RAMP LAUNCHING

Remove the trailer lights. Attach a line to the nose of the boat. Back the trailer into the water until the boat floats free. Do not untie the nose of the boat from the trailer winch until the boat is in the water. On a reasonably steep ramp, the boat could slide off the trailer before it gets near the water. If you leave the car for any reason, make sure the brake is set, or the whole works may end up under water.

The outboard motor and rudders should be put in the down position just before launching. Make sure the rudders are fastened down with the bronze 1/4" x 3" bolts and nuts. (Photo 25) These bolts are shear pins. If the bronze bolts are lost or broken, a hardwood dowel will serve as well.

Photo 25 Rudder shear bolts

If the rudder strikes an object while underway, the pins will fail and the rudder will kick up. This prevents damage to the rudder assembly. Lower and pin the rudders just before the boat is launched. It is tough to do this job when the boat is in the water. If the rudders are not pinned in the down position you will not be able to steer, except with the engine.

After the boat is launched, go Inside and look to make sure there are no leaks. If you raise the mast after the boat is in the water, first fill the water ballast tank to give yourself a more stable platform.

THE WATER BALLAST SYSTEM
FILLING AND EMPTYING THE BALLAST TANK

WATER VALVE AND AIR VENT:

Just below the cabin entry, there is a small access port that contains the water tank air vent (Photo 26).

Photo 26 Water tank air vent

FILLING THE TANK:

To fill the tank, open the air vent by removing the lever plug shown in the above photo. Then pull up the handle on the gate valve on the rear (transom) of the boat. The water tank will be full in about 4 minutes.

CHECKING THE LEVEL OF THE TANK:

When the tank is full, with the boat level, the water level is approximately 3" below the vent hole. It takes about 4 minutes to fill. Stick your finger in the vent hole. If you feel water, the tank is full. If you can't feel water, the boat will not be self righting

There is a 16" plastic tube in the rig box. Stick this in the vent hole, push it to the bottom of the boat and put you finger over the top end of the tube. Keep the tube top sealed tight and lift out the tube. When the tank is less than full, use the water level in the tube to determine the amount of water in the tank.

CLOSING THE WATER VALVE AND AIR VENT:

Reinstall the lever plug in the vent hole. Make sure it is tight, or the water ballast will spill into the boat when the boat leans over. There is an adjustment nut at the bottom of the lever plug. If the plug is too loose, hold the metal parts at the top and turn the rubber. The rubber portion of the plug will become fatter or skinnier as the rubber is rotated. Adjust it so that it must be forced into the hole. Then, when the lever is pressed to the horizontal position, it will really grip the hole and stay put.