University of London Sub-Aqua Club (ULSAC) Club Boat Info.
An Aide Memoir for Dive Marshalls taking club Boats on Trips
Paul Marchant Boat Officer Mobile 07860 935925 Home 020 8773 8242
Forward… I have tried to cover the most important aspects of the boats, their general care safety equipment required and attention to preserve the life of them and reduce expensive repair bills. The most important thing to stress is that no one knows everything about them, so if you don’t know, ask some one who does. The current Boat Officer is… Paul Marchant Mobile Home 07860 935925 020 8773 8242
Prepare the RIBs for towing… 1. Remove cover and store either in front of boat (Bow) or in Van (must be easily accessable) 2. Unlock and remove SAS Clamp and store either in front of boat (Bow) or in Van(must be easily accessable) 3. Ensure engines are on TILT (lifted) Position 4. Ensure that engines are securely tied/strapped down (blocks and straps on Rascal) DO NOT pull engines towards each other excessively when tying them down as this can cause damage 5. Extend trailer extension lighting board arms and tighten down fully, DO NOT Over extend as clamps will become ineffective 6. Connect trailer lighting board with correct number plate for vehicle using split connectors 7. Ensure Painter is tied down tight, drawing boat down onto trailer, 8. Strap Boat to trailer (Strap normally in place), ensure Strap is tight enough to hold boat to trailer, but not pinching tubes against hull, and tie off slack on strap so it doesn’t flap, very distracting for drivers. 9. Grease Trailer there are 4 points, the centre of each (2) wheel bearing (bearing saver reservoir is full when a little trace comes out the side of the saver). There are also 2 nipples on the trailer hitch on top by the jockey wheel these need a couple of squirts before moving boats. The GREASE GUN is located in the ORANGE BOAT BOX 10. Place trolley jack in towing vehicle 11. Hitch up, and ensure break away cable and lighting board are connected 12. Before moving, TEST LIGHTS The Boat and Trailer can now be moved safely.
Each Towing Vehicle MUST have following in case of problems with one of the trailers. Trolley Jack Wheel Brace SAS Clamp Boat Cover
Prepare the Boat for diving activities having been towed to slipway… 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Remove cover/lock from front of boat and store in van (lock in towing vehicle) Remove Lighting board for trailer and store in van CAREFULLY Ensure lighting board extension bars secured back into trailer and clamps tightened gently (you normally won’t move the trailer far like this) Remove strap holding boat down to trailer and store under boat seat Remove straps and blocks holding engines down and store under boat seat (Leave engines in Lifted/ TILT position) Leave Painter tied down until boat is in position on slipway Add fuel using mesh filter funnels only. Add Oil into main fuel tank on SCOUNDREL @ 100:1 or top up Oil reservoirs on each engine on RASCAL Connect GPS to each boat
Kit required before boat launch (RIBs)… 2 Red Curly KILL cords 1 GPS 1 Spare RED fuel can pre oiled @100:1 1 Emergency Box Kit required before boat launch (Hippo/Inflatables)… 1 Red Curly KILL cord 2 Spare RED fuel can pre oiled @100:1 1 Emergency Box 1 VHF radio (Handheld) 1 Tool Box 1 Anchor Box Additional kit required for Diving Activities (per Boat)… 1 Oxygen kit (Marinox on Ribs) 1 A flag 2 Paddles (especially for Hippo)
Cleaning the Boats and prepare for Towing… When cleaning the boats, if possible this should be done whilst hitched to a vehicle and with the boats on a slight incline forwards to facilitate drainage. 1. Remove any debris from the inside of the boat 2. Remove Bung in forward bow locker 3. Remove Bung in Stern drain well 4. Release “Dobber” to allow water to drain easily. 5. Run engines through in fresh water (Ask someone who knows how to do this) 6. Rinse Boat Hull (Inside and Outside) and engines in fresh water 7. Lightly and carefully rinse console in water (see note 1.) 8. Scrub all of boat using washing up liquid and broom (console carefully) 9. Scrub outside of engine casing using washing up liquid and broom 10. Rinse Boat and engines in fresh water and ensure all soapy water is expelled from boat 11. Lightly and carefully rinse console in water (see note 1.) 12. Ensure engines are on TILT (lifted) Position 13. Ensure that engines are securely tied/strapped down (blocks and straps on Rascal) DO NOT pull engines towards each other excessively when tying them down as this can cause damage 14. Extend trailer extension lighting board arms and tighten down fully, DO NOT Over extend as clamps will become ineffective 15. Connect trailer lighting board with correct number plate for vehicle using split connectors 16. Ensure Painter is tied down tight, drawing boat down onto trailer, 17. Strap Boat to trailer (Strap normally in place), ensure Strap is tight enough to hold boat to trailer, but not pinching tubes against hull, and tie off slack on strap so it doesn’t flap, very distracting for drivers. 