Section 5: “What to Do If” for Some Specific
Concerns
5A: ANCHOR CHAIN WON’T COME OUT OF CHAIN LOCKER
The anchor chain is continuous, secured at both ends, and cannot tangle. But
sometimes a pile of chain will fall over, and one loop of chain will fall through another
loop. Usually you can clear this by grasping the chain where it exits the hawse pipe
from the chain locker with your hands, and pulling it up or down to “jiggle” the loop out of
the chain; you may have to retrieve some chain to do this, in order to have enough slack
to jiggle it! It is rare when this will not clear the jam. The other solution: go below and
clear the tangle in the chain locker. Caution: Turn off the windlass breaker to protect
your hands when manhandling chain!
5B: ANCHOR FOULED, CAN’T RAISE IT
This can happen if you “pull the boat to the anchor” with the windlass. You should move
the boat under power until it is over the anchor, or, even better, slightly ahead of it
before hauling. Usually this will clear it. Otherwise, take a line and form a fixed, loose
loop around the chain. Weight the loop, and lower it down the line until it reaches the
bottom, sliding down the chain. Then, using the dinghy, take the line forward past the
anchor so that you can pull the anchor out, opposite the direction its flukes are pointing.
This should help you to pull the anchor free.
5C: ANCHOR WINDLASS WON’T TURN
If the motor isn’t running, is the circuit breaker by the lower helm on? If the motor is
running, is the clutch tight? Use the anchor windlass handle. Windlasses are equipped
with a shear pin to protect them: if you sheared the pin, you will have to haul the anchor
by hand using the emergency handle.
5D: BATTERIES (HOUSE) KEEP RUNNING DOWN
Have you run the engines or generator enough? Is something left on (like the engine
room or mast lights, too many electronics, etc.) that is too great a load for the time you
were not charging? Are you using the inverter for big jobs? Use the stove or shore
power. Have you had the inverter on whenever plugged in to shore power or running
the generator? You must, for the house batteries to charge!
5E: ENGINE OVERHEATS
Is the drive belt for the water pump intact? Spare belts are in the engine room spares
kit. Is the sea strainer clogged? See that section in this manual. Is the impeller shot?
If sea strainer is clear and belt is good, this is likely. Change (spare in spares kit) or call
a mechanic. Do not run engine if it overheats!
5F: ENGINE WON’T START
If starter does not turn, is transmission in neutral? Try jiggling shift lever while pushing
start button. Check battery, battery switches. Start generator, charge all the batteries.
If starter turns, assume fuel problem: did you bump a fuel valve on the manifold at back
of engine room? Make sure all open, if one was closed, re-prime engine or call a
mechanic if you can’t do this (see John Deere engine manual).
Section 5: "What to Do If" 5.1
