Camanos 31 Owner's Handbook Manual - page 28
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For the ultimate in hands- free boating, autopilots can be interfaced with most GPS units.
Battery Charger
Each Camano is equipped with a modern electronic battery charger, which operates when connected to
shore power and the battery charger circuit breaker is turned on. Modern chargers are now capable of
sensing the charge condition of the batteries and will bring them up to full charge without
overcharging. It is advisable to leave electronic chargers on when plugged into shore power. This was
not the case with the older type of ferroresonant chargers that have a tendency to over charge batteries
if connected for long periods of time. It is worth getting into the habit of checking the battery charger
whenever you are in the engine room.
Bilge Pumps
All Camanos have automatic pumps installed in the engine room and under the holding tank. Newer
models have a third pump in the lazarette. These pumps are powered directly from the house battery
and are not wired through the battery switch on the power panel. The reason for this wiring
arrangement is to allow you to leave the boat with the main battery switch off yet leave the pumps with
the capacity to be turned on through the float switch when about an inch of water accumulates in the
bilge. Remember, however, for this to happen, the bilge switch on the electric panel must be in the
"auto" position.
Bow Thruster
The bow thruster needs little in the way of servicing. Check your owner's manual to learn more about
it. If you are about to leave the dock at some point and find that the bow thruster doesn't work, you
may have inadvertently hit the on-off switch on the control panel or you started the engine without
turning the battery switch on. The bow thruster is powered by the house batteries. If the thruster is
switched on and the battery switch is on and it still refuses to co-operate, check the in- line fuse in the
control wire at the thruster motor. This fuse is to protect the wiring to the controls and can be replaced
with any fuse ranging from 2 to 10 amps.
Chain Locker
The chain locker is accessible through a door on the forward bulkhead in the v-berth. Make sure you
keep the chain locker drain open in order to avoid water pooling (and eventually smelling) inside the
locker. A vinyl flap has been installed and hangs inside the chain locker door. It's there to keep mud
from collecting on the door and sliding down and onto the fabric in the v-berth. Push the flap away
from the bottom of the locker to gain access.
Depth Sounder
Sometimes depth sounders and their speed indicator impellers will become fouled with marine growth.
It will do no harm, when you haul the boat to clean and paint the bottom, if you apply a single coat of
bottom paint on the depth sounder and around the paddle wheel for the speedometer. If your boat is
fitted with two depth sounders (one on the helm and one on the bridge) you should remember to turn
off the one you are not using. Two sounders operating at the same time may interfere with each other.