepared to catch spilled fuel. There are a couple of jars in the anchor locker that can fasten over the tank vent to prevent any spillage from going into the sea. Spillage may result in a nasty fine from law enforcement. Replace deck cap. If you have used the dinghy motor, use this opportunity to fill the dinghy fuel container with straight gasoline. The dinghy motor is 4 cycle and does not use 2 cycle mix! Caution -- Clean up splatter and spillage immediately for environmental and health reasons. Wash hands with soap and water thoroughly. 9
BOAT SYSTEMS Electrical Systems The electrical system is divided into two distribution systems: 110-volt AC and 12-volt DC. The systems are controlled from the AC section of the electrical panel in the nav station, which is the right hand (forward) column of switches. The DC section of the panel is the left two columns of breakers. There is a battery switch on the electrical panel. It should be in the separate position when sailing and combined position when charging from shore power. A main battery switch for the starting battery is located in the engine compartment. Do not move this switch. The main battery switch for the house batteries is on the front of the midships dinette seat. When this switch is off all charging from the engine goes to the starting battery. Charging of the house batteries is monitored by the Heart Interface on the panel under the GPS. The Heart display gives charging rate, battery voltage, and remaining ampere hours in the batteries. As of this writing (April 2011) we are not sure that the remaining ampere hour display is set up correctly. When not connected to shore power, batteries are providing all power. Therefore, monitor the use of onboard electricity carefully with the Heart Interface and the voltmeters located at the top of the switch panel and turn off electrical devices that are not needed. Voltmeter 1 is for the house batteries; meter 2 is for the starting battery. Only use the air conditioner, electric water heater, hair dryer and microwave when connected to shore power. The boat has four batteries. The starting battery is located in the engine room behind the engine. One house battery is in the forward bilge under the coffee table. Two are under the midships settee in the dinette in the galley. Most breakers are labeled by colored dots. Green signifies usually on. Red is usually off Blue dots are water pressure or water-related like pumps. Yellow signifies electronics or items to use when needed. No dots are breakers signify irregular use or use with discretion. The breaker for the windlass is behind the port side settee in the forward cabin. 110-Volt AC System SHORE POWER supports the water heater, microwave, air conditioner, and receptacles on board, as well as the battery charger. The Heart Interface provides 110 power from the batteries when not on shore power. To connect to shore power, plug the POWER CORD into the boat and then into the dock receptacle. The are power inlets is on the port side of the cockpit in front of the jib sheet winch. Check the power rating/plug size of the nearest dock receptacle (that is 30 amp, 20 amp, or 15 amp). If necessary, add a CORD ADAPTER located in a blue bag in the anchor locker or lazarette. Turn the dock power on. Cords coming off the bow can be wrapped loosely around the bow line and run through the port anchor roller. 10
At the ELECTRICAL PANEL, flip both AC CIRCUIT BREAKERs on. Check for reverse polarity. Then turn on appropriate breakers for water heater, microwave, and outlets. If you are not getting power to your outlets, check that one of your GFIs (red button on the outlet) have not been tripped. If it is tripped the red button will be popped out. Push it back in to get power to the outlet. Make sure the green charge diode on the Heart Interface is on. If not, push the charge button. Inverter Power (110-volt AC) The INVERTER provides AC power to the 110-volt receptacle plugs when the boat is disconnected from shore power.. The inverter is controlled by the Heart Interface panel. The shore power switch between the radio and the main panel should be OFF. The AC switch at the top of the right bank of switches on the main panel should be ON and the yellow diode lighted. Push the Invert button on the Heart Interface panel. The green diode should come on. The inverter itself is under the nav desk in the vented compartment. The converter breaker on the panel seems to be redundant and can be left off. The inverter s power source is the DC house batteries located in the forward bilge and under the midships settee in the dinette. The quantity of DC power is limited to the capacity of these batteries... Therefore, running hair dryers, toaster, water heater, coffeepots, space