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DREAM CATCHER OPERATING MANUAL 

 NW Explorations 

4F5: AC Power Selector Switches

The lower AC panel to the right of the lower helm wall has three 

selector switches:

“GENERATORS SELECTOR”

This switch determines 

which generator

 is supplying power, if 

any... “AC POWER SELECTOR”

This switch determines whether (1) the generator selected by the “Generators Selector” is supplying the boat, 

or 

(2) the 

shore power inlet selected by the “Shore Power Selector is supplying the boat...

“SHORE POWER SELECTOR”

This switch determines 

which Shore Power receptacle 

is supplying power, if any.

4F6: AC Reverse Polarity Indicator

Although we tend to think of AC Electricity as having only two conductors, it actually has three. One of these is called 

“neutral”; one is “hot”; and one is “ground”, that is, it is supposed to be the same as the water around the boat and 

the earth ashore.  The vessel and many of its appliances rely upon these connections having the correct “polarity”, or 

relationship to one another and the earth; this is essential to be sure that users of AC equipment do not get a shock 

when touching and AC equipment.

Now in a house ashore, it’s easy:  We don’t “plug in” the house, for it stays connected to the utility company all the time!  

But in a boat when in the harbor, we do plug in using our Shore Power cords (and sometimes using extension cords).  If 

the outlet to which we plug our cord or if the cord itself is mis-wired, then these connections can become mixed up, and 

there is a significant chance of getting a shock or a chance that running gear outside the boat will be subject to corrosion 

because the boat, immersed in sea water, a good conductor of electricity.

To protect the vessel and its crew from such contingencies, a “Reverse Polarity Warning” light on the lower Generator 

Control Switch Panel will illuminate when the connection turned on.

If any “Reverse Polarity” light should illuminate when connecting to Shore Power, immediately disconnect the cable and 

contact the harbor master advising him/her of the problem.  Do not risk shock or system damage!

The “Push to Test” button should light the “reversed polarity Bulb” to test it.

4F7: AC Shore Power, Disconnecting & Connecting

The large selector switches on the AC metering panel are used to determine the source of AC power for the boat (see 

above). At least one of these switches should be “OFF” whenever you are connecting or disconnecting the boat to shore.  

This is true so that you do not draw an arc from the plug due to the load of the boat on the connector’s pins:  such an arc 

will burn the contacts and eventually cause them to overheat when in use, creating a fire hazard.

Once connected to shore power, monitor the AC voltmeter and ammeter — both circuits — to be sure you have not 

overloaded the circuit.

Important Note: If the house batteries are low when you first hook up to shore power, and the inverter is turned on (as 

it should be), the inverter will begin charging its batteries at a very high charging rate, drawing a lot of shore power 

current. Until this demand reduces (see “The Inverter System” below), you should turn “OFF” other high-current AC 

appliances such as the water heater.

You can then turn on AC appliances as needed. Watch the ammeter to be sure you don’t exceed the dock’s available 

supply, typically 30 amps.

Summary of Contents for 49 Classic

Page 1: ...0 2015 Copyrighted See notice next page Section Contents 1 Introduction General Description 2 Important Vessel Numbers 3 Operating Checklists Maneuvering Suggestions 4 Specific Discussion of Boat Systems 5 What to Do for Some Specific Concerns 6 EMERGENCY PROCEDURES 7 Index ...

Page 2: ... risk and the author of this manual has no responsibility for your actions whatsoever If you do not feel competent to undertake any or all operations detailed herein do not undertake it them get help from a competent person I thank you and my lawyer thanks you Joseph D Coons Copyright 2011 Joseph D Coons This manual was written for this boat s owner and it s charter company by Joseph D Coons 1220 ...

Page 3: ...r unforeseen If you have a question which limits your understanding or handling of this vessel ask the owner a specialist or contact the Jet Tern Marine Grand Banks company offices for details you might make a list of questions as you read the manual saving them all up to ask at one time 1A2 How the Manual is Organized The manual is divided into six sections numbered 1 to 6 plus an index Section 7...

Page 4: ...ain movement both up and down electrically The anchor is retracted into the bow pulpit which hangs out over the bow to give good chain clearance from the hull this pulpit is strong and braced easily supporting not only the anchor during hauling but also an attending crew member if necessary After passing over the winch the chain goes below decks into the chain locker There are shore power connecti...

Page 5: ...rt and the upper helm station to starboard In addition to instruments and controls the console has a sliding door revealing more electronics including a large fold out radar console On the aft end of the flybridge to port is a large Igloo cooler for extra iced storage The flybridge console has a full complement of instruments including navigation communications and engine controls The aft cabin to...

