NOTES FROM THE OWNERS
“SEA
EAGLE”
Welcome aboard Sea Eagle!
She’s a 2001 Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 34.2 Please respect our need to maintain Sea Eagle as a totally smoke free vessel. We are immensely pleased with this fine vessel and look forward to sharing her with you, our guests. We hope that you will appreciate our gear and equipment choices and that you will enjoy sailing her as much as we do. You will find Sea Eagle is very well balanced and sails beautifully. She keeps her speed in light air and is very stable in heavy weather.
We’ve prepared these notes to bring you up to speed quickly and to make your vacation cruise as trouble-free and enjoyable as possible.
Happy Sailing!
1. Anchors
2. Barbecue
3. Batteries & Charging
4. Berths
5.
Bilge pumps
6. Dinghy
7. Dodger
8. Electrical Panel
9. Electronics
10. Engine
11. Fuel Tank
12. Head & Holding Tank
13. Heater
14. Refrigeration and Freezer
15. Sails / Rigging
16. Sailing & Handling Characteristics
17. Shower
18. Stove
19. TV / DVD Player
20. Water (Hot and Cold Pressure)
1. Anchors. Our boat is equipped with two anchors,
one forward and one in the starboard cockpit locker. The primary bow anchor is a 33 # Bruce with
120 feet of 3/8” chain. The first 100 feet of chain is marked with yellow line
woven into about 1’ of the links in the chain at 20-foot intervals. All links in the last 20 feet are painted
red.
Electric Anchor windlass receives power from the engine start battery. Always
operate the windless while the engine is running! Otherwise, the windlass
will drain the start battery. The breaker (i.e., the “on” and “off” switch) for
the windlass circuit is behind the electrical panel board - pull out on the top
of the panel to gain access. The up-down controller for the windlass is secured
inside the chain locker.
Deploying the Anchor:
With an electric windlass,
its important to set the anchor into the water by hand. Pay out enough
slack in the chain so that you can hand-set the anchor into the water about one
foot below the water. (By having the anchor slightly in the water, the water
will buffer that troublesome “pendulum” action that causes a partially deployed
anchor to swing and ding the bow before you get it all the way into the water
with a windlass controller that you’re not familiar with.) Once the anchor is
in the water, then use the electric windlass to lower the anchor to the bottom
of the bay and deploy the desired amount of scope.
Also, when retrieving the
anchor, only retrieve it up to where you can see the anchor about one foot
below the water (again to buffer any possible “pendulum” action if the anchor
were just out of the water). Then, by hand, retrieve the anchor from just
below the water onto the bow roller. Besides preventing possible pendulum
action, if the anchor gets hung up on the bow roller and you continued to press
the “up” button on the electric windlass, you’d probably rip the windlass right
out of its fiberglass attachment point! (Sea
Eagle’s anchor windlass is VERY powerful and will want to rip itself
from its attachment point if straining at a jammed anchor shaft.)
The “down button” is the
button closest to the electrical cable. You’ll find (possibly the hard way)
that the chain tends to “jump off” the catwheel with a continuous pressing of
the “down” button…but this can be prevented by “pulsing” the button in a
one-second-on and one-second-off pattern. (Just take your time deploying the
anchor and chain.)
Retrieving the Anchor:
When retrieving the anchor, never use a windlass to pull the boat up
to where the anchor is set. (The windlass is powerful enough to do that, but
again it might rip itself from it’s attachment point.) Instead, head the boat
under power toward the anchor while using the windlass to take up the stack
chain.
The “up” button is the
button furthest from the electrical cable. The chain does not tent to jump off
the catwheel when retrieving the chain and anchor…so no need to pulse on the up
button. (But still please take your time, as the anchor chain sometimes bunches
up under the windlass and you might need to push it down to the bottom of the
chain locker with your foot.)
Importantly, please do not
pull the anchor up onto the bow roller using the power of the windlass. Please
retrieve it by hand, placing the anchor’s shaft on the rollers, then lift and
place the remaining slack chain over and onto the catwheel. (Avoid using the
power of the windlass to take up those last few inches of slack…if you push the
“up” button a half-second too long, the windlass might rip out of the
fiberglass!)
