Welcome aboard! We are pleased you have decided to sail READY on your charter vacation and hope your days and nights are filled with memorable adventures and relaxation.
We purchased
READY new in 2006--after sailing in the
To make your cruise more enjoyable, we have
outlined some of the "nuances" of sailing READY on the following
pages.
We’re
delighted to share our sailboat with you. Happy Sailing!
Garrett and Dianna Larsen,
Owners
INDEX:
1. Anchors
2. Anchor
windlass
3. Barbecue
4. Batteries
5. Berths
6. Bilge
pumps
7. Dinghy
8. Dodger
9. Electronics
10. Engine
11. Fuel tank
12. Head and holding tank
13. Heater
14. Refrigeration and freezer
15. Sails and rigging
16. Sailing characteristics
17. Shower
18. Stove
19. Water (hot and cold pressure)
1. Anchors.
READY is equipped with two anchors;
one forward and one aft located in the starboard cockpit locker.
·
The primary anchor is a Bruce with 50’ of chain and 220’ of
rode, which holds well in a variety of conditions. Primary chain and rode are
marked with colored ribbons at 30 ft. intervals and the ribbons show the number:
30’, 60’, 90’, 120’, etc. The scope to use in the islands is 3 or 4 to 1;
definitely not 7 to 1. Most coves are 15’ to30’ deep, so expect to pay out
about 50’ to100’ of rode. After you have payed out the suitable amount of rode,
2 minutes of idle reverse both sets
the anchor and will test its holding power.
·
The secondary anchor is a Danforth type; smaller, with
slightly less holding power than the primary, but perfect for a stern anchor.
The anchor is stored in a sail bag in the starboard cockpit locker.
2. Anchor Windlass
Windlass:
To anchor instructions
(The current breaker for the windlass is located in
the aft stateroom with the battery switches.)
·
Start and warm up
the engine for at least 5 minutes. Is cooling water coming out?
To
weigh anchor:
·
Start and warm up
the engine for at least 5 minutes. Is cooling water coming out?
·
Open and secure
anchor locker.
·
Plug in handheld
windlass control.
·
Raise anchor as
boat moves forward.
·
If the rode or
chain gets tight, and seems stuck, stop.
The anchor is still buried. Never break out an anchor with the windlass.
Motor slowly forward until you feel the tension release. Now continue to raise
with the windlass.
·
When you see the
anchor appear, bring it up slowly. The plumb bow is subject to damage from a
swinging anchor. Hand retrieve anchor, laying the chain into the catwheel after the anchor is secured. (Once the anchor is
on the bow roller do not tighten the chain with the windlass controller!)
·
Tie anchor to bow.
·
Unplug handheld
control and stow in nav station.
·
Close anchor
locker and secure.
·
Alls hatches
closed before departure?
3. Barbecue. The
stainless steel propane barbecue sits on the stern rail. Spare propane tanks
are only to be carried on board in the propane locker! Use the hose in the
propane locker to connect the propane to the BBQ. The connection is a simple bayonet fitting
and clip. The T fitting on the propane tank enables the propane to feed the BBQ
and stove simultaneously. Please remember to turn off the valve to the BBQ
after use. As a courtesy to the next guest, please use the wire brush wired
onto the BBQ to clean it after use. Thank you!
4. Batteries.
·
There is no need to turn off any of the battery switches unless you are
working on the system or you smell smoke. NEVER TURN ANY
·
There is a start battery and a house battery.
·
The start battery (#1) is located under the stair forward of the
engine.
·
The house battery (#2) is two batteries under the aft stateroom bunk.
·
The battery charger, the battery switches, and a smart relay are also
mounted there.
·
There are three battery switches; one is black and two are red.
·
The black switch is the common ground, #1 is the start battery, and #2
is the house battery.
·
For normal charter operation, you will always have all three switches in
the ON (vertical) position. When plugged into shore power and with the battery
charger circuit breaker on, all batteries are charging.
·
When motoring, the alternator charges both battery banks.
·
When the voltage goes over 13.1 volts the smart relay closes and the
house battery is charged.
·
You can confirm this with the voltmeter at the DC Panel.
·
At anchor, when the house bank goes below 12.8 volts, the relay opens
and the start battery is isolated for assured starting the next time it’s
needed.
5. Berths. READY
sleeps six total; two in the private cabin forward, two in the aft cabin, and two
children in the main salon. The sleeping
arrangements are most comfortable for four people.
6. Bilge pumps. There are two bilge pumps.
·
The emergency bilge pump is located in the passage
at the stern and has a built-in handle.
·
The electric bilge pump has an automatic float
switch. When turned on at the electrical panel, it remains on, but the pump
will only engage when enough water comes in to cover the float switch.
·
Although water is not usually found in the bilge, we recommend that you
monitor the bilges daily.
