Camanos 31 Owner's Handbook Manual - page 24
19
bulkhead. Care should be taken to make sure that the sling does not go aft of this bulkhead otherwise it
would catch the wrong part of the keel.
Block and Pressure Wash
Once out of the water, the boat should be put on blocks so that she is level. If she sits with the bow
down, the bridge deck could collect water that could get into the wiring. As soon as the boat is on
blocks, pressure-wash the bottom to clean off all the marine growth. Don't leave the pressure washing
to the next day -- once the bottom dries, the growth is much more difficult to remove.
Bottom Paint
Once the bottom is clean and dry you can get ready to apply the paint. Make sure that all flaking paint
is removed and then take the time to lightly sand the bottom. Do not sand into the gelcoat -- just abrade
the surface.
Zincs
Once the bottom painting is finished you can replace the zincs. Zincs are normally found behind the
bow thruster prop, on prop shaft, skeg and transom. Be sure the zincs are attached to clean metal and
not against freshly painted surfaces. It is not unusual after a year in the water to find the zincs totally
gone. This is particularly true if you are moored in an electrically "hot" marina where stray electric
currents eat up zinc at a high rate of speed. It may be that you should keep a close eye on the zincs, the
one on the transom being mo st visible, and replace the zincs even if you are not due for your annual
haul-out. You could also put on bigger zincs but this may not always be practical. To make sure that
your zincs are doing their job you should also check the bonding system. The green wires throughout
the boat are bonded to the engine and everything under water. You can easily check the bonding with a
multimeter to make sure that there is electrical continuity between the various components. If there is a
break in continuity, then you have to check for a loose connection, corrosion or some other cause.
When replacing the shaft zinc be sure that the zinc is tightly against the propeller in order to allow at
least 3/16 of an inch between the zinc and the cutlass bearing. The potential problem here is that as the
engine RPM increase, the engine and the whole shaft tend to move forward slightly because of the
increased torque. If there is insufficient space between the zinc and the cutlass bearing, the zinc will
begin to chew away the fiberglass where the shaft exits the keel.
Steering
Every spring you should give your steering system a quick once over and check the steering fluid
levels just to make sure that everything is in good shape. Start with the upper helm pump if your boat
has a flybridge (Troll) and simply remove the knurled fitting on the pump. You should be able to see
fluid. On the Gnome, check the pump at the main station helm. On Trolls, never remove the lower
helm plug in order to check the fluid level. Doing so will drain all the fluid from the upper system onto
your carpet. Be careful not to turn the wheel while you are doing the inspection. If the fluid level is up
to the base of the opening then all is well and you don't have any leaks. If the fluid is down you should
check all of the hydraulic fittings to see if any are weeping. If you find one, tighten the fitting, clean it
off, and be sure to check it again once the boat is back in the water. Even though you have probably
found the culprit, it's a good idea to check the rest of the connections just to be on the safe side.
Fittings are located behind the bookshelf on the starboard side of the salon, on the helm pumps, and the
steering ram in the lazaretto. If the boat has an autopilot you will have fittings at that pump also.