Page 6: ...o avoid getting salt water inside Salon Forward of the starboard door is the helm station with electric switch panels adjacent on the starboard side electronics panel above with warning lights windshield wiper switches speed log and depth sounder etc On the helm is the ship s radar computer with Coastal Navigator plotting and wireless mouse NavNet display etc Note Storage for charts is in the plas...

Page 7: ...ge with a table in front that has leaves allowing it to easily seat six for meals At the aft end of the settee to midships a cabinet holds the stereo AM FM radio and entertainment supplies To port aft in the salon are the doorway to the Master Stateroom a storage cabinet the port side entry door a cabinet with numerous drawers and shelves for galley items the TV and DVD CD player and the back side...

Page 8: ...y counters and additional storage is under hatches in the 2 guest stateroom hold under the cabin floor The compartment under the counter beneath the windshield on the port side forward of the stove is for dish storage The under seat cabinets on the flybridge also can be used for food if desired Galley Fridge to left of drawers deep freeze access is in left ell of counter or back side This entire s...

Page 9: ...mpartment Forward to starboard in this stateroom is a head compartment with toilet and level indicator for the starboard holding tank a sink vanity numerous cabinets and drawers and the stall shower There are switches to turn the fan on for the heating system for the outlets in the head and shower as well as switches for the shower drain and electric head You will also find ample storage space for...

Page 10: ... as a large overhead hatch provide lots of light in this cabin In the floor between the berths there is a storage compartment with a drain sump for the washing machine Guest Head Moving aft from the forward stateroom to port is the forward head compartment with its own stall shower electric head tank level indicator for the forward holding tank and a basin with vanity we like to leave the hatch op...

Page 11: ...connection for an air hose stored in the 20kw generator compartment On the wall is the starboard engine s coolant expansion tank and below it are that engine s seawater strainer Moving aft from the wiring panel are black boxes for the electronics the dinghy davit main switch normally ON and then the boat s NewMar battery charger Mounted on the floor outboard of the engine is the 8KW first of two W...

Page 12: ...he shelf the large red tank is the heating system expansion tank Forward of these are another outlet the heating system circulating water manifold and valves and the furnace itself alongside the Utility Room wall Forward of the port engine is its coolant expansion tank its sea strainer thru hull and the built in engine fire extinguishing system A hose with fresh water faucet attached is also here ...

Page 13: ...id Kit It is in the salon in the cabinet to right of the ice maker Another is with common first aid items is in a tool box type container in the midships cabin Flares In the salon in the cabinet to right of the ice maker Life Preservers PFD s There are life vests in the cabin hanging lockers and under the flybridge starboard seat Life Raft Dream Catcher is fitted with an emergency life raft It is ...

Page 14: ... 70 Gallons in two tanks Dimensions Length Waterline 48 feet 9 inches Length Overall 50 feet 6 inches Beam 15 Feet 5 Inches Draft 5 Feet 1 inches Displacement Est 71 000 pounds full load Fluids Motor Fuel 2 Diesel Motor Oil mains 15W 40 Chevron Delo Multigrade Transmission Oil 30 weight Chevron Delo Engine Coolant 50 50 mix ethylene glycol water corrosion inhibitor added Operating Parameters Estim...

Page 15: ...Engine Stop On Engine breakers On in turn Push start buttons in turn If an engine does not turn over see What to Do If Leaving Dock Only 3 4 minute engine warmup required Shore power switch Off Shore power cord removed stowed on board Step stool aboard if used Fenders hauled aboard and stowed Lines and other deck gear secure stowed Doors and hatches acrylic panels closed and secured as appropriate...

Page 16: ...nt of five until chain pulls up virtually straight Note The boat is not held in reverse against a taught anchor chain Generator Starting Stopping either generator Hold Preheat switch for 10 20 seconds then while holding Hold Start switch until it starts if it does not start repeat preheat step Continue holding the pre heat switch for 2 3 seconds Check outside exhaust for water flow After one minut...

Page 17: ...goes to each successive boat to arrive for the first boat has priority in the anchorage Here in the Northwest because of the deep waters all chain rodes and small bays we anchor a little differently than in the Gulf of Mexico or Carribean for example First except in severe weather we use anchor chain scopes of only 4 to 1 or 5 to 1 For example in water that is 40 feet at low tide in the typical an...

