Access Dinghy Electrics Installation Manual SA1.e May, 00
ELECTRICS INSTALLATION MANUAL 1. Mark (using old cutout) and drill a pilot hole as the centre for inspection port in the starboard or right side arm rest. Position the port towards the front allowing 20mm clearance in front and above the port. 4. Drill pilot hole middle of rear of right armrest for the joystick cable, then drill out with 35mm holesaw. 2. Cut out hole for inspection port using a 140mm holesaw. 5. In the top of the console 130mm behind the aft edge of the mast, mark and drill pilot hole and cut out with undersized 1 holesaw for the main sheet deck grommet. Knock the grommet in place with a piece of pine. 3. Drill pilot hole in centre of right side front seat tube recess, then drill out with 29mm holesaw. SA1.e May, 00
6. Mark with texta or chinagraph pencil the centres for the helm winch and its locating bolt. Use the plastic jig held against the aft bulkhead and align with the aft inspection port. Carefully drill both holes with 6mm bit. Bore out the upper of thbe two holes with an undersized 1 holesaw. 7. Pre fit the helm motor, use rattail and half round files to enlarge the holes as necessary. 8. Fit the helm motor using shortened 6mm x 12mm long round head metal thread with large washer. 9. Drill and pop rivet a saddle holding a plastic hook above the aft inspection port to hold the helm winch power cable. 10. Drill and pop rivet a saddle under the arm rest to attach the control box. 11. Fit the sheet winch by supporting it in place using the mainsheet (8m long 6mm Double Braid red fleck), pull it as far aft as possible, and using the right angle air drill, drill the 4 x 6mm locating screw holes. SA1.e May, 00
12. Fit the control box and its cables and hook up the battery, motors and joystick. 13. Fit the helm winch drum, reeve a cord through the blocks past the drum and rottate the drum lock to lock to determine its centre, then drill 6mm holes to attach the 2 halves of the steering line. 14. Attach a rudder box, and align the rudder, helm winch drum and joystick on the centreline, and fit and lightly tension the steering lines. 15. Work the joystick to operate the winches to determine if the rotation is correct, and if not reverse the polarity at the winches. SA1.e May, 00
16. Prepare the right side seat front tube with a groove and shorten to allow for a second locking ring. 17. Prepare the rubber bungs. The 35mm single hole needs to be drilled out before being split, while the 2 hole bung needs to be split to the holes on opposite sides. 18. If polarity/rotation correct remove the whole system and spray all corradable parts with Corrosion Guard. 19. When dry/tacky, tape up the motors and batteries and refit the whole system. 20. Drill,3M, and pop rivet in place the inspection port. 21. Fit a 2m traveller with tandem traveller block. 22. Use rectangles of soft flexible foam to wedge the battery and sheet winch cables elevated and clear of the cockpit floor. 23 Attach to the joystick a servo assist warning notice and ensure the how to instructions are included in the boats sail bag. NB. A) Ensure the control box has been sealed around the cable outlets, inside and lid, screwed down with ½ S/S self tappers with attached plastic hook using 300mm cable tie and pulled tight. B) Preparation of Joysticks. The joystick holders are layed up with grey pigmented resin, layup being tissue, 1 x 225gm csm with 3 x 450 csm strips around the edges. After the joystick fitted the cable is glued into a prepared slot with grey Sikaflex, and a 50mm length of 15mm diameter near solid tube is rounded and fitted to the joystick, packed using 3 turns of masking tape. C) Preparation of sheet winch. Using fine artist brush apply fast resin to the turned groove in the winch drum and liberally sprinkle treated glass spheres. Fit the drum when resin has cured. Shape and fit the polyethylene rope guide and support, then thread the 8m x 6mm red fleck double braid. Widen the attaching tabs a little and re-tap the 6mm threads. D) Preparation of helm winch. It should be ready to fit. SA1.e May, 00
Servo Assist Electrics Operations Manual CONTENTS How to operate the Servo Assist Dinghy 2 Maintenance and Troubleshooting 3 The Components 4
How to operate the Servo Assist Access Dinghy ABOUT THE SYSTEM The Servo Assist Access Dinghy can be sailed both manually and controlled by a variety of joysticks and switches. The basic unit has sheet and helm winches operated by a 4 way joystick, push forward for sail out, back is sail in, steer left is push joystick left and right, push to right. This standard joystick is typically strapped around the chest and moved by hand, but can be up high and worked with the chin. There is also the option of a paddle switch with very large flaps which activate micro switches. The unit is fully adjustable and mountable in any position, sliding on plastic tubes, held in place by suction cups. Many people have difficulty with fine finger control, the paddle switch can be bumped with the wrist or foot giving very precise commands for both winches. There is also the option a 4 way joystick mounted on a small box which will suit some applications. It too is located and held in place with plastic tubes and suction cups similar to the paddle switch above. We advise the most electrically inclined club member to take a close interest in the servo assist boat and to maintain it. Remove the electrics now to see how it works. All the parts are easily removed and a set of bungs are supplied to seal up all holes. Remove them regularly and spray with water inhibitor. If the electrics are seldom used don t leave them in the boat to corrode. Inside the control box is a 10amp-12volt fuse which protects the circuitry if the sheet winch is stalled and overloaded. If the sheet winch fails to work when activated this could be the cause. See maintenance and troubleshooting.