heater, etc. will quickly discharge the house/inverter batteries. Use these items VERY SPARINGLY! Monitor your battery usage very carefully! When connected to shore power, the inverter becomes a battery charger for the 12-volt HOUSE BATTERIES. You must push the Charge button on the Heart Interface to begin the charging of the house batteries, and the green diode should come on. Should you detect the inverter failing to charge the house batteries, check the circuit breaker in the AC Panel. And the inverter control panel. And the Heart Interface. Also, there is usually a circuit breaker located on top of the inverter box. You will hear a fan in the inverter/battery charger cycle on and off. 12-volt DC System House Battery Bank & Switch Two battery banks support 12-volt DC power: 1) engine battery behind the engine, used only for starting 2) three house batteries that support all other DC devices. The engine battery is battery 2 on the breaker panel and is not indicated on the Heart Interface display. Batteries 1 and 2 on the Heart display are the house batteries located amidships. The HOUSE BATTERY BANK provides power for all DC systems. When disconnected from shore power, all 12-volt devices and 110-volt devices drain the house battery. House bank battery voltage is on meter 1 on the panel and on the Heart Interface display. The BATTERY SWITCH is located on the panel forward of the electrical panel. Leave in the Separate position except if you need to use the house batteries to start the engine in an emergency. The engine charges both the house and engine batteries. To charge the batteries with the engine, run at about 1000 RPM. The battery charger charges both sets of batteries when in the Combined 11
position and only house batteries in Separate. Charge in Combined on shore power if the voltmeter is showing low voltage in battery 2 on the breaker panel. Use Separate when sailing, at anchor, or on a mooring. There is a master switch that turns off all DC house systems on the front of the amidships dinette seat. Another battery shutoff for the engine battery is located in the engine room. There is an inline fuse for the alternator charging circuit in the engine compartment. Spare fuses are in the plastic box of spare parts in the starboard locker in the forward cabin. Your 12 volt panel shows all the systems supported by your batteries. Primarily you will be turning on the breakers for your lights, water pressure, electronics, fans, gas valve, etc. Interior lights are also powered from a circuit breaker on this panel but have individual switches at each fixture. Bilge pumps should always be left on Auto. The gas valve breaker should be turned off after stove use is finished. Battery systems will lose their charge while ANCHORED or MOORED. Avoid this by using power sparingly at anchor. Turn the refrigerator off at night. Use only one or two lights at a time. Turn off systems not in use such as instruments, VHF, stereo, etc. If you do not need the cabin heater, turn it off. If you stay moored for more then a day, run your engines at about 1000 RPM to recharge your batteries. WATCH YOUR VOLTAGE! There are two 12 volt auxiliary plugs one located on the electrical panel and another on the binnacle in the cockpit. Both of these operate off battery power alone. The 110 outlets run off battery power through the inverter but should be used sparingly when not on shore power. Note -- Do not change the position of the main battery switches while the engine is running or the alternator diodes will be damaged. Change positions with the engine off. Voltage (Wet Cell Battery) Battery State 12.65 volts100% 12.47 volts75% 12.25 volts50% 11.95 volts25% 11.70 volts0% Courtesy Lights The courtesy lights (red lights illuminating the floor near the companionway) are controlled by the courtesy lights breaker on the DC panel and the red switch on the starboard side of the companionway. The black switch on the instrument panel at the helm controls the light over the cockpit. The 12 v DC Outlets breaker on the panel must be on for the cockpit light to work. 12
