NW Explorations
DISCOVERY OPERATING MANUAL
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37
Hitting a Log, Rock, or Debris ----- Please Don’t!
Hitting a log is a real risk in our Northern waters because logging, and “log rafts,” are such a big part of our commerce.
If you hit a log:
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Did you put a hole in the boat? Idle the engines, then think: usually, you can tell just by where the noise of the
hit came from. Check the bilges (don’t forget the lazarette area, where the rudder posts are) after putting the
engines 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 each engine into neutral in turn, identify and shut down the offender. Then continue on one engine. Call NW
Explorations after you reach the closest safe harbor. If no vibration at idle, slowly accelerate one engine at a time. Is there
vibration on either?
If “yes,” run at idle or on only the good engine, to reach a close, safe harbor. Then contact NW Explorations.
With a twin-screw boat, the damaged running gear can’t be used after hitting an object. However, if while under way on
one engine the other engine’s propeller shaft rotates by itself because of water passing over it’s propellor, then you must
let the unused engine idle in neutral so that its transmission has lubrication, and the cutless bearings on the damaged
shaft are lubricated. This is still true whether the boat has dripless shaft seals or a standard shaft “log”.
When running on one engine with the other idling as required, be sure that the idling engine is pumping water through
its exhaust pipe.
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If there is no vibration on either engine, you probably did no running gear damage. Congratulations! Our diver
will check your vessel’s bottom upon your return, just as after every charter.
