168 seamanship secrets
- Carry a portable extinguisher. You need a backup extinguisher next to
you (not in its brackets) anytime you access a space where combustion has
occurred. - Don heat-resistant gloves. Put on heat-resistant gloves or hot-pot holders.
Th e engineroom access hatch will most likely be extremely hot. - Cool the access hatch. Spray a water mist onto the engineroom access hatch. Wait
to open the hatch until you no longer see steam rising from the hatch surface. - Open the hatch and start a refl ash watch. Aft er opening the hatch, set up a
15- to 20-minute refl ash watch. Lay the extinguisher horizontally on deck and
keep the pin in. Th is prevents bottle damage, rolling around, or accidental
ignition. Wait at least 10 minutes before re-entering the compartment.
Stay Safe When Hooking Up Shore Power
When you hook up or disconnect from shore power, make the prevention of
electrical shock your number one goal. Walk your crew through the procedures
shown below, and follow these two safety rules before you begin:
Safety Rule #1. Never hold the live end of a shore-power plug.
Safety Rule #2. Shoreside receptacles are always LIVE! Some shoreside facilities
have breaker switches to shut off the power; others have continuous live
power. Assume they’re all live and play it safe.
HOOKING UP TO SHORE POWER
- Go dead ship. Shut down the engines and generator. Turn off switches fi rst:
lights, navigation equipment, and all accessories at the power panel. Check
panels near the console on the fl ying bridge and in the cabin. Turn off
breakers and rockers (main breakers) last. - Plug into boat receptacle. Th e receptacle on the boat has no power, so plug
it in. Most plugs require a push and quarter turn to lock into place. Th e
better plugs have a locking ring to prevent the plug from pulling out of the
receptacle. On boats with multiple receptacles, consider color-coding the
main shore-power plug and receptacle cover plate with Day-Glo paint. - Plug into shoreside receptacle. Ask the dockmaster to secure (turn off )
the power momentarily. Whether you can secure power at the pier or not,
go ahead and plug in. Check the plug and receptacle to make sure they
mate. If not, ask the dockmaster for an adapter. Don’t force things. If you get
resistance, stop and fi nd out why. Remember to give the plug a quarter turn
and fi nish up with the locking ring. - Energize power from pier to boat. If not already energized, turn on the
power at the pier. Return to the boat and turn on rockers. Th en turn on the
accessory and equipment switches.