Knowing Your Boat
Tracker Safety Series
[vimeo:23a33418-a49b-48ae-b5e4-f190
Captain’s Report
Chapter 6 – Know Your Boat’s Systems
Overview
It is the owner’s and captain’s responsibility to make sure systems and components are kept in good working order. These systems and components are designed to improve your boats performance, add comfort, and provide safety for you and your crew.
Navigation Lights
Not all boating takes place during daylight hours - For that reason, boats are equipped with running and anchor lights. Unlike the headlights on a car, which allow the driver to see obstacles better in darkness, the lights on a boat are designed to let the crews of other boats see her.
What all boaters need to understand - Navigation lights on boats are colored and positioned a way so boaters can know what they are seeing on the water after dark. Boats should also carry a bright spotlight or flashlight to serve as a “headlight” for finding channel markers and spotting obstacles in low-light conditions.
1. Running Lights
Boats have three lights they must display at a minimum in dark conditions.
a. Bow Lights - A bow light or lights consist of a red light on the port side and a green light to the starboard side. These lights are visible from directly forward to 22.5-degrees abaft the beam on their respective sides. More simply, a boat’s red light can be seen from straight ahead to 112.5-degrees back on the port side and the green light can be seen in the same arc on the starboard side.
b. Understand the Rules of the Road - Understand that boats have the right of way when they see the green light of a boat on an intersecting course and the red light tells them they must give way to the other boat. The white light, which is usually at the stern or atop the hardtop, must be visible from 360-degrees around the boat.
What do you do if your boat lights do not come on? If the lights are not working, do not operate the boat between sundown and sunrise until they are repaired. If boating in darkness is a possibility, test the lights before setting out.
2. Anchor Lights - Boats that are at anchor must display a single white light that can be seen from 360-degrees around it. This is to help other boats see the boat at rest when they are running.
Navigation Lights Indicate the Direction Vessels are Traveling. The color combination of lights you see on another boat at night indicates the direction they’re traveling that is relative to your position or course.
Underway After Dark. Operating after dark is far riskier than running during daylight. Go slow. if you must run at night, keep a sharp watch and have the entire crew wear PFDs at all times.
Bilge Pumps
Bilge pumps are placed at the lowest points inside the boat where any water that comes aboard from rain, waves, condensation, leaks or other sources will collect.
Automatic bilge pumps - Most boats are equipped with an automatic bilge system that detects water when it reaches a certain level and turns on to pump it out. Ask your dealer if your boat is so equipped, or if one can be added as an option.
As water enters the bilge - The paddle on the switch rises, activating the pump whenever water rises above a preset level. The water is discharged overboard (green arrow).
Float Switch - If a float switch becomes inoperative, or the boat is not equipped with one, the boater must activate the bilge pump with a switch on the helm panel.
Do not overdo - Only allow the pump to run until the water is gone. If the pump runs dry, it’s likely to burn out and will require a replacement.
Inspect the Bilge Pump and Float Switch - Check the bilge pump and float switch operation regularly, especially when leaving the boat in the water for extended periods.
Be aware - Most float switches are wired directly to the boat’s battery. It will turn on even if the main battery switch is turned off. But if left too long, the bilge pump will run the battery down and that can get ugly as the boat will eventually fill with water.
Check the boat's bilge pump system regularly - Remember that the automatic bilge pump is not foolproof. A dead battery, a broken wire, or a clogged float switch can render the automatic pump inoperative. It’s a nice system to have but does not relieve you of the responsibility of keeping the boat afloat. Leaving a boat in the water unattended for extended periods of time is asking for trouble.
Trolling Motor
Many boats come equipped with a bow-mounted trolling motor. This system has its own operator’s manual. A boater should read and understand it before operating the unit.
Trolling Motor Batteries - Isolating the trolling motor batteries protects the boat’s main batteries – the starting battery for the engine – from being inadvertently discharged, which would leave the boat stranded.
Charging trolling motor batteries - Because trolling motor batteries are isolated from the main-engine system and are not automatically recharged by the engines’ electrical system, you’ll need to recharge the trolling motor batteries at the end of the day, using a portable charger or a built-in onboard charger.
Be careful using a portable battery charger - Keep the battery compartment open to allow venting during charging and follow the instructions provided with the charger carefully to avoid danger.
Make the correct connections - Connect the red cable clip to the positive battery terminal and the black cable clip to the negative battery terminal. Use caution. Crossing the positive terminal with any grounded metal will cause a short circuit and lots of sparks – which isn't a good scenario in a closed compartment where there might be residual gasoline or oil.
Livewell System
A livewell system lets a boater keep bait or fish alive on the boat - Raw outside water is drawn in via an electric pump and excess water overflows through an overflow tube.
If that tube becomes clogged with debris - The system could end up pumping water directly into the boat. Some systems have an additional pump to drain the well and that will need to be checked, too.
Check regularly - All hoses and clamps to and from the livewell system should be checked regularly and replaced or tightened if necessary.
Excessive livewell operation - Running the livewell for extended periods of time without either charging the batteries or running the boat to charge the batteries could leave you with plenty of fish but no way to get them home.
Steering System
Types of steering systems - A boat’s steering system will either be a cable-driven mechanical system or a hydraulic steering system.
Check frequently - Get into the habit of checking the system for smooth and easy operation. Remember, if it gets a little harder each time, a boater may not notice. Consciously test and inspect the system and maintain it to keep it operating smoothly.
Hydraulic Steering - It is best to have the system serviced by your dealer’s service center twice a year, or any time you notice the steering becomes either spongy or erratic. There are refill kits available but if you’re losing hydraulic fluid, it is best to have a trained service tech check it out.
Regular Maintenance and Service - Preferably twice a year, but at least once a year at the beginning of the boating season, the engine and systems will need a checkup and some routine maintenance.
Follow the maintenance schedule that came in the owner’s manual - For items such as oil change and filter, fuel filter, spark plugs, impeller, lower-unit oil and overall lubrication, follow the maintenance manual. Failure to maintain the engine may cause a malfunction far from the dock.
Improper maintenance - Not following the recommended maintenance can also void the warranty so don’t overlook this important aspect of boat ownership.
Onboard Electronics
Multifunction Displays - Today’s electronic systems can be fed into a wide array of multifunction displays. Combo units with GPS charting, sonar and radar can be pretty complicated. Add digital switching for lights and other systems and it becomes important to thoroughly understand all the systems functions and how to operate them.