NW Explorations
GREY LADY OPERATING MANUAL
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VISUALLY INSPECT THE ROOM
whenever you’re in the engine room, asking yourself, “Does everything look right?”.
Look at the pads under the engines and transmissions: while some drips are normal, there shouldn’t ever be substantial
accumulations of any fluids!
CHECK THE SEA STRAINERS DAILY
, or immediately if either engine runs “hot”. The engine strainers are in the forward
end of the engine.
To check a strainer, shine a flashlight into it. If debris is visible, open lid and remove it.
CHECK THE TRANSMISSION OIL LEVEL
once every two weeks, more often if a transmission shifts erratically, with the
dipstick on the starboard side of each transmission. It is unlikely that any oil will need to be added. Be sure to check
under the transmission for leaks! Low transmission oil is a serious matter.
These Volvo Penta engines are red-lined at 3700 RPM. Maximum cruise is 3550 RPM.
However, the realities of vessel hull design and power plant engineering dictate that higher RPM operation is very
inefficient on planning hull vessels like this one, so you will find these operating specifications to be true (gallons per
hour, speeds, and nautical miles/gallon are *estimates):
RPM
Gallons per hour,
Total both Engines*
Speed, Knots*
Nautical Miles
per Gallon*
1600
7.0
8.5
1.25
1800
8.0
10.0
1.25
2000
10.0
12.5
1.25
2200
14.0
16.0
1.14
2600
19.0
20.0
1.05
3550
37.0
32.0
.86
Volvo Penta Controls
“Grey Lady”
is fitted with electronic Volvo Penta controls that combine throttle
and shift in one lever.
They have the following advantages:
1. They are very easy to operate, with no “drag”;
2. They prevent the operator from shifting from forward to reverse, or vice
versa, too rapidly;
3. They synchronize the engines automatically whenever they are within
200 RPM of each other.
The buttons on the aft of the controls activate station, cruise control, low
speed, throttle only and single lever (synchronizer). When the control position is
activated, you will see a steady green light. You will need to press the appropriate
button at the helm as soon as you energize the controls with their DC power
panel circuit breakers.
Throttle and transmission controls
Buttons on the rear of the controls
