NW Explorations HELE MAI A 46 User manual

Hele Mai
A 46’ Defever Ocean Trawler
Operang Manual
Edion of May 4, 2016
Copyrighted. See noce next page
Sect ion Contents
1 Introducon & General Des cr ip on
2 Important Vessel Number s
3 Operang Checklists & Maneuvering Sugges ons
4 Specic Discussion of Boat S y stem s
5 “What to Do” for Some Specic Concer ns
6 EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
7 Index


2| HELE MAI OPERATING MANUAL NW Exploraons
Warning!
This noce is a part of this manual, and is placed here to warn you as an owner, crew member or passenger
on this vessel that the author of this manual assumes no responsibility for any errors or omissions herein,
and represents only that the wrings and illustraons herein represent his “best eorts” to provide a
comprehensive overview of the vessel, so that it can be operated by a person who has the necessary
experience and/or training to operate such a vessel given the addional informaon herein.
You should be aware that this operang manual is provided as a convenience to the owner(s), crew members
and passengers on this vessel, and is not complete in every detail. Given the complexity of this boat and
its systems, there is no way that all condions, conngencies, and operang details can be covered, both
because of space limitaons and because of ordinary oversight as conngencies are speculated upon by the
author. Likewise, it is possible either through oversight and/or changes in the vessel as a result of addions,
modicaons, or deleons to or of equipment since publicaon of this manual, that items discussed will
operate dierently than described, be absent from the vessel, or be added to the vessel without discussion in
this volume.
As a vessel owner, crew member or passenger on this vessel, you are here at your own risk, and the author of
this manual has no responsibility for your acons whatsoever. If you do not feel competent to undertake any or
all operaons detailed herein, do not undertake it/them; get help from a competent person.
I thank you, (and my lawyer thanks you.)
Joseph D. Coons
Copyright 2008, 2010, 2011 Joseph D. Coons. This manual was wrien for this boat’s owner
by Joseph D. Coons, 1220 Birch Falls Drive, Bellingham, WA 98229, tel [phone].
All rights reserved. This manual may not be quoted, copied, or duplicated, in whole or in part, in
printed or electronic form, without express wrien consent from the author.
About the Author
Joe Coons is a rered AM-FM broadcasng staon owner and computer systems corporate execuve who
throughout his life was involved in communicaons and mechanical, electrical, and electronic systems. He
cruised his own boat on the Hudson River and Lake Champlain when a teen and in his early twenes, and
during the 70’s and 80’s accumulated some 2,500 hours as an instrument-rated private pilot. Beginning in
1986 he became seriously involved in boang as a boat owner, subsequently working in a “rerement career”
as a broker, also commissioning vessels, operang a charter eet, checking out boat charterers, and training
new power boaters. He has held a 50-ton Coast Guard Master’s license, and operated his own boats and
a substanal number of others from 26 to 70 feet in the near-coastal waters of Washington State, Brish
Columbia, and Alaska. His “helm me” exceeds 8,000 hours. In addion, he has trained hundreds of boaters in
the skills of vessel operaon.

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Secon 1: Introducon & General Boat Descripon
1A: About This Manual
1A1: Manual Objecve and Limitaons
This manual is intended to introduce you to “Hele Mai”, its systems, and features, allowing you to operate it with the
condence and self-assurance necessary to enjoy your cruising vacaon to its fullest. It is not intended to replace a basic
understanding of seamanship, including navigaon skills, weather interpretaon or boat handling. You are expected
to have an understanding of these subjects obtained through other sources, including training, seminars, reading and
perhaps most important, experience.
There is no way that a small manual like this one can answer every queson or give you a soluon to every circumstance,
foreseen or unforeseen. If you have a queson which limits your understanding or handling of this vessel, please contact
NW Exploraons; make a list of quesons as you read the manual, saving them all up to ask at one me.
1A2: How the Manual is Organized
The manual is divided into six secons numbered “1” to “6” plus an index (Secon 7). Within each secon are
subsecons leered “A” to “Z” as required.
In secon 4, which deals with the specic informaon about the vessel’s equipment and systems, the manual is
organized by major categories, such as “Anchor”, “Dinghy, Davit & Outboard”, “Fresh Water System”, etc.
Note that within “Electrical Systems” are the “AC Electrical System” and “DC Electrical System” as sub-categories,
and within them are such items that are a part of each, such as “Inverter”, “Generator”, etc.; Likewise, all electronic
equipment is in the “Electronics” secon.
A complete index is at the back of the manual in Secon 7.