Mast Lights The lights on top of the mast are controlled by the Tricolor Light breaker on the DC panel and the Trianchor switch to the right of the panel. The anchor light is controlled by a photocell and only lights up in the dark. The spreader lights and steaming light are controlled by separate breakers on the panel. SANITATION SYSTEM Marine Toilet The door latch to the head sticks a bit. Turn the knob while closing the door and it will lock easily. Please keep the long hook in its holder, or it tends to block the door from closing and to scratch the door as it swings. It is important that every member of the crew be informed on the proper use of the MARINE TOILET. The valves, openings, and pumps are small and may clog easily. If the toilet clogs, it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY! Always pump the head for children so you can make sure nothing foreign is being flushed. Caution Never put paper towels, tampons, Kleenex, sanitary napkins, dental floss, household toilet paper, or food. into the marine toilet. Use only the special dissolving marine toilet tissue provided by AYC. To use the toilet, turn the knob counterclockwise to the flush position to wet the bowl. Lift the PUMP HANDLE 3 to 5 times to wet the bowl. After using the toilet, lift the PUMP HANDLE to wet the bowl again. Then, move knob clockwise to the dry position. Put a few drops of the provided head lube in the bowl. Pump to remove water from the bowl. Flush sufficiently to move effluent in the hoses; heavy effluent may clog hoses. Clean the toilet as necessary. Should the toilet pump handle squeak or stick, it needs to be lubricated. Put a couple of squirts of pump lube, salad oil, or dish soap into the toilet. Pump the toilet dry slowly, to draw the lube into the handle unit. The TOILET TRU-HULL is located under the head sink if you need to shut off the water to the toilet. Clean the toilet as necessary. If the toilet pump handle squeaks or sticks, squirt pump lube into the toilet and pump the toilet slowly to draw the lube into the pump unit. The pump lube is located behind the pump. A spare head pump and pump repair kit are in the upper locker on the starboard side of the forward saloon. 13
Holding Tank The sanitation HOLDING TANK holds approximately 40 gallons. Be aware of the rate of waste production. (about 1 gallon per flush) With an overfilled tank, it is possible to break a hose, clog a vent, or burst the tank. The result will be indescribable mess and an EXPENSIVE FIX to you. Empty the tank every other day to avoid this problem. Get a pump out at every opportunity. The HOLDING TANK is located under the refrigeration compressor forward of the head. The Tank Tender monitors holding tank level on tank 3. Full appears to be about 17 on the gauge. Don t pump the little pump any harder than is necessary to get the needle to go up to 30 of water. The holding tank is emptied in one of two ways: #1 At the Marine Pump out Station, Remove the WASTE CAP located on the port side just forward of the jib sheet winch. The deck key is in the nav station. Insert the pump-out nozzle into the waste opening. Double-check your deck fitting! Turn on pump and open valve located on handle. When pumping is finished, close lever on handle and turn off pump. Remove from deck fitting. If there is a fresh water hose on the dock, rinse the tank by adding 2 minutes of water into tank. Then repump to leave the tank rinsed for the next charter. This also eliminates head odors. #2 The tank s contents can be discharged with the MACERATOR only in Canadian waters. To operate the macerator, open the macerator valve. It is (barely) accessible on the amidships side of the forward cockpit locker above the red parts boxes. Best access is from the forward cockpit locker. Then turn on the MACERATOR SWITCH on the DC electrical panel. Listen to the macerator s sound. When the pitch becomes higher, the tank is empty. Discharge may be observed astern. It should only take a few minutes to empty the tank. There is a spare macerator pump in the parts locker. Keep the macerator through hull closed in no discharge zones to prevent accidental sewage discharge. Y-Valve The Y-VALVE directs waste effluent from the head into the sanitation-holding tank or flushes the effluent directly overboard. The Y-VALVE is located under the refrigeration compressor. Access is through the door in the aft bulkhead in the head. When the handle is horizontal, pointing amidships, the throughhull is closed and effluent goes to the tank. When the handle is vertical, the effluent goes overboard. When the handle is horizontal and pointing outboard, the valve is closed Note -- Y-valves are usually wire-tied to the holding tank position in respect to Coast Guard regulations. This is not possible on Sophie. Please leave it as is unless there is an emergency. Be familiar with the applicable laws concerning dumping sewage directly overboard. The Y valve is 14
