Engine Start Up Procedure - correct answer ✔✔1. Locate battery selector switch and turn to the starter
battery
2. Verify that the gear shift is in neutral.
3. Locate the shut off lever and be sure that it is pushed in.
4. Turn key and push the start button.
5. Allow the engine to idle and check that coolant water is being discharged astern.
6. Reduce throttle to idle position.
Raw water Coolant System Components - correct answer ✔✔Through-hull value
Water strainer
Water pump / impellor
Heat exchanger
Exhaust mixer
Exhaust through-hull (above the water line)
Closed water Coolant System Components - correct answer ✔✔This system circulates throughout the
engine and in most modern sailing vessels also through the onboard fresh hot water tank.
As the closed water system circulates through the heat exchanger, the raw water system draws off the
heat from the engine block much like a car's radiator and fan do.
The two most important parts of this system are the fresh water pump and the heat exchanger.
The skipper cannot easily service the fresh water coolant pump; this unit will need to be removed from
the engine and parts replaced by a professional or DIY.
Inside the systems is also a thermostat like the one in a car. You can remove this and run the engine
safely without it, if it is not opening.
However, the usual problem with the closed water coolant system is a broken hose or connection.
One needs to check the level of the fresh water system. This should be a 50/50 mixer of fresh water and
anti-freeze.
,This system becomes pressurized as the engine heats up, so one should not remove the radiator cap
when the engine block is hot.
1. Fuel system - Components - correct answer ✔✔1. Deck fill
2. Fuel tank with vent hose to the outside
3. Fuel pick-up line inside the fuel tank
4. Fuel shut off valve
5. Water separator - not all systems have this This will remove any water from the diesel fuel.
6. Primary fuel filter - removes larger impurities from the fuel and will need to be serviced on a regular
schedule In most modern vessel, these two units are combined into one unit like on board At Last.
7. Lift pump - also has a primer lever to prime the fuel lines
8. Secondary fuel filter - removes smaller impurities from the fuel before it is sent to the injector pump
9. Injector pump - high pressure, the fuel lines into and out of this pump change from rubber to metal
Injectors
10. Unused fuel return lines
Fuel Planning - correct answer ✔✔One needs to first know the tank capacity.
Our first calculation will be to determine how much fuel the vessel consumes in one hour at cruising
RPM.
Next, we must determine the consumption of fuel per nautical mile per mile NMPG.
Using this number, we can now calculate our range under power.
Naturally, one will need to have a reserve for emergencies.
The textbook recommends 1/3 reserve.
Often larger impurities will accumulate near the bottom of the tank and these can cause major
problems, especially with lots of wave action.
There are a number of issues which can decrease our range. These include
- wind and waves, as well as the
- condition of the vessel's haul and the weight of the vessel, crew, and gear.
Of course, the wind and waves could also increase our range!
, At Last has a 40 gallon fuel tank.
- Using my recommendation, that will give us 26 usable gallons.
- At 2500 rpm, she uses 0.75 gallons per hour at a cruising speed of 6.5 kt per hour.
- At Last would travel approximate 8.6 nm per 1 gallon of fuel. - - Therefore, her cruising range under
power would be 223 nm.
When calculating range always round your numbers down rather than up. You will notice that this is
lower than the actual calculation. Always be conservative!!
Latitude & Longitude - correct answer ✔✔We use these to determine our location on the face of the
earth. These are measured in degrees, minutes and tenths of minutes. Latitude (found on the right and
left side of the chart) can be north or south of the equator; longitude (found on the bottom and top of
the chart), east or west of the prime median, Greenwich. Here on the Chesapeake Bay, we are located in
north latitude and west longitude.
We can also use latitude to measure distance; one minute of latitude equals one nautical mile. Most
charts will also have a distance scale located on the chart as well.
Compass Rose - correct answer ✔✔One will discover these on the chart. There are two rings. The outer
one measures true north; the inner ring measures magnetic north.
Inside the compass rose will be the variation, the difference between true north and magnetic north.
This will be listed as degrees and minutes west or east.
Additional information will be the annual increase or decrease for the charted location and the year of
the chart. This is usually a few minutes per year and one can use this to calculate the additional increase
or decrease in variation since the date of the chart's publication. Always round the variation to the
nearest whole degree.
Variation - correct answer ✔✔This is caused by nature, since magnetic north is located in northern
Canada around the Hudson Bay and not at the true north pole.
To calculate the magnetic reading, one needs to add the west variation to the true north reading or
subtract the east variation from the true north reading.