Learned from experience

Some of the things we have learned having trailed our Noelex 25 “Sure Thing” ten times from Lake Macquarie for extended cruises in the Whitsundays.

1. DISTRACTION
   How easy it is to switch your attention to your loving crew when there is a request for assistance, particularly as this is a normal reaction at home practised over many years. If this occurs at a time when navigation should demand priority we have a potentially serious problem. A near miss of a channel marker while departing Hamilton Island was a wakeup call highlighting this critical area.

2. LIFE JACKETS
   Whilst we very rarely wear them, we have on a few occasions, not because we felt threatened but because we judged it appropriate for the conditions even though we did not see any others being worn on similar vessels.

3. FIRE
   Never thought it would happen. We were toasting on the grill with a kettle on the burner above, preparing for breakfast with the pop-top up. We were alerted by the smell of metho. A wind gust had blown out the flame on the grill, the toast was soaked in metho, there was metho in the tray below and the burner above was still alight. Fortunately we were in time to turn off the burner before the metho below ignited. A fire blanket was handy if required.

4. REFRIGERATOR
   Our WAECO CF50 refrigerator suffered from voltage problems, using a cigarette lighter outlet (it is fine when used with a 240Vac converter which provides in excess of 12Vdc). Three poor contacts caused more than half a volt drop and were warm to touch (1) spring loaded contacts of the fuse inside the plug (2) spring loaded contacts of the plug in the socket (3) the connecting lead plugs into a socket on the front of the WAECO and this connection is also (intermittently) less than perfect. The WAECO has protection against low voltage and would occasionally switch off. These problems were overcome by soldering a 2 core 4sqmm cable to the terminals on the inside of the WAECO socket (so the original connecting lead can still be used when required) and using an 8A circuit breaker and 20A plug/socket to connect to the battery. There is no measurable drop in the circuit breaker or plug/socket and minimal drop in the lead.

5. RUDDER RELEASE
   Still looking for a device to allow the rudder to kick up to prevent damage. As an interim a jamcleat is mounted on a stainless steel hinged plate with a Velcro strap around it and the tiller. A tug on the jamcleat will release the Velcro strap and the cleat pivots to release the rudder downhaul. The Velcro strap is trimmed to size to give an appropriate release tension.

6. TRAILER BRAKES
   The (lever/ratchet) handbrake on the hydraulic master cylinder which actuates slave cylinders on all four wheels was applied overnight. The next day one wheel hub/disc became hotter than normal and it appeared that the brake pads had not fully released. As a temporary solution the hydraulic line to the wheel was disconnected & plugged and the brake caliper prized loose. On return home all calipers were dismantled and it was clear that they were all in need of attention, mainly just freeing up and cleaning/lubricating the slide pins.

7. BOARDING LADDER
   An extra rung on the boarding ladder which telescopes in or extends when required has been a simple and very useful modification and is really necessary for a large person with limited upper body strength. It is made from products available from BOAT BIAS, stainless steel tube and 90 degree “T” fittings. The tube slides snugly inside the existing ladder and is restrained when extended by internal SS flexible wire.

8. EYEBALL THE TRAILER
   A shackle bolt securing the leaf springs had lost its nut and must have sprung out when the boat was launched. It was only noticed by chance to be missing just before hauling out, showing the importance of having a look at critical parts of the rig before hitting the road. None of the four critical bolts had locknuts of any type, they do now.

9. BACKUP MOTOR
   When the CDI coil failed on our 8hp Yamaha it was useful to replace it with the 4hp from the Zodiac tender to provide safe maneuvering when returning to the marina.

10. MOTOR LOCKDOWN
    When the outboard was serviced it was not left with the leg locked down and prior to launching this was not checked, it is always left locked down right? Fortunately the tiller held the motor down when it was reversed off the trailer on launching, thus preventing the propeller from chopping a hole in the transom.

Alan Benn.
“Sure Thing”. November 2011.