quite stiff. An extension handle that fits in a groove on the Y valve handle is hanging from the refrigeration compressor. WATER SYSTEMS Fresh Water Tank(s) The FRESH WATER tanks hold 120 gallons in two tanks. Observe the water level by using the Tank Tender and noting the value when both tanks are full. Tank 1 on the Tank Tender is the forward water tank. Pump the Tank Tender slowly and gently or you will damage it. Be mindful of the amount of water you use while washing dishes and taking showers. There is a manifold under the galley sink that controls which water tank you are drawing from. The small black valves are open when the handles are parallel with the water tube. We have found it best to draw from both tanks at once. The third part of the manifold makes it possible to connect the hand pump to fresh water instead of sea water. This can be used to access fresh water if the pressure water system fails. Waste water from the sinks drains overboard through thru-hulls under the sinks. The shower drains into a shower sump located in the aft bilge. The shower sump is controlled by the shower pump breaker on the panel. This breaker should be on if someone is using the shower and if you put wet ice in the refrigerator! To refill the water tank, remove the WATER CAPS located amidships on the starboard side. A collapsible water hose is located in the anchor locker. Attach the hose to the dock spigot and let run for a minute before inserting into deck fitting. Avoid flushing debris from the deck into the tank opening. DO NOT fill water and diesel at the same time! Fresh Water Pressure Pump The WATER PRESSURE PUMP is located under the galley sink, under the floor panel in the cabinet that lifts out. Activate pump at the DC panel by turning on the breaker. If the water pump continues to run, you are either out of water, or you have a leak, or might have an air lock and need to bleed the system by opening up a faucet. Check the manifold under the galley sink and change tanks, if possible. If you run out of water SHUT OFF YOUR HOT WATER HEATER on the AC panel. Serious damage can occur! TURN OFF THE FRESH WATER PUMP WHEN IT IS NOT NEEDED AND DO NOT LEAVE IT ON WHEN YOU LEAVE THE BOAT. A leak or sudden failure of a fitting could empty the contents of the water tanks into the interior of the boat if the pump is on. Hot Water Tank The WATER HEATER heats when connected to shore power or off the heat exchanger when the engine is running. To use in the AC mode, flip on the water heater circuit breaker on the AC 15
electrical panel. Do not use the water heater if the water tank level is very low. Use the electric water heater only when on shore power. Shower Before taking a SHOWER, make sure water pressure and shower sump breakers are on. To activate the hand-held wand, pull the shower knob toward you. Take only very short boat showers (turning off water between soaping up and rinsing). To keep shower tidy wipe down the shower stall and floor. Check for accumulation of hair in the shower and sink drains. An additional FRESH WATER SHOWER is located at the swim step. Ensure that the faucets and nozzle are completely off after use. GALLEY When looking for items in the galley, don t forget to check under the starboard dinette settee and in the deep storage compartment in the aft starboard corner. The midships dinette settee contains batteries and electrical gear. Silverware is in a drawer under the dinette table top. The top over the stove is heavy and awkward. Handle with care. Propane Stove The boat is equipped a low-pressure propane system for cooking. Your propane stove is activated by the following steps: #1 Turn on the propane tank located in the anchor locker under a fiberglass cover #2 Turn on the DC breaker labeled gas valve. #3 Push the left hand button on the gas monitor located on the side of the cabinet over the sink. The two left diodes should show green. If it beeps, push the silence alarm button. #4 Turn on the gas at the stove (Press in knob and twist) and light burner with a match. Matches are behind the sliding doors above the stove. Thee is a gas lighter device in the drawer with the kitchen tools. You might need to hold knob in for a few seconds while the thermo couple warms up. The built-in igniter does not work. When finished cooking turn off gas valve by pushing the leftmost button on the gas monitor so the green diode goes out. Turn off the gas valve switch on the panel. When your cruise is over, turn off the gas at the bottle. The stove has an oven and a broiler. There is a second, smaller, propane bottle in the anchor locker that is connected to a line for the barbecue in the stern. We are not using that line. The barbecue provided uses disposable propane bottles. The smaller bottle in the bow can be used as a reserve propane supply for the stove by switching the regulators. Remember that gas bottles are threaded in reverse. Clockwise to loosen, counterclockwise to tighten! Refrigeration 16
