| (Page 15) | |
| Operating the Santana 2023 | |
|---|---|
| A: WATER BALLAST TANK OPERATION | |
| Fill the Water Ballast Tank | |
| The Santana 2023 water ballast system is very simple in its operation. Gravity (the boat's weight) will take care of filling and draining the tank. Its located directly under the boat's cabin sole and will use water from the lake, ocean, or river you will be sailing on. Your boat's water ballast "control panel" consists of two valves and is conveniently located in the center of the cabin. | |
| To fill the ballast tank, you simply have to have the boat in the water, fully open the water intake valve by unscrewing the twist/knob down until you can no longer see any part of the threaded rod over the control panel (so not over- tighten!), remove the air valve/plug and place it in a safe place so as to not loose it! (You will not be able to sail without it!). The water is now entering the tank and will need approximately 6 to 8 minutes to be completely full as the water is entering. (see drawing) | |
| Insure that the water ballast tank is full by inserting a small dry stick or your finger in the air intake hole and verify that the distance between the hole and the water level does not exceed 4 inches. | |
| Prior to setting sail and getting under way, you first must "trap" the water ballast in it's tank by screwing the twist/knob back up until a mild resistance is felt. DO NOT OVER-TIGHTEN!! There should be between 2 and 3 inches of threaded rod exposed over the "control panel". | |
| Replace the air intake valve/plug securely in it's hole to insure a proper "seal" as water will be pressing against the air intake valve/plug when the boat heels. | |
| Caution: Always insure that the water ballast is completely full before closing the water intake valve. | |
| Do not attempt to sail, under any circumstances, without a completely full water ballast tank & closed water & air intake valves. | |
| Drain the water ballast tank: | |
| To drain the tank, simply reverse the above described procedure. Drive the boat on it's trailer, then drive the boat and trailer out of the water so that gravity can empty the water out of the ballast tank. | |
| Unscrew the water intake valve down and remove the air intake valve/plug so that air can return into the tank as the water leaves. (see drawing) | |
| We have found it very convenient to use the water being drained out the tank to clean the boat! | |
| Please note! | |
| It is not recommended to leave the water ballast tank full for extended periods of time. Organic growth and other deteriorations can be prevented by "airing out" the tank at least every 2 weeks. For cruised or sailing adventures lasting over 4 days, we recommend the use of mild water agents such as additives used in water bads or chlorine tablets for swimming pools (Follow the directions on the container(s) carefully). | |
| NEVER LEAVE WATER IN THE BALLAST CONTAINER I FREEZING WEATHER, SERIOUS DAMAGE TO THE TANK AND THE WHOLE HULL COULD RESULT! | |
| (Page 17) | |
| B: Centerboard -- Deploy & Retract Operation | |
| The centerboard control & retract line is located inside the cockpit, below the companionway for easy access while docking or retrieving the boat single-handed. | |
| To retract the centerboard: - Pull on the line and cleat securely. | |
| To deploy the centerboard: - Un-cleat the control line and let it out through it's exit block. Gravity will take care of lowering the board in it's proper position. There is no need to cleat the line when the board is fully deployed. | |
| During transportation, launching, sailing in shallow waters or retrieving the boat back on it's trailer, the centerboard should be fully retracted inside it's trunk and it's control line securely tied to the cleat located just below the line lead exit block. Approximately 3" are exposed below the hull when the centerboard is fully retracted. | |
| When sailing across the wind, (*on a reach), you may wish to retract the centerboard about half-way up (20 to 24" of exposed line in the cockpit). This will move the center of the boat side resistance rearward and therefore better "balance" the boat for this specific point of sail and reduce load on the rudder. | |
| It is best and easiest to deploy (lower) the centerboard when the boat is not in motion as any side force on the board will prevent it's complete deployment. If the centerboard must be retracted or deployed while the Santana 2023 is underway, "come up" directly into the wind to balance lift pressures on both sides of the board before attempting to retract or deploy it. | |
| You may wish to fully retract the centerboard while at anchor and the boat is rocking from side to side: this will eliminate the sound of the board against it's trunk. | |
| C: Rudder - Deploy & retract Operation | |
| The rudder deploy & retract lines are located inside the rudder stock, exiting into the cockpit through the tiller head fitting for easy access while docking or retrieving the boat single-handed. Please notice the two slots at the top of the rudder stock / tiller hear fitting. These two slots are designed to "cleat" either deploy and retract lines in their desired positions. | |
| Prior to launching the boat, you must remove the mast crutch, and it's lower transport bolt. The rudder is now ready to be lowered to it's half-way position for launching. The rudder blade is kept in that position by placing the knot located on the rudder retract line over and outside and against one of the 2 cleating slots in the tiller head fitting. | |
| To retract the rudder: - Un-cleat the rudder deploy line (if the rudder is presently deployed), pull on the retract lone over the tiller head and place the simple knot already tied in the retract line over and into one of the two slots in the tiller head fitting. | |
| Please note: the rudder retract line will only allow you to retract the rudder blade half-way to it's transport position. This half-way position provides all the clearance needed to launch and retrieve the Santana 2023 back on it's trailer as well as sail in shallow waters. | |
| To deploy the rudder: - Un-cleat the rudder retract line and pull on the rudder deploy line over the tiller head until the blade is fully deployed. The simple knot on the deploy line should be placed over and into one of the two cleats/slots in the tiller head fitting. | |
| The Santana 2023's rudder blade has neutral buoyancy. It means that it will float if left un-cleated. Although it is possible to steer the boat with the blade in it's "half-way" position (shallow waters), it is not recommended and quite stressful on the whole rudder assembly itself. | |