Page 18: ...re to keep clear of rocks near the shore and allow for our Northwest tides occasionally twelve feet and sometimes 20 feet when further north Check the present tide and high and low tides before beginning anchoring No sense anchoring in 15 feet of water if you re at the top of a 15 foot tide To get to the shore you will need to have a dinghy down and then have your mate keep the boat s stern toward...

Page 19: ... which are more suited to hold it It reduces substantially the chain noise transmitted to the occupants of the forward cabin It allows the anchor rode to have a lower angle relative to the sea bottom thus increasing the anchor s holding power To use the bridle Lower the anchor normally see page 20 then after it is set Hook the bridle on the chain just in front of the anchor pulpit bow roller Then ...

Page 20: ... while lifting it above the wildcat manually rapidly yank it up and down This will usually free it If this yanking technique fails look into the chain locker to un overlap the layers of chain in the pile Hauling anchor The anchor is both raised and lowered by the windlass The chain goes from the windlass below into the chain locker through the chain pipe behind the chain wheel wildcat It is a real...

Page 21: ...ve the back cover from the windlass and with a voltmeter check to see if while a switch is depressed there is DC voltage on it s terminals if not check the actual wires themselves where they connect to the windlass for the windlass uses so much current that sometime the connect though it appears tight may have failed If there is voltage on the wires tighten the nuts firmly on the terminals Windlas...

Page 22: ...has to be in it when the engines are or have been recently running 4D Bilge Pumps The boat has two bilge pumps one in each bilge area each controlled by a mode switch in the DC Circuit Breaker panel by the lower helm There is a breaker here for each of the pumps as well as the mode switches Each breaker red arrows in turn goes to a switch in the breaker panel labeled Manual Off or Auto and these s...

Page 23: ...shore on beaches to minimize damage and scratches to the bottom Dragging can be reduced by two persons if one is on each side Don t Ram the beach you can bump up to the beach gently and step ashore over the bow pulling the dinghy a little more ashore as each person off loads Don t forget to raise the outboard 4E3 Outboard Motor The outboard motor for the dinghy is a four stroke electric start Yama...

Page 24: ... the start switch while continuing to hold the preheat switch for an additional 3 seconds then release See warning under Generator Problems below 3 Check the generator exhaust or listen for it to confirm that cooling water is being pumped from it 4 After a brief warmup of a minute or so set the generator selector in the AC panel to the correct generator then switch the shore power switch in the AC...

Page 25: ...ng AC power and you will want to charge the batteries at every opportunity we suggest that you leave it On for the duration of your cruise As noted above under the Connecting Shore Power section be mindful that the Inverter can draw a lot of current when charging the batteries especially when first activated upon connection to shore power Thus you need to be careful not to overload a shore power c...

Page 26: ...n t work unless they are turned on with the switches in the stateroom But some of the other breakers are the only switch for the item An example of this would be the McCarron Charger breaker It s circuit breaker is the only controlling power switch On the next page is the list of the breakers how they re used Because a 50 amp cable has two hot leads there is a column telling which of these circuit...

Page 27: ... B To icemaker outlet Microwave 2 B To microwave outlet McCarron Charger 1 S To McCarron charger Starboard Outlets 2 B To outlets stbd side of boat Refer 2 B To refrigeration thermostats Pilot Light Water Heater On If Lit Water Heater is on Green Always leave on Blue Leave on when Aboard Yellow Use only when Needed 4F4 AC Metering Just forward of the starboard salon door is an analog AC Voltmeter ...

Page 28: ...tside the boat will be subject to corrosion because the boat immersed in sea water a good conductor of electricity To protect the vessel and its crew from such contingencies a Reverse Polarity Warning light on the lower Generator Control Switch Panel will illuminate when the connection turned on If any Reverse Polarity light should illuminate when connecting to Shore Power immediately disconnect t...

Page 29: ...boat we can t start an engine to get more electricity So a good skipper and crew has electrical power management in mind whenever they turn an electrical gadget on or off It is with this concern that we can cite a reality If we need more electricity than the batteries alone must provide and if the propulsion engines aren t running we will need to get our electrical power from an alternative source...

Page 30: ...cking the engine until it starts Then be sure to immediately turn it back on after the engine is started Two more smaller batteries start each generator Each of these is charged by the generator to which it is connected and by the Newmar charger What redundancy 4G3 DC Battery Chargers The vessel is equipped with two 12 volt battery chargers One of these a Newmar unit charges the two genset batteri...

Page 31: ...As for the breaker panel itself just as in your home most of these switches are true circuit breakers they feed power to somewhere in the boat where there is another switch which in turn turns the item on and off An example of this would be the circuit breakers for the horn and electric head If the breaker is turned on the horn won t work unless you push the horn button and the head won t flush un...