MAINTENANCE AND TROUBLESHOOTING. This equipment has to be serviced regularly if it is to remain free of corrosion and serviceable. Prior to leaving our factory all terminals, plugs and corrodable parts were sprayed with Corrosion Guard, a spray can of which is supplied. We advise you to spray all exposed terminals regularly, and inspect all the electrical components regularly, noting and treating any signs of corrosion. Spray Corrosion Guard directly into all plugs and wipe off excess from non corrodable areas. Also: 1. Do not allow any leads and plug ends to remain immersed in water. 2. If components are swamped spray them with Corrosion Guard soon after. Remove and dry them first if necessary. 3. Appoint a handy, practical volunteer to take charge of the electrics, ideally someone with an electrical background. 4. Remove the inspection ports to ventilate the buoyancy compartment when the boat is packed away each day. 5. When the boat is stored for extended periods, remove (all) the electrics completely, service them and store in a dry place. 6. If the boat is usually sailed manually, remove the electrics till they are needed again, closing all the holes with the rubber bungs provided. 7. If the sheet winch fails to work when activated first check the plug leads if all seems OK next listen at the control box to hear if the relays are clicking. If they are the problem may be the blow fuse inside the control box which is in the circuit to protect the components if the sheet winch motor is stalled and overloaded. N Open the box and fit a new 10amp-12volt fuse. Reseal the control box lid with urethane rubber preferably. These Recommendations should be taken very seriously and apply to any environment, but the warmer and more humid your climate the more vigilant you will have to be. IF YOU SAIL IN SALT WATER YOU SHOULD TAKE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS VERY SERIOUSLY.
THE COMPONENTS 1. The boom comes fitted with a sheet for manual use. When the Electric sheet winch is used remove the manual sheet from the boom and reeve the servo assist sheet as a two part only through the block on the traveller with the dead end tied off with a bowline at the block at the boom end. 2. Leave the traveller very long, adjust its length so the mast wont be over bent if the sheet is over tensioned. 3. The control box is very simple with 4 relays controlling the 4 functions. The box is suspended under the right arm rest. The battery lead and sheet winch lead run forward and pass through the right lower seat tubes. A simple 2 hole rubber bung acts as the seal.
4. The sheet winch lead is held up under the console with a small block of foam. Remove the sheet winch and check its workings. The 8mm allthread can be turned by screwdriver to adjust tension as the rope wears. 5. The helm winch and joystick leads run aft from the control box. The helm winch can be removed through the inspection port. The helm winch lead hangs on a hook above the aft inspection port which keeps it above any water. 6. Adjust the steering lines at the joystick and at the tiller to centralise the steering when needed. Keep it on the tight side.
7. The joystick lead and plug can pass through the seat under the tube to keep them out of any water. 8. There are two 12 volt gel batteries. They will run the boat all day and should be charged after every days use. The batteries are lead acid and don t need to be run down. Never run them down. Keep them charged. The charger will trickle charge over night. Ideally charge one battery at a time. 9. If there is no battery charger supplied (if you are in a 110 Volt area) acquire a 12 (or 14.4 Volt) 1/3 or 1/2 amp plug pack trickle charger suitable for gel lead acid batteries, from Tandy, Radio Shack, West Marine or similar. We can provide a plug on a short lead to adapt your charger to the battery lead. Always keep the batteries charged. Never let them discharge completely.