Twin Anchors CruiseCraft V Twilight Dreams User manual

CruiseCraft V
OPERATING MANUAL
- Twilight Dreams / J Cruiser

2
You should
know...
This Operating Manual contains instructions and
guidelines for operating your Twin Anchors houseboat.
Following the instructions and guidelines contained
in the Manual should ensure that you have a safe and
enjoyable holiday. The instructions and guidelines
contained in the Manual are in no way exhaustive,
and you are responsible to occupy and operate your
houseboat in a prudent and safe manner at all times.

CruiseCraft V
Welcome Aboard!
Twin Anchors Houseboats encourages the Captain and the Co-Captain
to use this manual as a guideline for operations of the houseboat. It
is their responsibility to ensure all houseboat passengers are aware
of the Charter Agreement, Policies, Rules and Regulations that are
reviewed upon check in and orientation.
This manual is a guide to help you refresh your memory in regards to
the houseboat operations previously reviewed with members of Twin
Anchors Sta. We have also included other information that may be
of interest to you and your crew members.
Please respect Shuswap Lake by leaving only footprints on the
beaches, contain refuse at all times to avoid distribution into the lake,
and be considerate of other people on vacation.
Have a great time on Shuswap Lake!

4
Table of Contents
1 Radio Operations
1.1 Prior to Calling on the Radio
1.2 Radio Information
1.3 Emergency Procedures
2 Starting Procedures
2.1 Preparation Before Starting
2.2 Engine Starting Procedures
2.3 Operating the houseboat
from the upper deck
2.4 Front Console Lower
Helm Station
2.5 Fuel
2.6 Fuel Transfer Station
3 Maneuvering the Houseboat
3.1 Steering
3.2 Beaching
3.3 Docking
3.4 Storm Procedures
3.5 Propeller Damage
3.6 Accident or Breakdown
4 Electrical System &
Components
4.1 Batteries
4.2 Lights
4.3 Breaker Panel - Main Deck
4.4 Breaker Panel - Mid Deck
4.5 Generator (GENSET)
4.6 Inverter & Battery
Charge Systems
4.7 Inverter Remote
Control Panel
4.8 Fire Suppression System
5 Appliances
5.1 Refrigerator
5.2 Stove and Oven Operation
5.3 Dishwasher
5.4 Clothes Washer/Dryer
5.9 Hot Water Heater
5.10 BBQ
5.11 Propane Furnace
5.12 Fireplace
6 Water Supply
6.1 Water Supply
7 Bathroom (THE HEAD!)
7.1 Toilet
7.2 Chemicals
7.3 Toilet Paper
7.4 Shower
8 Hot Tub & Slide
8.1 Filling the Hot Tub
8.2 Circulation for Heating
8.3 Slide
9 Troubleshooting
9.1 Starting Procedures
9.2 Water Supply
9.3 Toilet
9.4 Electrical System
9.5 VHF Radio
9.6 Generator
9.7 Charging System
9.8 Fireplace
9.9 Hot Tub
10 Inventory
10.1 Inventory List
11 Safety Equipment &
Safe Boating Practices
11.1 Drugs, Alchohol & Boating
11.2 Life Jackets & Life Ring
11.3 Safe Boating Practices
11.4 Fire Extinguishers
11.5 First Aid Kits
11.6 Someone Overboard
11.7 Fire
11.8 Propeller Injuries
12 Safe Waterways
13 Bear Aware
14 Knots
15 End of Day Procedures
16 End of Trip Procedures
17 Parks Information
18 Carbon Monoxide & Alarm
19 BC Ambulance Service
20 First Aid

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Twin Anchors Base 1.800.663.4026 for medical emergencies call 911
Channel 1
boat to boat Channel 3 weather
Channel 2
boat to twin anchors base
8 am - 6pm
1. Radio Operations
ON/OFF
SWITCH
If your radio does not appear to be working, check to make sure the power is “ON”.
(Push in the large black button on the front of the radio).
1.1 Prior to Calling in on the Radio
1. Know the name of the boat you are on.
2. Location of the houseboat.
3. Have the Captain/Co-Captain call in.
During the day from 8:00 am thru 6:00 pm feel free to
contact Twin Anchors Base with any questions you have.
1.2 Radio Information
If you started your vacation in SICAMOUS:
Channel 1: Boat to Boat Channel
Channel 2: Boat to Twin Anchors Base
Channel 3: Weather Channel
If you started your vacation in SALMON ARM BAY:
Channel 1: Boat to SA Bay/and or SA Boat to SA Boat
Channel 2: Boat to Twin Anchors Base
Channel 3: Weather Channel
1.3 Emergency Procedures
We do monitor the radio 24 hours/day for emergencies.
After 6:00 pm, please do not call Twin Anchors Base un-
less you have a MEDICAL EMERGENCY or a situation that
needs immediate attention.
If you require 911 service:
1. Know your location.
2. Have one person, preferably the Captain /
Co-Captain, communicate with Twin Anchors
Base, and remain at the helm station for
instruction.
3. 911 Service on the lake may take as long as
1 to 3 hours.
THE SERVICE BOAT WILL ONLY ATTEND MEDICAL
EMERGENCIES AFTER DARK. DO NOT EXPECT TO
HAVE A SERVICE CALL AFTER DARK.