Then, once the anchor is on
the bow roller, be sure to secure the anchor with a “keeper” line. Run the line
through a link in the chain nearest the anchor, then running each end of the
line to a hole in the toe rail securing it through the whole with a knot…a
double half-hitch works well. (The chain over the catwheel on the windlass
should not be the only thing keeping the anchor from unexpectedly returning to
the sea bottom!) After securing the anchor with a line, immediately switch the
windlass breaker “off” to prevent draining the engine start battery should the
windlass system decide to short.
The secondary stern anchor is a 12 #
Danforth with 25 feet of chain and 200 feet of nylon line
The scope to use in the islands is 3 or 4-to-1. Most coves are 15’ to 30’ deep, so expect to pay out
about 60’ to 120’ of rode. After you have paid out the suitable amount of rode, 2 minutes of reverse (idle speed) sets the anchor and tests its holding power. If you wish to sleep even better, put the throttle at half-speed in reverse to prove to yourself that the anchor is well set!
For storm conditions, there is 180’ of 3/4” nylon road with a thimble and shackle which can be attached to the bitter end of the 120’ of chain for a total of 300’ (or 10-to-1 in 30’ of water), provided you have room to leeward. Otherwise, set two bow anchors (using the secondary anchor, chain and rode) in a v-type pattern for extra holding power.
NOTE: Sea Eagle has a fin keel and draws 5’7’’…so figure on 6 feet to be on the safe side. We like to always see 10-12’ on the depth sounder under the keel at all times. Both underway going in/out of a shallow bay and, importantly at low tide on anchor! (So be sure to consult your tidal information from San Juan Sailing to plan for the lowest tides you’ll encounter while on anchor.)
2.
Barbecue. The stainless steel propane BBQ is mounted portside
on the stern rail. The T-fitting on the propane tank enables propane flow to the
BBQ and stove simultaneously. Please
remember to turn off the valve at the tank if neither the stove nor the BBQ are
going to be used for several hours.
Also, as a courtesy to the next guest, please use the wire brush
attached to the BBQ to clean it after use.
CAUTION: The outboard, if you have one, mounts on the
rail (while underway) next to the BBQ. Never use the BBQ with the outboard
on the rail mount. Put it on the dinghy or up on deck forward of the cockpit.
The outboard contains highly flammable gasoline and could explode from the heat
of the BBQ!
3.
Batteries & Charging. For normal operations, leave all battery
switches on all the time. An
isolator assures all batteries are charged, while protecting the engine start
battery from draw-down by house usage. Two battery banks are located in a
compartment under the quarterberth. The
House bank has three 70 ampere-hour deep-cycle batteries for house
services. The “Moteur” (motor in French)
is a single high-amperage-output battery specifically designed for starting
diesel engines. Three battery switches are located at the foot of the
companionway stairs. The outboard
switches (“House” to starboard and “Moteur” to port) connect the positive sides
of the battery banks. The center switch
is the common ground. The horizontal
position is on, the vertical position is off. CAUTION: Never turn a switch to
“off” while the engine is running!
This will blow the diodes on the alternator. Your batteries will no
longer charge. And this will negatively impact your vacation and cause
permanent damage to the alternator.
In 2004, two upgrades were made to the charging
system. A Next-12 “smart” regulator on
the alternator will now recharge drained house
batteries in about an hour-and-a-half under
power. (In fact, the new regulator puts enough load
on the engine, that even idling at anchor or on
a mooring buoy for an hour-and-a-half will charge up
the house bank.) A 40-amp Newmar “smart”
charger has been installed so that the three
deep-cell house batteries can be fully recharged on shore
power overnight. There’s now plenty of power for the
chart plotter, auto pilot and other electrical
demands.
4.
Berths. SEA EAGLE sleeps six - two in the forward
cabin; two in the aft cabin; and two (small people) in the main salon (This
requires breaking down the table and using the settee insert.)
5. Bilge pumps. Please check the bilge each day, morning
and evening. There are three bilge pumps.
One electric bilge pump is controlled at the
electrical panel. The second electric
bilge pump has an automatic float switch wired directly to the house
batteries. When there is enough bilge
water to “float” the switch, the pump engages and the water will be pumped out.
Hopefully you will never hear the bilge pump start automatically. If you do, please investigate immediately.
Check the thru-hulls to make sure none are leaking and take appropriate action
(shutting off the seacock valve and, perhaps, tighten the hose clamps and
reopen the seacock valve). Report it to San Juan Sailing either by phone or VHF
if a significant problem, or upon your return if a minor problem.
