If call-outs recorded last year during the summer months are
anything to go by – 140 per week - River Canal Rescue predicts a busy season
ahead. By the end of June, monthly call-outs already topped 500 and the first
week in July had RCR’s engineers working flat out.
Call-out logs show fuel problems, alternators, electrical
issues, batteries and cables are causing the most problems for boaters,
followed by cooling systems, gear boxes, starters and fouled propellers. To help reduce call-out numbers, RCR Managing
Director, Stephanie Horton, offers the following tips:
“Fuel problems – these are mainly caused by diesel bug and
contaminated water. Diesel bug is an enzyme that lives off water in the diesel.
It either appears as black dust or soot (mildest form) or a black slime or
jelly (at its worst). Once in the system it clogs the engine’s fuel arteries
and stops the engine working. Mild cases will response to a fluid ‘Marine 16’.
It prevents bacterial growth and kills anything that may be forming in the tank
so is also a good preventative measure. More severe cases will require a diesel
bug shock treatment. Blocked filters and fuel contamination due to dirt and
debris getting into the fuel system are also culprits. Avoid this with regular
checking and servicing. Some marinas offer fuel polishing which cleans the fuel
without having to treat or dispose of the contaminated fuel.
“Starter motors and alternators – alternators operate in a
damp, hot environment which is not good for any electrical product. The damp
winter resulted in a lot of water left sitting around these components and if
your bilges are full of oil and water when the engine is running, it will be
thrown over the engine, hitting the electrical components. If left for a long period of time, rust can
also develop and affect their operation, so check the bilges and run your
engine as frequently as you can.
“Electrical issues – these are mainly caused by a lack of
attention to connections. Check for corrosion, any wires coming away, loose
connections or disconnected wires before starting a journey and use a water
resistant spray or petroleum jelly to stop damp getting into isolators and
block connectors.
“Batteries – make sure you have the right battery linked to
your starter system. A cranking battery delivers a high output quickly while a
leisure battery delivers a lower continuous output, but needs to be charged
regularly to maintain capacity. If in a good condition, each battery in your
bank generally requires two to three hours charging to get back to full
performance once fully discharged. Each
battery cell can affect the whole battery bank so to prevent deterioration,
regularly check and top up the water levels in the cells using de-ionised
water. If one cell’s water level drops to below 50% it will bring the battery
bank capacity down to the same level, irrespective of how good the other
batteries are. Never mix batteries and always replace a whole bank of old ones
with new ones.
“Cables – this is primarily due to their exposure to the
elements as most of the cable terminus is set outside. If not used regularly,
cables will rust so to prevent this, grease the end of the cable, particularly
if leaving the boat for a long period of time, and when you do set off, check
for any roughness or stiffness. If fitting new ones, keep any cable bends to a
minimum as these are the areas likely to suffer high stress and so may fail in
the future.
“Cooling systems – overheating problems are usually caused
by an air lock in the system. To identify this, feel the top and bottom of the
swim tank – if everything is fine there should be a difference in temperature –
if there isn’t, find and unscrew the bolt that sits on top of the swim tank.
This will release the air locked in the system. Overheating can also be caused
by a coolant hose rupturing, a water pump failing, a fan belt shredding or at
its worst, a head gasket failing.
“Gear box and drive plates – general wear and tear is the
main call-out reason so regularly service the gear box. If you hit an
underwater object the drive plate is usually the first victim. If you damage
the drive plate however, it’s unlikely you’ve damaged the gear box.
“Fouled propellers - loss of propulsion is commonly caused
by the prop being covered in debris such as weed or leaves. By putting the engine into reverse you should
be able to clear it.”
To find out more about River Canal Rescue, search for the
firm on Facebook, visit www.rivercanalrescue.co.uk
or call 01785 785680.