·
The electric bilge pump can be used manually at the electrical panels.
7. Dinghy. The inflatable dinghy with inflatable keel
is stable, rows well, and tows with the least drag if brought close to the boat;
about a foot off the stern. This lifts the dinghy bow, reduces drag, and
guarantees that you won't accidentally wrap the painter around the propeller
when you reverse! We tie the painter off twice--a cleat tie close and the
bitter end we tie onto the stern rail. Others have lost the dinghy when their
cleat tie slipped loose.
We would very much
appreciate your special care when beaching the dinghy.
What works best: Weight your entire crew in the stern of the
dinghy as you approach shore, then offload everyone
over the bow. Now lift the dinghy above the barnacle height and deposit the
dingy gently on the beach. Secure the painter under a rock or to a log as a
rising tide could leave you high and dry without the dinghy.
8. Dodger. The most vulnerable part of the dodger is the
plastic "glass". After sailing smartly into a challenging breeze, the
salt spray which collected on the plastic glass dries in the wind and leaves
behind tiny salt deposits that obscure your vision. AVOID touching it. Please
do not let an energetic crew member wipe off the salt crystals because the
crystals act like sandpaper and will scratch the glass! Instead, "flood" off the crystals
with a pan of fresh water from the galley and use only a sopping wet sponge,
wiping very lightly with lots of water. Other boat owners in the fleet have had
to replace the glass every few years because of those miniscule scratches that
“fog” it up. If the glass is really clear when you are aboard, you can thank
previous guests for their care. Also,
sun screen and bug spray (especially the spray version of both) will chemically
react with the “glass”, ruining it (and that’s not covered by your insurance),
so be especially careful with these products (use the spray versions downwind
of the glass).
9. Electronics:
·
Autopilot. Controls are located at the
helm. To use the autopilot, engage the clutch lever below the wheel and press
"
The instruments
switch on the 12-volt panel activates the autopilot, chart plotter, depth
sounder and wind speed and direction. These are RayMarine systems with detailed
instructions in the operating manuals kept on board.
·
Cellular Telephones. Our boat is equipped with
two 12 volt cigarette lighter type outlets for recharging your cellular
telephone. One is located at the nav station and the other in the forward
cabin.
·
Depthsounder. The digital depth sounder
will not give accurate readings beyond 200' and is designed for use in shallow
waters. In deeper water, the sensitivity on the unit increases as the
transducer tries to get some reading back. Consequently, you will receive many
false readings caused by currents, changes in water temperature, fish, and
underwater seaweed. Use the depth sounder only as an aid to navigation in
shallow water. However, the key to
avoiding rocks is not the depth sounder, but knowing where you are on the chart
at all times. (Rocks are the single
biggest navigational and safety hazard in the islands—but they are all marked on
the charts.) We do not recommend using the alarm. Experience in the islands tells us that it
goes off at the wrong time; usually the middle of the night as a fish passes
underneath the sailboat.
·
GPS: READY is equipped with a RayMarine
GPS chart plotter. To start, turn the switch on at the electrical panel labeled
instruments. Then push the power button for two to three seconds until the
screen activates. About 30 seconds later, the GPS will have acquired its
satellites, calculated the position and displayed the lat/long, heading, and
speed. That’s all there is to it! To
turn it off, again hold in the little power button a couple seconds until it
beeps. If you want to experiment with waypoints, you may refer to the owner’s
manual on board. As a practical matter, navigating the San Juans is line of
sight with the normal clear visibility. The only time you might need the GPS is
in the highly unlikely event that you are suddenly enveloped by fog, which is
very rare in this area (late August, early September, if at all, normally). Any
fog usually burns off before mid-day; if the soupy stuff sets in, put on an
extra pot of coffee until it lifts.
·
Knotmeter: If the digital knotmeter
shows a reading of "0.00" while underway, the impeller is most likely
clogged with a piece of eelgrass. Sometimes it will float off overnight or you
can try removing it by traveling in reverse. The impeller is located under the
port settee. If you are an experienced sailor, and have done this before, you
may wish to remove the impeller to clear the debris.
·
Radar: Is controlled from the
chart plotter. Instructional materials are in the burgundy colored folder in
the locker below the Nav station.
·
VHF radio. Monitor Channel 16 during
your cruise. After establishing contact on Channel 16, switch to working
channels 68, 69, or 79.
·
Weather
information:
And
especially, “Weather forecast for
·
The Bellingham Marine Operator,
formerly channels 28 and 85, are out of service until further notice; cell
phones make the marine operator obsolete in many regions.
·
San Juan Sailing monitors
channel 79A during office hours (closed Sundays) but it will be difficult to
hail San Juan Sailing after a good day’s sail into the islands due to these
beautiful islands getting in the way of the signal. Typically, cell phones are the best means of communication.