The emergency bilge pump is located in the
cockpit. Monitor bilge water daily and
alternate your choice of pumps (lift the float switch with your finger) to ensure
that all are functioning properly.
6. Dinghy. Sea Eagle has an inflatable “Sea Eagle”
brand 10’6” dinghy. With its two 40”
teak seats, there’s no more sitting on rubber gunwales, taking passing boat
wakes in the seat of your pants. Accommodates even the largest crews in
comfort. Towing works best when the dinghy is brought close to the boat— only
have about 4 or 5 feet of painter line from the stern cleat to the bow of the
dinghy. This lifts the bow, reduces drag, and lessens the chance of wrapping
the painter around the propeller. Tie the painter off twice—once at a cleat
then the bitter end to the stern rail.
We’ve recovered dinghies “lost at sea” by others who relied on a single
cleat hitch.
Please take special care when beaching the dinghy (refer to the dinghy beaching procedure in
your charter guest book). Most of the
beaches you will land at are strewn with barnacle covered, bottom slicing
rocks. When approaching the shore, weight the dinghy aft by leaning or moving
toward the back of the dinghy. Then offload everyone over the bow. Lift the dinghy above barnacle height using
the hand lines on either side, and deposit it gently on the beach. Also
remember to secure the painter under a rock or to a log—especially in the case
of a rising tide.
7. Dodger. The
dodger’s plastic “glass” is vulnerable to scratching from salt crystals,
especially after sailing into a challenging breeze. The salt spray on the glass dries in the wind,
leaving behind tiny salt deposits that obscure your vision. Please avoid directly touching the glass with
a rag or sponge. Salt does dissolve in water, but not as fast as you might
think. The salt crystals remain undissolved for several seconds. It’s like
rubbing the glass with sand paper! To
clean, please use generous amounts of fresh water from a pan from the galley or
a sopping wet sponge to “flood” the glass and dissolve the salt crystals away.
(Better yet, wait until you’re at a dock where you can hose off the salt
crystals. If the dodger glass is really clear, you can thank previous guests
for their diligence. And we thank you too!
8.
Electrical Panel. Most switches at the panel board are self
explanatory, but some circuits are unique.
AC (120V) Power. Sea
Eagle has no inverter. The two
AC outlets will only function while connected to shore power. And, the AC
Outlets breaker switch must be “on”.
Anchor Windlass. The breaker is located behind the
electrical panel board. Pull out on the
top of the panel board for access.
Auto Pilot. The circuit breaker for “Instruments” is
located on the electrical panel. It turns on the autopilot, as well as most of
the other instruments…exception: the chart plotter and radar (which are
activated by the “Radar” button).
Cabin Lights. Once you have turned on the circuit at the
electrical panel labeled “cabin lights 1”, an on/off switch for all recessed
salon/galley lighting is controlled by one rocker switch next to the binocular
holder mounted by the navigation station (slightly under the nav table). All
other cabin, head, and navigation station lighting locations have individual
on/off switches (after turning on the breaker for “cabin lights 2”).
Engine Light. Is the “steaming light” for when you’re
underway with the engine running at night. (But please be advised that night
passagemaking is not permitted under terms of your agreement with San Juan
Sailing.)
Fresh Water Pump. This pump pressurizes an accumulator located
beneath the galley counter, and it shuts down when the tank is at “working pressure”. If you don’t hear the pump start up when you
turn it on at the panel board, hopefully it means that the system is at working
pressure – you should hear the pump start again after you use some fresh water.
Indicator Lights for
switches at lower right corner of panel. These were
added after delivery. They are dimmer
than the other red lights on the panel.
These switches may be on without you realizing it. So take care to know
what is “on” and “off” before retiring each night.
Shore Power Circuit Breaker is located in the starboard
cockpit locker.
Tricolor Light. (At the top of the mast) is for when you’re
underway, sailing, without the engine running. (But, again, please be advised
that night passagemaking is not permitted under terms of your agreement with San
Juan Sailing.)
9.
Electronics.
The radar/chart plotter/GPS, depth sounder, wind
instrument, and autopilot are all Raytheon products. There are laminated
Raytheon-prepared quick operating reference guides in Appendix A. If you take them out during your charter,
please return them to their pockets for the next charterer.