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2. Starting Procedures
TRANSFER
BUTTON
CHECK OIL
Shifter Throttle
2.1 Preparation BEFORE starting...
DO NOT START YOUR ENGINE UNTIL ALL ITEMS
HAVE BEEN CHECKED BELOW:
•Engine must not be run if drive leg is not completely down.
• Check oil in Generator and Engine. If low, call base for
service boat.
• Inspect bilge for water or oil prior to starting.
• Make sure rear area behind boat is clear of swimmers.
• Turn on engine compartment blower for 3 to 5 minutes
before starting engine, failure to do so may cause gasoline
fume explosion.
• Check to be sure that the engine leg and propeller are
lowered into the water completely. This is done by pushing
the power trim switch down until drive leg is completely
lowered.
• The power trim switch is located in the engine compartment.
Check the oil.
Power Trim Switch

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Twin Anchors Base 1.800.663.4026 for medical emergencies call 911
2.2 Engine Starting Procedures
1. Turn the key to the“ON”position; you will hear an audible“alarm”
sound. Push the transfer button at the shifter base. Let go and wait for
a red solid light to appear on the shifter.
2. You can now turn the key to the“START”position until the engine
engages. Once the engine is running, you can shift into gear.
3. The further forward the shifter lever is, the faster the boat will go.
Remember, we do not recommend exceeding speeds of 2500 R.P.M.
in forward or reverse because of fuel consumption concerns.
Pulling the shifter back towards you past neutral position will
decrease speed and put you into reverse. The further back you pull
the shifter the more power you will apply.
Remember not to“over-rev”the engine in reverse, (above 2200-2500
R.P.M. you will hear an unusual sound from the back end of your
boat), this could damage the engine. Use short sustained bursts of
throttle to slow and stop your boat.
4. To warm-up the engine before putting it in gear allow the engine to
run for about 5-10 minutes.
TRIM
The trim should always be completely down when running the engine. We
recommend leaving the leg in this position when you are beached. The only
time you should raise the leg is to check your prop for damage or if your
boat is turned sideways on a beach.
Make sure your engine is not running at any time when the leg is raised.

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2.3 Operating the houseboat from the Upper Deck
The upper controls are to be used strictly for cruising down the lake.
Do not use the upper controls when beaching, docking your houseboat or
cruising through the Sicamous Channel - you have no radio communication
from the upper deck.
In order to take command of the upper helm station simply put your boat
into neutral downstairs, go to the upper helm, press the button located
on the front of the shifter box and you will see the red light appear on the
shifter. You now have control at the upper helm. Repeat same process down
at lower helm when ready to resume control of that station. This makes it
impossible to control the boat from both positions at same time.
Resume controls at the lower helm before docking, beaching or entering
the Sicamous Channel.
Station In Command
Important!
Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you attempt
to dock the houseboat while driving from the
Upper Command station.
Receiving Station in NEUTRAL.

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Twin Anchors Base 1.800.663.4026 for medical emergencies call 911
2.4 Front Console Lower Helm Station
RPM GAUGE
We recommend a cruising speed of 1800 - 2200 R.P.M.’s.
This speed will give you the most ecient fuel
consumption.
OIL GAUGE
MERCRUISER: range should be 30-60 while operating.
TEMPERATURE GAUGE
MERCRUISER: range should be 0-175 while operating
FUEL GAUGE
Do not rely on your fuel gauge for accuracy. Your fuel
must be inspected when you depart to make sure that
it is full.

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2.4 Front Console Lower Helm Station cont’d
BATTERY
Indicates alternator condition and battery voltage and /
or charging rate of the engine start battery.
The normal operating range is from 12 to 14 volts. If
the gauge reads below 12 volts during operation, or
displays a negative rate of charge, start your generator.
The battery gauge should read no less than 12 volts
when the boat is not running.
If you notice your batteries are running low, start your
boat, and and run it at 1,200 - 1,500 rpms for 15 to 20
minutes.
What if your boat doesn’t start?
If your boat does not start and you have no radio
communication with Twin Anchors base, go to the
nearest Twin Anchors boat so they can call Twin
Anchors Service for assistance. If a Twin Anchors boat is
not in sight, another company’s boat can call into their
marina and a message can be passed along. You may
also use a cell phone and call the Twin Anchors oce at
1-800-663-4026.
OPTION: Run the gen-set to charge the engine start
battery. If the engine still doesn’t start, call the our oce.
IGNITION
Prior to starting engine be sure no one is
in the water.
The key has three (3) positions:
START: Position is spring loaded and must be held
in this position until the engine starts. Never turn the
key to start position if the engine is already running.
RUN: After the engine starts, release the key, it will
automatically return to the ‘run’ position.
OFF: When you turn o your houseboat you should
remove the key. The key should be hung on the
hook located to your left between the helm station
and the sliding glass door.
RUNNING LIGHTS
Your houseboat needs to be BEACHED 1 HOUR
BEFORE DARK.
Running lights are only to be used in extreme
emergencies. Contact Twin Anchors Base for assistance.
BLOWER
Your blower should be turned on for 3-5 minutes before
starting your engine.
Turn your blower OFF when you start the engine.
Never turn your blower on before refueling
Always run your blower for 5-10 minutes after refueling.