The REFRIGERATOR operates on 12-volt power. Monitor the use of the refrigerator when the engines are not charging the 12-volt battery system. There is both a breaker on the DC panel and a temperature knob inside the refrigerator. AYC will supplement you with 2 bags of ice. The refrigerator needs to be turned OFF at night when anchored or moored to prevent drainage of the battery. There is a cork plugging the refrigerator drain to keep cold air from leaking out through the drain. Remove the cork to drain, if necessary. The refrigerator drains to the shower sump in the aft bilge. If you put wet ice in the refrigerator, turn the shower sump on at the panel. Sink The sink has three faucets. The one on the right is hot and cold fresh water. The small one on the left is filtered water for drinking. The hand pump is for sea water to clean dishes before washing. The hand pump can be connected to the fresh water manifold if the pressure water system fails. HEATING Forced-Air Furnace (AC or DC) The FORCED-AIR FURNACE provides heat in the same way as a household furnace. Turn on the slide switch on the black thermostat above the starboard settee in the dinette. Set the THERMOSTAT to the desired temperature using the up and down arrow buttons. The furnace is automatic and seems to have a mind of its own, but it will come on eventually. The furnace burns diesel fuel. There is athe manual fuel valve for the heater and the electric fuel pump for the heater are in the forward bilge under the coffee table. Check the furnace EXHAUST located on the port side of the stern for any obstruction. Do not store anything in the aft cockpit locker where the exhaust line is. Make sure the dinghy is not hanging against the exhaust outlet. Do not block this opening when operating the furnace. Heat will damage fiberglass or rubber. AT LEAST ONE OF THE ROUND HEATER OUTLETS MUST BE OPEN BEFORE YOU TURN ON THE HEATER. OPERATING THE HEATER WITH ALL VENTS CLOSED WILL DAMAGE IT. Turn off the furnace heater by turning switch back off. It will take a while for the heater to stop blowing. Air Conditioner Sophie has air conditioning. The control is the white thermostat on the bulkhead above the starboard side dinette seat. Check the three way valve in the forward bilge under the coffee table to make sure the valve is supplying sea water to the air conditioner. This sea water valve also supplies the wash down pump and the wash down hose in the anchor locker. Turn on the air conditioner breaker on the AC panel. The on/off switch on the thermostat is the one on the upper left with the red circle on it. The air conditioner can be used as a heater when on shore power if the diesel heater fails. Do not run 17
the air conditioner when on battery power. The condensate from the air conditioner goes to the shower sump. Turn on the shower sump breaker at the panel if you are using the air conditioner. The solar fans in the dorade boxes currently don t work. In rough seas the dorade ventilators can be unscrewed and removed. There are threaded chrome caps in the parts box to seal the openings. Formatted: Normal 18
Space Heaters (AC) A 120-volt SPACE HEATER is available when connected to shore power. There are also two round 120 volt dehumidifier heaters. These mainly serve to keep the cabin dry and don t provide much heat. ELECTRONICS All manuals are located in notebooks in the starboard upper locker in the forward cabin. VHF Radio The VHF radio is located on the instrument panel. Make sure the radio breaker on the DC panel is on. There is a microphone/speaker in the nav table that can be plugged in at the helm so you can hear the radio and use the mic at the helm. Turn the radio on by turning on the breaker. Monitor channel 16 at all times. Sophie s call letters are WDF (Whiskey Delta Foxtrot) 4226. A handheld VHF is on board. Depth Sounder To activate the DEPTH SOUNDER, turn on the electronics breaker on the DC panel. The depth sounder sender is located in the forward bilge. Raise the back of the forward settee and open the smaller locker inside the locker and you can see it. The sounder should provide reliable readings in shallow waters. If in doubt, switch it off, then turn it back on to reset sounder. If your reading is blinking, it is a FALSE reading. False readings can occur in depths of more then 200 feet or in areas of string currents or tides. Radar To operate the RADAR, turn on the electronics breaker at DC panel then turn on the Raymarine chartplotter display. To turn off, press and hold POWER button about 3 seconds. Refer to the quick reference card or the Raymarine instructions in the upper cabinet on the starboard side of the forward saloon. There is also a radar instruction book on board. Remember you are not allowed to travel in FOG, at night, or in serious wind conditions. Global Positioning System (GPS) A fixed mount Garmin GPS is on the panel above the nav desk. It is activated by the electronics breaker on the panel. The manual for this unit is found in the notebooks in the upper cabinet on the starboard side of the forward saloon. 19