Cellular
Telephones. Our boat is equipped with two 12-volt
cigarette lighter type outlets that may be used for recharging your cellular
telephone. One is located at the
navigation station – the other above the galley counter.
Depthsounder: The digital depthsounder will not give
accurate readings beyond 200’. It 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 seaweed. Use the
depthsounder only as an aid to navigation in shallow water. However, the key to avoiding rocks is not the
depthsounder—but knowing where you are at all times. (Rocks are the greatest navigational and
safety hazard in the islands—but they are all clearly marked on the charts.)
We do not recommend using the alarm. It
is likely to sound at inappropriate times such as late at night while fish are
passing beneath the transducer.
Radar &
Chart Plotter: Sea
Eagle is equipped with a RayMarine Radar and two chart plotters –
a black & white unit at the nav station and a color full-function display
at the helm. First turn on the unit at the nav station and then turn on the
unit at the helm (as the helm unit needs a “feed” from the unit mounted at the
nav station).
The chart plotters may be used without the radar to
minimize battery drain. GPS input to the Chart plotter comes from a Raystar 120
WAAS receiver mounted on the starboard stern rail. To start Radar/Chart plotter, turn on the
electrical panel switch labeled “Radar”. Then, press and hold the power button
at the lower left corner of the unit until it beeps and turns on the
display. You then use the power switch
to toggle between Standby and Transmit.
If you plan to save electricity and use the chart-plotter only, toggle
to Standby. The unit will start up in
its last pre-shutdown mode (radar only,
chart only, or split screen). Use the
display key located at the upper right corner of the unit to change modes. To
shut down the unit, press and hold the power key for 3 seconds.
We recommend that in addition to the Maptech
waterproof chart book (with the most active “killer rocks” marked in red) in
the cockpit, please utilize the chart plotter for added safety. You should have
little need of the radar except for the highly unlikely event that you are
suddenly enveloped by fog, which is rare in this area. The fog that we’ve
encountered usually burns off by mid-day.
If it’s still soupy after breakfast, we put on an extra pot of coffee
until it lifts. (Never depart from a “safe” location into the fog!)
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. You can also
try removing it by traveling in reverse.
The impeller is located beneath the most forward salon seat cushion. (We
don’t recommend that you try to remove the impeller to clear it, unless you are
VERY experienced in such things. An open hole in the hull is a scary situation,
and if not plugged quickly, it can jeopardize the boat.) If the knotmeter is
temporarily “out of service”, the GPS input to the chart plotter provides an
alternate and quite accurate speed indication.
VHF radio: The remote access
microphone (RAM), when plugged into the port side of the pedestal, controls all
radio functions of the unit mounted above the nav station from the steering
station. We find this very convenient while entering and leaving moorings. In
case of a distress where you can no longer stand by the radio to pass your
mayday, use the red distress button on the radio. First flip up the cover, then
press the button. GPS input is automatically coded into your signal. You should
monitor channel 16 (the hailing and distress channel) during your cruise. After
establishing contact on channel 16, switch to working channels 68, 69, or 79.
Scan the weather channels for the one with the best reception before sailing in
the morning and prior to anchoring for the evening. This is generally a light
wind region but weather changes can be sudden. Listen for the “inland waters of
western
10. Engine. Starting—
1. Check the oil level. The dipstick is easily accessed on the
starboard side of the engine. Access to the starboard side of the engine is in
the aft cabin. Unlatch and raise the
forward end of the cover. There is a wide gap on the dipstick between the full
line and the fill line. Do not overfill.
Use the onboard spare oil to add no more than a cup at a time. Then check the
level again. Overfilling is a bad thing to do to a diesel. The excess oil will
escape somehow, perhaps by blowing the head gasket. Also, if the dipstick
indicates no oil the first time you check it, reinsert and try again - the
correct level will show when the air lock bubble is broken. Expect the oil to
be blacker than that of a gasoline powered automobile engine…this is normal for
a diesel after only a few hours of operation. While the cover is removed, check
the coolant levels.
2. After securing the engine cover in the aft
cabin, lift the companionway stairs for access to the front of the engine. Check for belt tightness, leaking fluids, and
a clear raw water strainer.
3. After you secure the companionway engine
cover, check the battery switches at the base of the companionway. Both Common Ground and Bank #2 (the starting
battery) switches need to be in the horizontal “on” position
4. Look over the stern for things that could
foul the propeller.
