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DISCOVERY OPERATING MANUAL
NW Explorations
Section V: “What to Do If”
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!
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, oppo-
site the direction its flukes are pointing. This should help you to pull the anchor free.
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.
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 elec-
tronics, 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!
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!
ENGINE WON’T START
If starter does not turn, is transmission in neutral? Try jiggling shift lever while pushing start button. Check battery, bat-
tery switches. Try starting with battery switch set to “both”. 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 Caterpillar engine manual).
FOG DELAYS RETURN
Call NWE by telephone or VHF marine operator and advise for instructions.