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1B: General Descripon of this Vessel
1B1: Exterior
General
The Defever 46’ Trawler is a tradional design, with
berglass hull, cabin, ybridge, deck and swim step
structures, teak gunwhale caps, and stainless steel
welded ngs and handrails. The window frames are
of aluminum, some of which have sliding glass panes,
while the windshield frames are of the same material.
For addional speed and stability, the boat also has
been ed with a bulbous bow.
The ybridge overhangs the side decks to provide
protecon from inclement weather. A roomy cockpit
secon with a storage lazaree beneath is especially
useful for handling the dinghy aer it is launched from its davit. The
overhang created by the boat deck extending a of the ybridge provides
a roomy “veranda” for the boat that is especially welcome on hot days, or
when entertaining with the a salon door is open.
Of parcular note are the easy walk-around decks on each side of the
vessel, enabling safe, secure passage around the boat by passengers and
crew. Under the overhang in the cockpit to port a ulity cabinet houses an
icemaker for entertaining.
There are bulwark doors on each side of the boat. These doors should be
closed when docking or raing, as they overhang the boat’s side!
The owner has thoughully provided special securing-points for the vessel
fenders, with cam-cleats allowing accurate fender placement above the
waterline.
On the side decks are four deck plates/lls, including two lls port and
starboard on side decks for Diesel fuel; an addional two Diesel lls are in
the cockpit for a total of six.
See note on page 46 re: use of lazaree
fuel tanks! Do not add fuel to lazaree tanks!
On the foredeck there is a water ll deck plate,
while to starboard of the pilot house is the
waste pumpout deck plate.
Side view of Hele Mai
The starboard a side deck. Note fender camcleat.
Le: The cockpit cabinet. It has
an icemaker inside.Above: Swim
shower, freshwater faucet and
Cablemaster switch in cockpit.

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Forward on the bow deck is the anchor windlass with foot switches allowing chain movement both “up” and “down”
electrically. The anchor retracts into the pulpit which hangs over the bow to give beer clearance from the hull than
otherwise possible. Aer passing around the windlass, the chain goes below decks via a hawse pipe in the foredeck.
A fresh water faucet is on the front of the Portuguese bridge and a salt water washdown faucet is by the anchor windlass
by the bow pulpit. There are coil hoses for each, a sturdy mooring bit; a water ll inlet to right of the mooring bit, and
bow cleats built into the hawse pipes. The boat is ed with a Maxwell VMC-2200 windlass that operates the main
anchor with its chain.
The anchoring process for the anchor is expedited using the windlass controls at each helm staon. The anchor rode is
marked to inform the skipper how much chain is deployed (see page 22).
There is a “Cablemaster” shore power cord at the swim step, and forward is a shore power connecon (and an unused
TV and phone socket) at the bow; these are selected by a switch in the electric panel; when power is to be disconnected,
the ship AC power circuit breaker should rst be turned to the “o” posion to avoid arcing which could damage the plug
contacts. The boat’s shore power cable stays with the boat when away from its home dock. See “AC Electrical Systems”
below for shore power requirements.
(Above) The anchor windlass is forward, with foot switches controlling it to its right.
Just le of the windlass is the seawater washdown faucet.(Right) In this view
you can see the mooring bit.
The front of the Portuguese bridge. Washdown
faucet and pressure inlet to le, shore power
connecons to right. Note also the hawse
pipe with cleat and fender camcleat.

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Flybridge
Above the salon via the inside staircase steps from the
pilothouse is the large ying bridge. At the a end the
boat’s davit above the dinghy deck area allows the
boom and line to li the 12- foot Bullfrog tender with a
30-horsepower Honda electric-start outboard.
Forward of the boat deck the ybridge has a stainless
barbecue and an L-seee to starboard of the mast with
under-seat storage (a re exnguisher is stowed under
the seat/bench of the dinghy). In the seee’s forward
compartment are the dual propane tanks for operaon of
the stove and barbecue.
Fully forward on the ybridge is the helm structure, with
substanal room for engine controls and instruments
plus the ship’s full complement of electronics. To port
forward on the ybridge a half-door with sliding hatch
above accesses the pilothouse stairway. The door
and hatch are secured both open and closed by sturdy
hardware.
A Bimini top covers the ybridge seang area making it a
wonderful, shaded area; of course, the top can be lowered
when weather permits.
Above: The dinghy on the ybridge. It is launched using the crane to right.
Below: The ybridge seee seats four plus the helm seat.
Right: The ybridge console carries a full complement of electronics. Center: Access to the pilothouse is through the double-door hatch.
Far le top: Propane tanks and storage is beneath the ybridge seee.Far le boom: the ybridge carries the emergency life ra.