You can reach the maintenance professional, Mr. Pinley at
10. Engine. Starting--
·
Check the oil level. The dipstick is easily
accessed under the stair on the starboard side of the engine. It is a simple
procedure to remove the engine cover for easy access. Simply unlatch and lift
the stair section. There is a wide gap on the dipstick between the full line
and the fill line. Above all, do not overfill. Use the onboard spare oil to add
no more than a cup at a time; it is stored below the starboard salon settee. Then
check the level again. This is not a car engine where you can add a quart
at a time. Overfilling is the worst thing you can do to a diesel. The excess
oil will get out somehow, sometimes by blowing the head gasket. So if the oil
is down a bit, please add only a cup at a time. Incidentally, the first time
you pull the dip stick it often has no oil showing. After your heart skips a
beat, reinsert the dipstick and the correct level will show. It will be black,
of course, as is all oil in diesels after a couple minutes of running. We
change the oil at 100 hour intervals. With the cover removed, this is an
excellent time to check the coolant levels, but never do so when the engine is
hot.
·
Make sure the gearshift (straight
up) is in neutral. READY has a single handle shift/throttle.
·
Push gearshift/throttle
center button in and push the handle forward to about ¼ throttle.
·
Turn key to the right. The buzzer should sound. This
is the warning buzzer you would hear if the engine overheats or if there is
loss of oil pressure.
·
Turn the key one more stop
to the right
much as a car and the starter will activate. The engine usually fires right up
in just a couple seconds.
·
If it doesn't fire after just 10 seconds, stop and give a little more
throttle.
·
After it starts, gradually
ease the throttle back to just above idle (1000 RPM) for warmup; then check for water
gurgling out the exhaust.
·
Please allow five minutes of
warm up
before placing a load on the engine. Pushing a cold engine is very hard on
diesels.
·
Remember—there is no need to
change battery switches. (Just leave them all “on”.)
Engine Operation: We have found the 29 HP, YANMAR engine to be
very reliable. The engine compartment is well insulated to muffle engine noise.
Cruising speed is approximately 6.5 knots at 2800 RPM. With the 20 gallon fuel
tank, that yields an approximately 150 NM range, or about 20 hours of
cruising. Please do not exceed 3000 RPM
because it's hard on the diesel to push past cruising hull speed (at very
little increase in speed). The engine will have least vibration at 2500-2800
RPM.
Engine Overheat: If the buzzer sounds while
the engine is running, immediately check the oil pressure and temperature
gauges. If oil pressure is flat, shut down the engine, check the oil level, and
contact San Juan Sailing. We have never had
an oil pressure problem and we hope you don't either). Most likely a buzzer means the engine has
overheated. Check for water gurgling out
the exhaust. If gurgling, check the
coolant level. If there is no water
gurgling, the water strainer is likely plugged with eelgrass. Eelgrass looks like an exploded view of lawn
clippings. They are about 3 feet long,
brownish green, flat and about 1/2 inch wide.
Look for them in two places--floating masses undulating on the water,
and in "tide lines", those soapy lines in the water that contain
other intimidating debris as well. Best
solution here is prevention--keep an eye peeled for eelgrass masses, tidelines,
and semi-floating logs and steer around them.
If eelgrass gets sucked into the engine cooling water intake, it jams
the raw water strainer. To clear it,
close the seacock. Remove the filter
element of the strainer by opening the engine compartment (under the stairs). Extract the stainless steel filter
element. Remove the eelgrass. Open the seacock to assure that it is not
clogged. Close it again and carefully
reinsert the stainless steel filter element.
Close the filter in the reverse order of removal making sure the seals
are seated and the lid is not leaking.
Reopen the seacock. If the engine
overheats again upon restarting, check that the seacock is open and check the
lid seal. If it draws air, it won't draw
water.
Engine shutdown: Never touch the key while the engine is
running! First, make sure the engine
is at idle and the gearshift in neutral. Then push the fuel cutoff button on
the instrument panel. The key must be “on” for the cut off to function. When
the engine dies, turn off the key switch. If the engine won’t “kill” check the
ignition key again to see that it is “on”.
11. Fuel Tank. The 20 gallon filler is to
starboard on the transom. The diesel
tank is located below the cockpit. The
engine burns conservatively one (1) gallon of diesel an hour (Actually quite a
bit less than that but it is good to be conservative.). The fuel gauge is located on the engine
instrument panel. If it dips much below
half, add fuel (running out of diesel involves a lengthy bleeding process that
you would really rather not do.). Please
be very careful when fueling. Never
allow maximum flow from the filler hose.
If you do, the fill tube will surge and diesel will spill onto the hull
from the vent located to starboard, and put you into the ever-caring hands of
the EPA. Fill slowly and carefully. When the pipe begins to gurgle like it’s
full, you are probably full. You may
also be able to see the diesel when looking down into the fill tube. Check the
side vent and, with soap, wipe up any excess fuel to avoid yellowing the hull
and polluting the water. Also, be very
careful of drips when removing the hose.