18. Grease Trailer there are 4 points, the centre of each (2) wheel bearing (bearing saver reservoir is full when a little trace comes out the side of the saver). There are also 2 nipples on the trailer hitch on top by the jockey wheel these need a couple of squirts before moving boats. The GREASE GUN is located in the ORANGE BOAT BOX 19. Place trolley jack in towing vehicle 20. Hitch up, and ensure break away cable and lighting board are connected 21. Before moving, TEST LIGHTS NOTE 1: When rinsing/cleaning the console, leave the seat in place and do not spray water directly under seat or onto/into electrical contacts on top of console for GPS
Boat check list… Item Red Curly Kill Cords Red Fuel Cans A Flag Oars Trolley Jack (with Wheel Brace) Grease Gun GPS Handheld VHF Marinox O2 Kits Anchor Box Jerry Cans Orange Boat Bits Box Yellow Tool Box Notes… #1 Oars are not essential items for Ribs as they have 2 engines, but should be taken #2 Grease Gun should be easily accessible as it may be needed at any point whilst towing the boats #3 A Handheld VHF should be taken on a RIB only trip as a back up to the fixed units in the boats. RIBS (Each) 2 1 1 2#1 1 1#2 1 1#3 1 0 0 5 1 1 Inflatables 1 2 1 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 Location DM Bag Petrol Store Garage Garage Garage Orange Box DM Bag DM Bag Garage Garage Garage Garage or Petrol Store Garage Garage
Fuel/Oil Mixtures and boats… ONLY USE FUNNELS WITH MESH FILTERS when pouring into main fuel tanks on ribs or red fuel cans for inflatables Jerry cans do not have any oil in them so they are always petrol only (Unleaded) Scoundrel Oil added to main fuel tank @ 100:1 (premix) Rascal Oil added to reservoir on each engine Inflatables Oil added to red plastic boat fuel tanks @ 100:1 (premix) for new engine Oil added to red plastic boat fuel tanks @ 50:1 (premix) for old engine (hardly ever used)
Important Notes for Boats… Towing Vehicles… Ensure drivers hold B+E category as they need this to tow a boat behind a transit van. Each towing vehicle MUST have Trolley Jack,Wheel Brace, SAS Clamp and A Boat Cover in case there are any problems with the trailer and the boat has to be left, so these all need to be reasonably accessible not buried under 2 tonnes of diving kit. If the Boats or trailers are left for any period of time unhitched without someone watching them, they must be clamped using the Insurance Company approved SAS clamp. Lighting Boards are a LEGAL requirement, do not bury them in the van as they are quite delicate and can take many hours to fix whilst trying to leave a Dive Site. Handbrake on Trailers… Please do not use the handbrakes unless absolutely necessary and never for long periods of time, the boats should be chocked securely and clamped or left hitched to a vehicle. Salt Water will cause the brake to stick on and can take up to 2 hours to free up again properly with the necessary tools Capacity… It is dangerous to overload the boats, as they do not react properly, driving into waves rather than over them, this can cause stress on the boat and engines which could cause them to fail at a later date. Maximum loading for Boats Ribs 1 Driver + 8 Divers Inflatables 1 Driver + 6 Divers Damage… Any Damage, Curious Noise/Incident or change of parts (spark plugs included) must be reported to the Boat Officer Immediately. Any General signs of wear and tear should also be notified to the Boat Officer at the end of each trip unless attention is required immediately.
or or
1 Driver + 1 Trainee Driver + 7 Divers 1 Driver + 1 Trainee Driver + 5 Divers
ULSAC BOAT INFO SHEET Trailer/Towing Vehicles… Towing Vehicles:- MUST have trolley jack + Wheel brace, SAS clamp and grease gun easily accessible. Trailers MUST be greased before being moved any distance Hand Brakes should not be used or trusted to hold the trailer with boat, always CHOCK the trailer. Trailer Lighting Boards are DELICATE look after them when not connected to the trailer. Trailer Keys MUST be returned to VEHICLE Driver immediately once hitched/unhitched Fuel… UNLEADED PETROL Only use funnels with integral MESH FILTER Oil SCOUNDREL Main Fuel Tank and Red Fuel cans @100:1 RASCAL must have OIL reservoirs on EACH engine topped up before being driven anywhere Boat Capacity… Ribs Inflatables Damage… Any Damage MUST be reported immediately to the Boat Officer Paul Marchant 07860 935925 or 0208 8773 8242 1 Driver + 8 Divers 1 Driver + 6 Divers or or 1 Driver + 1 Trainee Driver + 7 Divers 1 Driver + 1 Trainee Driver + 5 Divers