NW Exploraons HELE MAI OPERATING MANUAL | 7
Lazaree
The lazaree beneath the cockpit is accessed via a large, deck strong hatch in the cockpit. It holds the furnace and
steering gear, as well as providing storage space for other items.
The lazaree hatch. Note the steps and teak ooring in picture.Looking to port inside the lazaree. Rudder gear is under
the raised secon of the oor to le. Pipes and valves on the
far wall (the boat’s hull to port) are the rudder hydraulic
system, and you can see the autopilot pump.
Two 50-gallon tanks are in the lazaree,
neatly plumbed with sight tank level gauges.
To starboard a in the lazaree is the Diesel furnace system.
The exhaust pipe is wrapped in protecve insulaon. Because
of re risk, do not store anything in this area! See picture below...
This picture shows the net
installed to keep material
away from the furnace!
Between the tanks forward is one
of the boat’s bilge pumps. Note
the neat wiring arrangement.

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1B2: Main Deck
Salon
The boat is entered by any of three doors.
Port and starboard side doors are on the pilothouse (they should be closed when underway except at very low speeds in
calm waters to avoid geng salt water inside the doorways). The main entry access is the large door at the a end of the
salon, which opens onto the cockpit level; with its window and especially when open, it makes the salon a bright, airy
and pleasant place.
From the cockpit door you are in the beauful salon. To port an L-seee seats up to four; it has a cocktail/dining table in
front. The table can be easily opened and expanded to make it more spacious for dining as in the photos.
Across from this seee are two chairs with a storage cabinet between that also holds the at-screen TV and electronic
entertainment equipment.
Although the furnishings here appear enrely for comfort, there are important ulitarian features. Under both ends of
the seee are drawers for storage, and under the central part of the seee’s “L” is the air condioning air handler for the
salon.
Main & Lower Deck Floor Plan
Port side of saloon, looking a. Table opens up for dining at L-seee.Starboard side of saloon, looking a. Note the TV cabinet.

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Galley
The ship’s galley is just forward of the salon area. It includes
all that the chef could require including, of course, range,
refrigerator-freezer, microwave/convecon oven, garbage
disposer, and extraordinary storage making the necessies
for long cruises easily kept and quickly accessible.
The boat is fully equipped with utensils, dishware, and
cookware, plus the “lile touches” of place mats, etc.
From the galley the crew easily serves both the pilothouse
for en route dining, as well as the salon and its main table.
In addion to the storage and facilies directly in the galley
“U”, the double door refrigerator-freezer is across from it
forward of the salon.
The sink is ed with a garbage disposal acvated by a
buon on the right top corner of the sink.
The galley has counters, sink, stove, microwave,
and compactor in an “u” arrangement.
Forward to port past the end of the seee in the saloon is
the galley. Note that the counter serves as a bar with stools.
Another view of the stove and microwave.
Across from the
galley is this roomy
refrigerator/freezer.

10 | HELE MAI OPERATING MANUAL NW Exploraons
1B3: Stateroom (Lower) Deck:
This area of the boat is accessed via the stairway from the
salon.
Master Stateroom
The master stateroom
suite is located forward for
maximum space and comfort.
The island queen berth is
slightly elevated with steps
upon each side. A of these
steps are hanging lockers
on each side, and on the a
stateroom bulkhead there is
a dressing table and dresser
with a swing-out seat.
There are drawers under
the berth’s foot. Under the
berth, the maress panels
li out to reveal the bow
thruster and its baery.
Above the head of the port side of the berth, there is an intercom
phone and a remote control for the ship’s Westerbeke generator.
Head Compartment
The head compartment to starboard of the companionway
serves both staterooms, and has a separate stall shower. It
has a granite-topped counter with storage plus, of course,
a toilet, basin, and roomy shower compartment. There is
lots of lighng and an exhaust fan is provided for venlaon
in addion to the porthole. A Y-valve is under the oor in
the guest stateroom (see “Heads” secon, page 53).
Master stateroom. Note drawers under berth,
hanging locker to starboard.
M/S/R vanity, dressers & hanging lockers, port.
Depth and wind instruments
keep the skipper advised of
the ship’s status at anchor.
The head compartment.
The shower stall. Far le: The
head compartment has
water & holding tank gauges.