Sophie also has a Raymarine chart plotter that has an independent GPS function. It is activated by the electronics breaker. Consult the manual. The Standard Horizon chart plotter at the helm is activated by the spare breaker in left hand switch bank. The two chart plotters work independently. Sophie is equipped with an Automatic Identification System that alerts you to the presence of vessels that have an AIS transmitter and have it turned on. This should include all large commercial vessels. Both chart plotters display AIS information, including the time of closest approach and the predicted distance at closest approach. AIS also advises other vessels equipped with AIS of your course and speed. The knot meter appears to read 1.8-2 kt below actual speed. Chartplotters give you speed over the ground (SOG). Strong currents in the area can greatly affect your true course. Check the current charts before setting out. GPS is considered a navigation aid. Do not rely on it. Compasses, charts, and dividers are the tools to plot position, course, and speed. Autopilot The control for the autopilot is at the helm. To engage the autopilot, push On. To disengage, push Standby. The display will show you the magnetic heading that the boat is steering. Adjust the course plus or minus by using the plus or minus 1 or 10 degree buttons. Plus is to starboard, minus is to port. The autopilot steers a compass course and is not connected to the chart plotter. There seems to be a discrepancy between the binnacle compass and the autopilot. The binnacle compass tells you your magnetic course. The chart plotter will show you the course over ground and give you a vector for your actual course. The autopilot seems to turn itself off once in a while. This has not yet been resolved. Someone should remain at the helm at all times! The autopilot can not handle situations where a lot of steering is required, like gusty winds and a following sea. You will have to steer through those the old fashioned way! Do not reach through the spokes of the wheel when the autopilot is engaged! The wheel could move suddenly and hurt your arm. ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEMS AM/FM Stereo Radio The Pioneer brand Stereo/CD player unit is located in the upper cabinet on the starboard side of the forward saloon. Turn on the stereo/tv breaker on the DC panel. It operates like a normal car radio. There are 2 speakers (stereo) in the salon and 2 in the cockpit. To turn on the stereo, push the source button. The fader controls the distribution of the salon and bridge speakers. The balance controls the sound distribution in the left and right speakers. Push the shift button and then the left and right buttons to change functions. Use the up and down buttons to change the fader, balance, or tone levels. 20
Sophie does not have a TV/VCR. An Ipod/MP3 speaker and docking station are available. 21
Ship s bell To operate the ship s bell, firmly grasp the lanyard hanging from the clapper and vigorously move it back and forth. Remember to hold on to the boat with your other hand. It is a good idea to wear a hearing protector. Do not operate ship s bell while crew is sleeping except in emergency. ANCHORING The primary WORKING ANCHOR is a 45 lb CQR plow and is attached to 250 ft chain and 150 ft nylon rode passed through the deck from the ANCHOR LOCKER in the bow. There is a pin holding the anchor which must be released before the anchor can be lowered. There are windlass controls on the deck behind the windlass. Do not use the windlass control at the helm, because the helmsman can not see where the crew s fingers are. Be sure the pawl is out before trying to operate the windlass. The engine must be running when the windlass is used. Let out sufficient ANCHOR RODE (chain and nylon line) before setting the anchor. The chain is marked every 50 feet with colored plastic markers in the links and with red paint. Blue markers are at 50 and 100 feet. Green markers are at 150 and 200 feet. The end of the chain is at 250 feet. The nylon rode is marked every 30 feet starting at the end of the chain with plastic markers. The splice between the chain and nylon may catch in the hawse hole under the windlass. If the anchorage is crowded put down at least a 3 to 1 scope (60 feet for 20 feet of water), back the anchor in with a short burst from the engine with the transmission in reverse. Be sure to add the distance from the bow roller to the surface of the water to your depth when calculating scope. Check your bearing on an object on the shore to make sure you are not moving. The boat will spring forward when you stop backing. Then let