NW Explorations
AQUILA OPERATING MANUAL
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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. Try starting with depressing the “Batt Parl” button. Or 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).
5J:
Head Won’t Flush
Is breaker on? Turn it on. Have you over-filled the holding tank? Pump it to allow more effluent to enter it. See
the “Heads” section of this manual. If all else fails, just use only the other head.
Wiper knobs at the bottom of the safety panel.