Diesel and shoe bottoms are a very slippery and a dangerous
combination. After wiping, please use
soapy water to scrub down any drips.
12. Head and holding tank: Please do not put anything
in the toilet that has not been eaten.
Experienced sailors deposit toilet paper in a plastic bag or in a waste
basket, not down the toilet. The head
has a 15 gallon holding tank located to starboard. The "Y" valve is located below the
head sink. San Juan Sailing staff will
discuss holding tanks and pumpouts on your arrival. Our one plea is this--if you use the holding
tank, please monitor it carefully! There is a “tank full” warning LED. Exploding or leaking sewage is most
unpleasant! The tank should be pumped
out, filled with fresh water through the deck fitting to rinse, and then pumped
out again. Thank you! When appropriate, you may wish to use the
macerator. The switch is located on the
panel.
13. Heater: The heater is a diesel forced air cabin heater with
thermostat mounted at the
14. Refrigerator: The refrigerator must be
turned on at the electrical panel. This is a well-insulated refrigerator and
will functional well when adjusted to level 3 on the dial, if turned all the
way up, everything may freeze!
15. Sails and rigging:
Mainsail - The mainsail has an
in-mast furling system and is easily deployed from the cockpit. All the reefing of the main is done by
partially furling the sail. Keep some
tension on the outhaul (un-clutched, manually applying minor tension) while
furling.
Headsail - The jib is on a roller
furling. It has good sail shape at the
full out position. During periods of
heavier winds, furl the headsail as desired.
Boat heel will be greatly reduced when sailing under reefed main and
partially furled headsail in winds over 20 knots.
Please note that slight
tension on the roller furling line when deploying the headsail, and on the
sheets when furling, prevents problems from either a rat's nest on the drum or
"candy striping" of the furled sail.
16. Sailing Characteristics: READY is a delight to sail. Her
roller furled sloop rig makes for easy sail handling, and gives a variety of
options for various weather conditions. READY is a fin keel cruiser.
Backing and handling under power is very responsive to rudder input. “Prop
walk” while backing is minimized if you can get some way on and shift to
neutral before turning. We would say her
all around perfect breeze is 10-18 knots.
Ideal heel is at 15-20 degrees.
Full sail can easily be carried in winds up to 18 knots. Above that, partially furl the jib and the
main.
17. Shower: Water is heated automatically by the engine
running under load (after about a half hour) but running it at idle in the
morning won't do it. The hot water is
stored in an insulated tank. It can also
be heated electrically when on shorepower. The shore power panel has the
switch. Experienced cruisers know the sailor's shower: get wet, turn it
off. Soap up. Rinse off.
If you overflow the shower basin you've used too much water! There is a switch to pump the shower. CAUTION:
the engine can heat the water to scalding temperatures!
18. Stove: The gimbaled
propane stove has 2 burners and an oven.
Propane is heavier than air and requires caution. For your safety, please follow these
procedures:
·
Open the hand valve on the propane tank all the way open and very
slightly snug.
·
Make sure all stove controls are in the "off" position. Turn on propane solenoid switch at the
electrical panel; you will hear a click in the propane locker as the solenoid
valve there clicks open.
·
Push in the burner control and activate the piezio electric starter. The burner should light immediately.
·
When finished with your cooking, immediately turn the electric solenoid
switch off.
·
Please note that both propane valves (the solenoid valve and the
faucet-like valve on the top of the tank) are located in the propane locker in
the aft of the cockpit, which is vented and isolated from the rest of the boat.
Any leaks there will move down, out, and away from the boat.
· San Juan Sailing staff fills the propane tank every 2 weeks. One tank normally lasts much longer than that.
NOTE: At night turn off the faucet-like valve on the propane tank for safety.
19. Water:
Water pressure: The water pressure switch is located on the
electrical panel. Please switch this off
when motoring or sailing. You could burn
out the water pump should one of the tanks run dry (and you would not hear the
pump running over the sound of motoring or sailing).
Water tanks: We have 73 gallons in 2 water tanks. Fillers
are located in the deck, forward. State
parks have no pressurized water to refill tanks, but all points of civilization
do. If your crew does not run the water continuously
while they brush their teeth, you shouldn't have a problem.
* *
*
READY is a virtually new
boat that we maintain in the highest possible condition for our own and your
enjoyment. We love her sailing ability,
both in light air and in a blow, her very comfortable cockpit, her ample
storage, roominess below, and just the generally cozy feeling we get when
aboard. We earnestly solicit any
suggestions for further improvements and hope you enjoy her as much as we do. Thank you in advance for taking special care
of her!
We’re delighted to have you
as our guests!