out additional scope dependent upon conditions. A nylon line with a hook is provided to serve as an anchor snubber. This is best run through the spare anchor roller to a forward cleat so that it does not chafe on the bobstay below the bowsprit. The windlass has a clutch. The clutch handle is in the anchor locker. Put the handle in the winch socket and turn counterclockwise. This releases the wildcat from the motor and allows the chain to fall. Do not let it drop too fast. With the clutch in this position the capstan on top of the windlass may be used without the wildcat turning. Hold the wildcat with the pawl if you are doing this. To operate the windlass manually in an emergency, put a winch handle in the socket on top. This will require co-ordination with the person at the helm.. Before raising the anchor, start the engine. Turn on the WINDLASS SWITCH at the electrical panel. Signal to the helmsman the direction to move the boat slowly ahead. As the boat moves toward the anchor, press the up control to take up slack line, rather than pulling tight line. Give the windlass short rests as you are pulling it up. If it overheats, it will pop the breaker. The windlass uses a large amount of electrical power; so ALWAYS operate the windlass with the engine running. The circuit breaker for the windlass is behind the port side settee in the forward cabin. Place yourself in position to guide the anchor onto the roller. Try to flake the chain and rode in an orderly fashion in the locker rather than just letting them land in a pile. 22
Coordinate the maneuver with the helmsperson to remain steady above the anchor as it is raised. As the anchor rises, be careful not to allow it to swing against the hull. Wash it down with the wash down pump before it goes into anchor locker. Before using the wash down pump, you must change the seawater intake valve in the forward bilge and turn on the washdown pump breaker. This seawater intake is shared with the air conditioner. Reconnect the pin that holds the anchor in the roller. Close the plastic covers on the FOOT PEDAL CONTROLS. Turn off the WINDLASS POWER SWITCH at the electrical panel. Do not use the windlass control at the helm; you can not see the windlass and could injure a crew member working around it. A SPARE DANFORTH ANCHOR and rode are normally stowed in the anchor locker. There is also a spare anchor rode in the lazarette. Attach the rode securely to the chain shackle. A spare Fortress anchor (some assembly required) is stored in a red bag in the lazarette. Assembly instructions are sewn into the bag and the wrenches are in a pouch inside. The rode and chain are in a bucket in the lazarette. When fastening the shackle to the Fortress, wire the pin or fasten it with a wire tie so it cannot unscrew itself. Mooring Cans The State Park Sticker on your vessel allows you to pick up the MOORING CANS in the parks for free. You only need to register at the kiosk usually located at the heads of the docks. Mooring cans have a metal triangle at the top upon which is a metal ring. The metal ring is attached to the chain which secures your boat. IT IS VERY HEAVY and must be pulled straight up. The strongest member of your crew should be picked for this job. Come up to the CAN into the wind as you would for anchoring. Have crew members on the bow. One should have a boat hook and the other can handle the line. A mooring line with chafe protection in the right places is provided. Put the loop over the capstan of the windlass. Pass the line through the port side hawse hole under the headsail furler and over the port bow roller (under the pin). As you are coming slowly up to the can have the crew holding the boat hook point at the can with the hook so the skipper always knows where it is. Hook the can and bring the ring up to the boat to allow the second crew to thread the ring with the line. Release the hold with the boat hook. Quickly thread the end of the line over the bow roller, through the hawse hole and back to a bow cleat and cleat it off. Be sure it passes under all the rails. Tie the line that is on the capstan to the anchor chain with a bungee cord or line to prevent the loop from jumping off the capstan. This allows the bow to ride to the can without the can hitting the side of the boat or the bobstay under the bowsprit sawing on the line. An alternative method is to run two lines through the ring, fastened to the cleats on each side of the bow. This gives the added security of two separate bow lines going to the ring, but the lines may chafe on the bobstay if the boat does not ride straight to the can because of wind or current. Be sure the lines are long enough to clear the bobstay and watch for chafing as the boat sails around on the mooring. 23