5. Make sure the gearshift (black handle at the
pedestal) is in neutral (straight up) with the red clutch pin pushed in.
6.
Push the throttle lever about 1/3 forward.
7. Insert the key and turn it clockwise. The
warning buzzer will sound because there is no oil pressure.
8. Press and hold the starter button. Expect the engine to start in 5 seconds or
less. If the engine doesn’t start after 10 seconds of cranking, turn key to the
left and remove it. Wait 15 seconds and
try again.
9. After the engine starts,
release the start button, check for water gurgling out the exhaust, then gradually ease the throttle back to idle.
10. While the engine warms,
check your fuel level. To activate the gauge, push down on the toggle switch
that is probably obscured by the float dangling from the ignition key. Also check and record your engine hours. Fuel
gauges sometime stick but hour meters seldom lie.
Please allow 5-10 minutes of
warm up before placing a load on the engine. It is very hard on a diesel to be placed
under load when cold.
When you bring the throttle
back to the straight up position, the red clutch pin will pop out. Now you may
engage forward gear by pushing ahead on the throttle or reverse gear by pulling
back on the throttle. Please remember to pause in the straight up position when
changing shifting from forward to reverse and visa versa.
Operation. The 27 HP Yanmar 3 GM series engines are very reliable. Our cruising speed is 6 knots at 2500 RPM, 6.5 knots at 2750 RPM. Please do not exceed 2750 RPM because it’s hard on the diesel to push past cruising hull speed (at very little increase in speed). We find the engine will have least vibration at 2200 - 2750 RPM…so experiment to find the “sweet spot” for the most relaxing motor cruising.
To avoid the possibility of sucking air or sludge when the fuel level falls below a quarter of a tank, refuel before the fuel drops below ¼ full. Using 75% of our 28-gallon fuel capacity yields a 225 NM range, or about 40 hours of cruising.
Engine Overheat. If the buzzer sounds while the engine is running, immediately check the oil pressure and temperature gauges. If you lost oil pressure, shut down the engine, check the oil level, and contact San Juan Sailing. The alarm buzzer is more likely to indicate engine overheating (and a different light will light up – the one with the thermometer symbol). Check for water gurgling out the exhaust before you shut down the engine. If you have the normal amount of water exiting through the exhaust, check the coolant level after the engine cools down. If there is no water gurgling out of the exhaust or you see steam instead of water, the seawater strainer is likely plugged with eelgrass. The best solution to this problem is prevention—keep an eye peeled for eelgrass masses, especially along those “soapy” tide and eddy lines in the water. When eelgrass gets sucked into the engine cooling water intake, it jams at the raw water strainer. To clear the strainer, raise the companionway stairs for access. The raw water strainer is above the waterline, so there is no need to shut the seacock valve on the raw water intake. Remove the top of the strainer by turning it counterclockwise. (It will be tight, so a little elbow grease will be required.) Extract the plastic filter element. Remove the eelgrass (and throw it in the garbage can), and reinsert the plastic filter element into the strainer. Replace the lid and tighten by turning it clockwise until the lid is seated on the rubber gasket. (Be careful not to mis-thread the plastic top. Hint: Turn counter-clockwise first until you feel the top threads drop down into place in the bottom threads…then tighten clockwise.) If upon restarting the engine overheats again, check the seal between the strainer and its lid. If the strainer is drawing air, it won’t draw water. (If still overheating, contact San Juan Sailing.)
Engine Shutdown. Do not shut the ignition key while the engine is running! First bring the engine to idle and the gearshift to neutral. Allow the engine 5 minutes to cool down. Then pull the fuel cutoff handle by your right ankle. After the engine stops, turn off the ignition and remove the key.
11. Fuel Tank. The 28-gallon tank is located under the
quarter berth. The engine consumes half
a gallon of fuel per hour. 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 from the vents onto the side and onto the deck. It takes only
a few drops of diesel fuel in the water to create a sheen and subject you to a
Coast Guard fine. Fill slowly and carefully. When the pipe begins to gurgle
like its 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 stern and polluting the water. Also
be very careful of drips when removing the hose. Diesel and shoe bottoms are a
very slippery and dangerous combination. After wiping, please use soapy water
to scrub down any drips so it does not stain the fiberglass.
