Camanos 31 Owner's Handbook Manual - page 11
6
Trimming the Boat
The Camano was purposely designed to have two fuel tanks and two water tanks symmetrically
positioned with one of each as far outboard as possible on the port side and the other two as far
outboard as possible on the starboard side. The fuel tanks are connected to each other so that as fuel is
used, it is drawn from both tanks equally. The same is true of the water tanks. When the tanks are full,
their weight and position in the boat have a marked dampening effect on the boat's roll, which can
make for a much smoother ride or evening at anchor. Under ideal conditions this is a great system.
When most people go cruising, however, they simply stow all their supplies wherever they can find
space, fill up with fuel and water and get underway. Not much thought is given to how things are
stowed or how the boat will sit in the water. It doesn't take long, however, for a noticeable list to
develop as fuel and water begin to be used and everyone sits on the port side to have dinner.
Since the fuel and water tanks are positioned as far to port and starboard as possible their fluid levels
can be noticeably affected by shifts of weight in the boat. Consider this: when the captain and first
mate sit on the port side to have dinner, their combined weight will tend to lower that side of the boat.
This means that the fuel and water tanks on the port side are lower than the fuel and water tanks on the
starboard side. Given that fluids always seek their own level, water and diesel fuel will flow over to the
port side just to even things out. When the captain and first mate get up from dinner the list remains.
They could spend the rest of the evening sitting on the starboard side in order to get the fluids to run
back, but more often than not they spend the rest of the trip at a slight angle. If, as a Camano owner,
you want to avoid a permanent crick in your neck you should trim the boat to keep it on an even keel.
Each of the four tanks has a shut off valve that allows you to choose which tank will be the one to
provide you with fuel or water. As an example, suppose you are sitting at anchor and the boat is listing
to port. Shut off the starboard water tank and use only the water in the port tank. As the water is used
up, the port side will become lighter and the boat will begin to right herself. As the boat rights herself
the fuel in the port fuel tank will begin to transfer back over to the starboard tank and eventually the
boat will be level. Obviously, you can trim the boat underway by closing off the fuel supply from the
tank with the least fuel and drawing only from the fuller tank. You could even go one step further and
close the fuel return valve to the fuller tank so that you would be drawing from one tank and returning
to the other. Be careful when doing this because you could overfill one tank and pump fuel overboard
through the vent.
Useful Tip: If the foregoing discussion of the art of valve manipulation caused your eyes to glaze over
consider this way of trimming your boat. Leave the fuel valves untouched (open). Close one water
tank. Keep the boat trimmed by alternating the water tanks about every one-third of their capacity. It
may not be pretty but it works.
BOAT HANDLING
If you are unfamiliar with the single drive/bow thruster system, welcome to the ultimate in boat
maneuverability. With this combination, you have total control over both the stern and the bow. This
means that, in effect, you can move your boat sideways allowing you access to moorage spots you
might otherwise pass-up. The procedure is simple but worth practicing until you get the hang of it. For
example, suppose you are coming in for a starboard docking and have maneuvered yourself into a
position parallel to the dock but still 3 feet away. Even if the boat has no way on, you can still easily