Page 32: ...hor Light S Turns on anchor light F W Pump B To fresh water pump pressure switch Spreader Light S Turns on spreader light Drain Pump B To dram pump sws showers sink Fwd Cabin Lights B To forward cabin light switches Galley Vent B To galley vent switch Saloon Lights B To salon light switches Gas Stove B To propane solenoid sw over stove Aft Cabin Lights B To aft cabin light switches Head Vent B To ...

Page 33: ...d Then the unit s own power button must have been depressed or its knob must be also be in the ON mode The computer runs on 110 volt AC from shore power or the inverter 4H1 Electronics Autopilot The boat is equipped with a Robertson Simrad AP100DL Autopilot System including a control console at each helm For the unit to operate be sure the breaker is on in the Power Panel Basic operation is simple...

Page 34: ...s are sometimes very deep the depth sounders will not display or will stay on a high depth reading when the water s depth is beyond its capacity Remember when backing up or crossing a tide line that turbulent water from the tides or boat s screws or those of another boat can interrupt the sounding information received by the unit Be careful Note that our Northwest waters are rocky and depths chang...

Page 35: ...fter it boots double click the icon to start the navigation program Furuno NavNet System At both helms the boat s Furuno NavNet System allows map display and course plotting This modern system will make your trip easier See the manuals for full details THESE ELECTRONIC CHARTING SYSTEMS ARE NOT SUBSTITUTES FOR CAREFUL STUDY OF TRADITIONAL PAPER CHARTS You are required by maritime law to use your pa...

Page 36: ...ency channel in the Northwest In addition the ICOM units use Digital Selective Calling for emergency communications The two portable units operate conventionally Detailed instructions are in their manuals 4J Engine Transmissions 4J1 General Discussion The main engines on the boat are Caterpillar 3208 T Diesels producing a maximum of 320 horsepower each These extraordinarily reliable rugged machine...

Page 37: ...k add coolant from the jug of pre mixed antifreeze corrosion inhibitor water supplied on the boat With the engine cold add only to a level above the line no more The coolant expands and fills the tank when the engine gets warm Check the Room Whenever you re in the engine room ask yourself Does everything look right Look at the pads under the engines and transmissions while some drips are normal th...

Page 38: ...izer 1 Pull back slave lever until you feel resistance 2 Push in the switch The engine throttles are now once again independent Note The synchronizer will automatically disengage if an engine cannot be synchronized For this reason it cannot reliably be used if both engines are throttled back to idle 4J6 Engine Transmissions Check the Transmission Oil Level Check the oil level once every two weeks ...

Page 39: ...e switch detects low water pressure The blue accumulator tank by the pump provides a pressure head for the pump so the pump doesn t need to run so often Instead a pump cycle will provide for several minutes of routine water use before pressure diminishes and the pump starts again It is a good idea to turn off the fresh water pump breaker whenever leaving the boat for any extended period lest a dri...

Page 40: ...boat pretty fast using a standard hose and nozzle like those on auto gas pumps there is one fuel fill on each side deck Use the single DIESEL fill on each side deck Fill all the tanks completely but do not spill fuel Do not overfill causing excess fuel to spill from the tank vents on the outboard sides of the boat Listen carefully for the filling bottle sounds of the fuel fills as the fuel in the ...

Page 41: ... return lines from each engine and in the lines from each tank to the manifold These valves should be left in the all open mode It should be remembered that at slow speeds these return lines are pumping a lot of fuel tampering with the lines could mean that a return line might be switched long enough to overflow and pollute the water through the tank vents overflowing 4M Furnace Air Conditioning 4...

Page 42: ... heating system is all off System Heat The Diesel Furnace will supply heat if called for by any thermostat Engine Heat The port engine if running will supply heat if called for by any thermostat Select the desired master switch setting and then set the desired temperature on the thermostats When the thermostat calls for heat and the switch is in the System Heat position the first time the furnace ...

Page 43: ...ng page The thermostat shows the room temperature until the up down button is touched then it shows the furnace setting When it is showing the furnace setting you can raise of lower it as desired 4N Galley Appliances Dream Catcher is fitted with a number of appliances for your convenience Most of these like the microwave are easy to operate just like a home appliance nevertheless we will spend som...

Page 44: ...akes five to ten seconds 1 Be sure the propane valve circuit breaker in the DC panel is on 2 Turn on the remote propane valve on the fly bridge by throwing the over the stove Propane switch when you do this the pilot light on the switch panel will light 3 Turn the knob for your selected burner to light holding it in and use a propane match to light the gas from the burner Sometimes you may need to...