Note: Unlike automobile fuel gauges, fuel gauges on
boats are notoriously inaccurate. Therefore, whenever the fuel level drops
below ½ full, you should refuel at your next opportunity. NEVER let the fuel
level fall below ¼ full or you’re in danger of running out of fuel. (Towing and
the cost of a mechanic to bleed the air from the fuel lines is an expensive
proposition for a charter guest.)
12. Head and Holding
Tank. Please do not put anything
in the toilet that you didn’t eat first. Deposit toilet paper (and feminine
items) in the receptacle next to the toilet, not down the toilet. SEA EAGLE has
a 15-gallon holding tank mounted high in the port cockpit locker. (San Juan
Sailing staff will discuss holding tanks and pumpouts on your arrival.)
A “Y” valve is located under
the sink in the head. In one position,
the toilet will discharge overboard. In the other, it will discharge into the
holding tank. If you use the holding tank, please monitor it carefully! If the toilet pump starts to resist your
flushing effort, don’t force it! Exploding or leaking sewage is most
unpleasant! Search out the problem and correct it. To empty the holding tank
overboard (where appropriate to do so), simply open the red-handled seacock
under the sink in the head. The holding tank has a gravity discharge system. If
you pump out the holding tank at a shore facility, please fill it with fresh
water through the deck fitting to rinse, then pump it out again. Thank you!
13. Heater
. The diesel fired Webasto cabin heater is
located in the outboard portion of the starboard cockpit locker. The heater
control is located at the Navigation Station, to the right of the stereo. The rocker switch to the right of the rotary
dial chooses heat or ventilation (fan only).
With the rocker in the heat position, rotating the dial to the right
starts the unit and raises the temperature setting. Turning the dial all the way to the left
turns off the unit, however the fan will continue to run while the unit is
cooling down. There are outlets at floor
level in each cabin and in the main salon.
Check and make certain that vents to the part of the boat that you are
trying to heat are open. The heat is
dry, comfortable, and on those rainy days or cool evenings, makes a huge
difference in cruising comfort!
Please note that the air
intake is located in the cockpit, near the floor (starboard side). The intake
pickup (chrome) is like a vacuum cleaner and will suck up any debris (hair,
tissue paper, candy wrappers, rubber bands, etc.) that is underneath it. If
that material gets into the burner, either the unit will not fire off OR it may
burn and become a small bonfire inside the unit. So please check for debris in
the cockpit before turning on the Webasto cabin heater.
14. Refrigerator. The well-insulated refrigerator must be turned
on at the electrical panel. The
thermostat is at the galley counter level, to the right of the refrigerator. We
recommend running the refrigerator during the day only, not at night. Or at
least turn it down to “4” (the medium setting) at night. This will help
conserve house battery power.
15. Sails / Rigging.
Mainsail – The mainsail has in-mast furling. Before
deploying the main, loosen the boom vang line and the main sheet by opening the
jammer clutch and pulling out about a foot of line on each, then close the
jammer. (The sail does not like to come out when the boom is pulled down tight,
so give it a little “play”.) When setting or shortening sail, keep a slight
hand-over-hand tension on the opposing line – that is, slight tension on the
furling line while pulling on the outhaul and a slight tension on the outhaul
while pulling on the furling line. While you’ll have infinite reef points,
three blue disks along the foot of the sail mark standard reef points. Please
furl the main while on a port tack only (to avoid chafing the furling line
against the boom vang lines) and while you are close hauled in order to
provide some tension on the sail (from the wind) for a nice, tight wrap. (If
you’re about to hit a reef on a port tack, go ahead and come about and furl the
sail on a starboard tack.)
Headsail – The genoa/jib also has roller furling,
with good sail shape from full out through three standard reef points marked by
blue disks along the foot of the sail. As with the main, slight hand-over-hand
tension on opposing lines – sheet and furling line – prevents problems such as
a rat’s nest on the drum (should the wind catch the sail and unwrap it
violently) or a baggy furled sail.
16. Sailing & Handling Characteristics. Sea Eagle is a delight to sail. Her
sail plan (small roller-furling genoa, in-mast furling main, and no spinnaker)
was selected with consideration for single or short -handed sailing. Under
power, she backs to port. However, once she has sternway, Sea Eagle is easily steered with small
rudder changes. Her perfect breeze is 15-20 knots with heel at 15-20 degrees.