| During transportation, the Santana 2023's rudder should be fully retracted in it's vertical position and secured with the lower mast crutch transport bolt. It is also recommended that the rudder blade be secure to the mast crutch itself during transportation. A little padding between the rudder blade and the mast crutch to prevent wear on the rudder's Gelcoat™ is recommended as well. | |
| During launching, sailing in shallow waters or retrieving the boat back on it's trailer, the mast crutch should be removed and the rudder be placed in it's half-way position. | |
| (Page 19) | |
| D: Mainsail Raising & Furling | |
| The mainsail should be found tightly rolled, (furled), around it's boom tube. The sail should already have all of it's battens installed. The boom tube is kept at an approximate perpendicular angle to the mast by it's topping lift line (line joining the boom end and the top of the mast.) | |
| To keep the boom on the boat's centerline, you should first have connected the main sheet assembly to the boom end swivel tang and the transom main sheet tang just over the tiller head fitting. The main sheet assembly should not be very tight but just enough to keep the boom on the boat's centerline. | |
| The gooseneck assembly allows the boom to roll on itself, thereby "feeding" the mainsail up the mast in the process. | |
| Prior to raising or furling the mainsail, the boat should always be positioned with it's bow directly into the wind. | |
| Raising the mainsail: Undo the sail tie keeping the mainsail rolled onto it's boom. Pull on the main halyard line located on the starboard side of the mast and "feed" the sail, starting withe the sail head plate, through the mast sail entry slot located approximately 16" above the gooseneck assembly. Be sure to keep the yet un-inserted portion of the luff rope of the sail against the mast sail slot. | |
| When the mainsail luff rope has been fully inserted, keep applying some halyard tension so as to create a clean mainsail luff section and cleat the halyard to the cleat located on the starboard side of the mast, near the gooseneck. Coil the excess halyard line and store the coil to itself above the cleat. Slide down and insert the reefing pin inside the gooseneck hole in the mast sail slot. Remove the topping lift line and walk it forward along the sail. Attach the topping lift to the gooseneck assembly and slide to gooseneck reefing pin in it's corresponding hole in the gooseneck rod. You're done. | |
| Furling the mainsail: Place the bow of your Santana 2023 directly into the wind. Re-clip the topping lift line to the boom end tang. Apply just enough tension to the main sheet assembly to keep the boom tube roughly on the boat's centerline, (therefore into the wind). Insert the boom furling handle provided with the boat into the gooseneck rod hole at the front of the mast tube and slide the gooseneck reefing pin off the gooseneck rod. | |
| Uncleat the mainsail halyard and begine rooling the mainsail on it's boom by turning the handle and, at the same time, letting the halyard slip lightly in your hand. | |
| When the mainsail is fully furled on it's boom, (plus a couple more turns to wrap a bit of main halyard around the rolled sail), remove the mainsail furling handle and secure the rolled sail with a sail tie located at the sail's head plates (near the gooseneck assembly). | |
| Note: When furling the sail, it is better to roll the sail loosely around the boom withe a minimum amount of halyard resistance as it slips through your hand and to stop every few turns to "tighten" the furled sail into a smaller, lesser diameter, roll. | |
| Reefing the mainsail: This procedure is very similar to the mainsail furling procedure described above with the following exceptions: | |
| When the desired amount of mainsail area is achieved, insert the mainsail reefing pin, located in the sail slot above the gooseneck assembly, in the corresponding gooseneck rod hole. | |
| Re-tighten and re-cleat the mainsail halyard. | |
| Disconnect the topping lift line from the boom end tang if the topping lift was used, (if only a small part of the mainsail area needs to be reefed, it is not necessary to use the topping lift line). | |
| (Page 21) | |
| F: Electrical System | |
| Your Santana 2023 is equipped with a pre-wired 12 Volt electrical system providing power to all 3 cabin lights and both bow and stern lights. | |
| You will, however, need to connect a 12 volt power source to the system such as a regular marine (or car) battery, a solar panel and/or a 110 Volt to 12 Volt power converter for connection while docked. | |
| You can also use your running outboard motor, if so equipped to recharge your battery. Please refer to your outboard motor owner's manual for proper instructions and installation. | |
| The control and fuse panel for the entire electrical system is against the foreberth bunk riser. We have provided a storage space directly behind this riser to install and properly secure a battery which can then be connected to the control panel. Although all connections are clearly marked, we strongly recommend contracting a professional to perform the battery's installation. | |
| CAUTION ! ! - Batteries are dangerous and can produce explosive gas, corrosive acid and levels of electrical current high enough to cause burns, do not smoke, weld or have any open fires near batteries. | |
| Note: The battery must be very solidly secured in position and in a corrosion resistant container. | |
| Besides the switches provided on the main control and fuse panel, each cabin light is also equipped with it's own individual on/off switch. | |
| G: Cabin Accommodations - Noteworthy Tips - | |
| Dinette / Cockpit Table: Your Santana 2023's cabin is equipped with a small table that can be raised or lowered to three different positions on the boat's mast compression post. To change the height of the dinette table, simply undo the wing-nut and remove the retaining bolt off the table's support bracket, slide the table support bracket up or down to its next position, align the holes in the bracket to the holes in the compression post and re-install the retaining bolt and wing-nut tightly. | |
| You can also easily remove the table from its support bracket by location the table's locking block under the bracket support aluminum U-shaped strap, twist the block 90 degrees either direction to allow its passage through the U-shaped strap and push the table up and away from its support bracket. | |
| Head Door Latch - Opening from Outside the Head: The head door latch is located inside the head door and accessible from the outside by placing your hand along the top of the door and opposite the hinged side. Down inside the door, and quite reachable with your fingers, you can then feel a small metal spring latch approximately 2 1/2" down from the top edge of the door. Push the latch toward the door and gently pull the door open. | |
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