Page 45: ...ted sewage in inland US waters an area that includes all US waters in which this boat operates The boat holding tank must only be emptied at proper pump out stations if it is in US waters This rule does not apply in Canadian waters However in Canada courteous practice dictates that the holding tank be dumped only when outside confined marinas or bays as we are sure the reader agrees The boat is eq...

Page 46: ...n the back wall of the main closet behind white screw off plate needs to be in Holding Tank Deck Pumpout position When done return to the Macerator Pump Overboard position In some Canadian waters but not in a no discharge zone you can dump the tank overboard without a pumpout station by turning ON both macerator pumps at the DC panel and rotating the macerator timer located to the right of the hel...

Page 47: ...ft open To pump out the aft holding tank the Y valve needs to be turned to allow the effluent to be pumped out There are overboard valves in the lines where the discharge hoses connect to the through hulls These should be open too Fwd holding tank Y valve Third Y valve in aft stateroom closet Must be set to deck fitting position to pump out aft holding tank ...

Page 48: ...ll LED panel located directly under the AC ammeter by the starboard salon door at the lower helm The port engine power switch must be ON for the LED to illuminate 4R3 Safety Alarm Panel This panel in the salon will alert you for several anomalies in the boat s systems or if you have left some lights on that could run down your batteries LED s indicate emergency conditions engine room lights that a...

Page 49: ... long handle Turn the valve lever so it is perpendicular to the sea strainer parallel to the hull 3 Remove the top of the sea strainer Then remove the strainer by pulling it out the top of the assembly Rinse the strainer thoroughly and if necessary remove any debris from the glass housing you can use the fresh water hose in the engine room and a bowl brush is next to the water hose to help clean t...

Page 50: ... 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 li...

Page 51: ...ENCY PROCEDURES next chapter 5K PROPELLER FOULED OR DAMAGED Best thing have the prop checked by a diver or dive it yourself if able Check for vibration Try turning shaft by hand in engine room both should be turn able with engine in neutral Is shaft noisy or does it load engine Do not use that side or call Vessel Assist See emergency procedures next chapter 5L WATER FRESH WON T FLOW Is there water...

Page 52: ...p in touch Be sure that the status and safety of the boat and crew is someone s responsibility while you sort out the boat s problem For example delegate your mate to keep a watch for hazards or to operate the boat on course slowly while you deal with the difficulty Here is a checklist for solving the problem A Isolate it B Get the manuals C Get parts D If necessary call vendors for help Over the ...

Page 53: ...get the lazarette area where the rudder posts are after putting the engine into idle and or neutral if necessary If you did hole the boat go immediately to the If an Emergency on the preceding pages If no hole and still idling is the boat vibrating If yes put the engine into neutral try accelerating it If there is vibration or any unusual noise grinding or squealing shut down that main engine and ...

Page 54: ...1 13 19 33 36 50 emergency 4 9 12 13 36 48 50 54 engine 5 9 11 13 15 16 18 22 25 27 29 30 36 42 45 48 51 53 54 exhaust 11 16 24 43 exhaust fan 11 F fenders 12 15 43 filters 12 39 40 45 fire extinguishers 13 flares 7 13 flashlight 9 10 37 flybridge 4 5 8 13 17 34 36 44 FM 35 freezer 43 fresh water 3 12 39 45 48 49 fuel 4 11 12 15 19 23 40 42 44 50 52 fuel fill 40 fuel filters 12 40 fuel tank 12 15 ...

Page 55: ...a water 24 28 30 49 shaft 12 48 51 shore line 12 17 18 21 shore power 4 15 16 24 25 28 30 33 39 41 43 45 50 shower 9 10 39 spares 50 starting 11 12 15 16 24 25 30 31 33 stereo 7 35 stern line 18 sundeck 22 23 43 synchronizer 15 19 38 T table 7 11 41 temperature 36 42 45 throttles 15 38 transmission oil 38 TV 7 25 36 V VHF 13 33 36 52 voltage 21 27 31 voltmeter 21 26 28 33 W wake 15 washer 11 19 24...

Page 56: ...56 DREAM CATCHER OPERATING MANUAL NW Explorations ...

Page 57: ...NW Explorations DREAM CATCHER OPERATING MANUAL 57 NW Explorations 2623 South Harbor Loop Bellingham Washington 98225 www nwexplorations com 800 826 1430 360 676 1248 ...

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