Article by Capt. Steve Katz
Tournament Ready
With the tournament season in full swing on the east coast, the fishing boats and crews are being pushed to their limits. Back-to-back fishing days and long offshore runs can wear on the crew and the equipment. Even with a full crew, it’s easy to overlook a maintenance item or fail to realize a problem may be near. Here are a few tips to keep your fishing boat in top tournament shape.
Batteries
A fully charged engine or house battery should read 12.65 volts at rest or 25.3 volts for a 24v system. A battery charger or engine alternator needs to output a higher voltage, usually between 13v and 14v (and between 26v and 28v for 24v systems) to be able to recharge the battery or at least keep the battery fully charged. On larger boats, there are many places to monitor voltage, such as the helm, the main panel, the charger and the battery itself. If you are ever in doubt with what is happening with your boat batteries, use a good test meter to check the battery voltage at the battery during 3 different scenarios: at rest, connected to a battery charger and when the engine is running (alternator). Since the captain at the helm is usually the one to monitor and spot irregularities, it is important to know what and where the helm voltage display is really measuring. If the navigation electronics or VHF has low voltage, it can cause operational difficulties and in the case of a VHF radio, decreased power output. Modern marine engines are also not very tolerant of low voltage, their computers and sensors will not operate properly in a low voltage situation.
Sometimes a good battery charger will mask an electrical problem with the engine or generator alternator. It is a good idea to test your systems with the battery charger off, both with and without the engine running; this can help find a problem before it becomes an issue while fishing.
Air Conditioning & Refrigeration
By now, many boats have been in use for a few months in warm water. This water is full of organisms that tend to grow in the sea water plumbing for the air conditioning and refrigeration systems. If the marine growth gets too bad, you may notice a reduction of water flow in the sea water discharge line or your systems will shut down due to high pressure. The best way to maintain the sea water cooling system is to descale the system with environmentally friendly cleaners available at local boat supply stores. Do not use any type of acid, it can harm the system and damage your equipment. Products like Barnacle Buster and Rydlyme are designed for marine cooling systems and if used as directed, are not detrimental to the equipment. These products are generally circulated through the cooling systems to descale the inside of hoses and pipes, killing the growth and leaving you with a clean surface for proper water flow and to allow the proper heat transfer from the machinery to the sea water.
A common issue with air conditioning systems is the high head pressure alarm, which shuts down your system to prevent catastrophic damage. The two most common causes for high pressure are a lack of sea water cooling and a lack of air flow at the evaporator. The sea water issue should be addressed as discussed above. The evaporator is the part of the air conditioning system where the air blows across cold coils and sends that cool air into the cabin of the boat. These systems have inlet air filters, sometimes more than one, usually a washable element that can be removed and cleaned. Sometimes the metal evaporator coils become clogged and need careful cleaning with a vacuum or chemical wash to restore the proper airflow and heat transfer to the evaporator.
While you are working on the evaporator, be sure to check and clean the condensate drain. The drain consists of a hose connected to a metal or plastic pan under the evaporator. The condensate drain hose goes to a main drain trunk line or to a sump or bilge. On hot and humid days an evaporator can remove gallons of water from the cabin air and needs a good path to drain that water.
Steering
Another maintenance point is the boat's steering system, long days, long runs and fighting fish puts stress on the best steering systems. Check your steering before you head out, looking for tell tale signs of oil leaks, metal wear or rubbing and loose or worn joints and connections. Be sure to check the steering oil level and pressure where needed. Use only the proper steering fluid, other types of oil may not be compatible and result in leaks or increased steering effort.
Most importantly, have fun and catch that winning fish!