Full sail can be carried in winds up to 20 knots. If you reach the edge of your
comfort envelope sooner, it’s easy to use the roller furling to incrementally
shorten your sails.
17. Shower. Hot water is
stored in the insulated tank located under the most aft salon seat
cushion. It takes about 30 minutes of
running the engine under load to get hot water. When on shore power, you can heat your water electrically.
Experienced cruisers know the sailor’s shower: get wet, turn it off, soap up, rinse off. If the shower basin overflows, you’re using
too much water. After turning the sump
pump on at the panel board, it is controlled by a toggle switch located above
the washbasin. CAUTION: The engine can heat the water to scalding
temperatures! On warm, sunny days, an
alternative to the below decks shower is the swim platform shower. This is also a good way to rinse off salt
after swimming or dirt after going ashore.
18. Stove. The gimbaled propane stove
has two burners and an oven. Propane is
heavier than air and requires caution.
For your safety, please follow these procedures:
1. Open the hand valve at the propane tank all the way open and
very slightly snug.
2. Make sure all stove
control knobs are in the “off” position!
3. Turn the electric solenoid switch located just below the
electrical panel to “on”. A green light
will appear, and you’ll hear a click in the propane locker as the solenoid
valve opens.
4. Light a match, push in the stove control knob and turn to
the left to high. The burner should light immediately.
5.
When finished with the stove,
shut off the burner(s), then shut off the solenoid switch. (What little propane
remains in the line from the tank to the galley is insignificant, and even if
this tiny amount of propane were to leak into the cabin, it would not cause a
problem.)
If you do not intend to use
the stove again in the next several hours, it’s also a good idea to shut off
the hand valve at the tank. Then you’ll have both the solenoid valve and the
hand valve protecting against a potential propane leak into the main cabin.
(You’ll sleep much better!) Please note that both propane valves – the hand
valve and the solenoid valve – 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.
While the propane tank normally lasts for six weeks or more, San Juan Sailing’s staff fills the propane tank every 3 weeks.
19. TV –DVD player (with remote control).
Please enjoy a DVD movie (a dozen or so are aboard, and bring your favorites) on SEA EAGLE’s 15” Widescreen LCD with built-in DVD player. The DVD slot is located on the right side of the TV. Control buttons are also found on the right side of the TV. Plus there is a remote control unit.
When on DC power (on anchor or a mooring buoy), the TV/DVD can be used with the 110 volt power cord plugged into a small inverter located in the cupboard under the unit. The breaker labeled “Cabin Lights 2” must be on. Then the red toggle switch on the inverter must be in the “on” position.
When on shorepower, you may disconnect the power cord from the inverter and (after running it through the hole in the cabinet on the forward bulkhead below the silver cover that is located to the left of the refrigerator lid) plug it into the 110 volt AC outlet above the galley counter. That allows you to play the unit on 110 volt AC while the battery charger is charging the batteries at full capacity. (At the electrical panel, turn “on” both the charger switch and the AC Outlets switch.)
Some DVD movies (Captain Ron included) want to give you captions whether you want them or not. If you put in a DVD that automatically defaults to on-screen captions, then take the remote control unit, press the top right button twice, then scroll over with the right “arrow” toggle to the far right box that will have appeared on the screen. Once there (the caption control), press the up “arrow” toggle which will turn it off. Then, hit the upper right button again and the boxes on the screen will disappear and so will the on-screen captions. Then enjoy your DVD movie!
20. Water – Hot & Cold Pressure.
Water pressure: The fresh water pump 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 two water tanks, a 37 gallon tank (#1) located in the lazarette and a 34 gallon tank (#2) located under the forward V-berth. Selection valves are under the galley counter. Use only one tank at a time – do not leave both valves open. The tank tender gauges above the galley counter will only give an indication when the pump is turned on at the panel board. State parks have no pressurized water to refill tanks, but all points of civilization do. If your crew does not let the water run continuously while they brush their teeth or shave, you shouldn’t have a problem.
* *
*
We
equipped Sea Eagle for both our
own enjoyment and yours. 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 overall good feelings we have
while aboard. We hope you’ll love her too!
Thank you in advance for taking
special care of her! We earnestly
solicit any suggestions for further improvements.
We’re
delighted to have you as our guests aboard SEA EAGLE!
Revised 6/5/2004