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Twin Anchors Base 1.800.663.4026 for medical emergencies call 911
2.5 Fuel
The fuel tanks are very large and you should not need
to refuel during your trip unless you are out for more
than a week, or you have traveled a long distance at high
speeds (Normal cruising speed is 2000 RPMs). There is a
minimum of 1457 L of fuel in each tank on your house-
boat.
The engine and generator run from separate tanks. You
have to rell your tank using your fuel transfer station.
Fuel must be transferred when your main engine and
generator tank reach 1/4 tank.
DUE TO THE VARIOUS GRADES OF MARINE FUEL,
ALL REFUELING MUST BE DONE AT TWIN ANCHOR’S
MARINAS IN SICAMOUS OR SALMON ARM BAY.
2.6 Fuel Transfer Station
1. Turn 12 volt breaker labelled‘fuel transfer’ ON.
2. Pull emergency shut-o switch out. Located on the
rear deck outer wall.
3. Turn the pump ON by removing the nozzle from its
holder and pushing the lever up.
NOTE: THE NOZZLE HOLDER AND SWITCH ARE
DESIGNED SO THE PUMP MOTOR CANNOT OPERATE
WITH THE NOZZLE IN THE HOLDER.
4. Insert the nozzle into the receiving tank or container.
5. Squeeze the handle to start fuel ow.
6. This pump is designed to self-prime. If it does not
begin to deliver fuel within 15 to 20 seconds after
turning the pump ON and opening the
nozzle, turn OFF.
7. An automatic bypass valve prevents pressure build-
up when the pump is ON with the nozzle closed.
CAUTION:To avoid pump damage, do not run the
pump for more than ten seconds with the nozzle
closed.
8. Do not overll the tank. Repeated attempts to“top
o”the tank with an automatic nozzle may result in
overlling.
9. After dispensing fuel, release the nozzle handle, turn
the pump OFF and return the nozzle to its holder.
CAUTION:The duty cycle of this pump is 30 minutes
ON and 30 minutes OFF. Allow 30 minutes to cool.
Reminder!
If you are using the fuel pump
for personal watercraft, you
need to keep an eye on the fuel
levels. (Amounts vary
between houseboat models).
Warning!
To prevent physical injury,
observe precautions against re
or explosion when dispensing
fuel. Do not operate the system
in the presence of any source of
igition including running or hot
engines, lit cigarettes, or gas/
electric heaters.

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3.1 Steering
When beaching, docking or moving around in tight
areas, always have one person at the back of the
houseboat and a person at the front to provide you with
assistance.
Steering your houseboat is dierent from steering an
automobile, the houseboat steers from the rear, causing
the rear of the boat to swing wide. Make sure there is
enough room to turn in a tight area.
Unlike a road vehicle, it is not possible to coast through
a turn. Wind or water currents aect steering, apply
additional throttle to compensate, this gives you more
steering control.
When making a sharp turn or U-turn, move the steering
wheel in the direction you are turning before putting
the houseboat in gear. After traveling forward, put
the houseboat in neutral and turn the steering wheel
quickly in the opposite direction and then place the shift
lever in reverse. Continue this procedure until you have
made the turrn.
3. Maneuvering the Houseboat

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Twin Anchors Base 1.800.663.4026 for medical emergencies call 911
3.2 Beaching
YOU MUST BEACH YOUR HOUSEBOAT EVERY NIGHT
ONE HOUR BEFORE DARK!
1. Choose a spot that is well protected from wind, waves
and AWAY FROM ROCKS. Do not choose shallow areas,
doing so may cause damage to the prop - resulting in
extra charges to you.
2. A trial run reasonably close to shore will conrm this.
Make sure there are no sharp rocks that will damage the
pontoons or hull.
3. If the beach checks out okay, approach the spot you
have chosen at the slowest speed possible 900-1000
RPMs. Make sure you approach the beach as straight as
possible.
4. When the front of the pontoons make contact with
the ground, leave the boat in forward gear, run the
engine up to 2000 RPMs. This will hold your house-
boat to the beach while someone else pounds in the
stakes and ties up the ropes. If the wind starts to turn
the houseboat sideways, keep your engine running
in forward gear at a LOW RPM, turn your wheel in the
same direction the back of the boat is moving. This will
straighten the houseboat out. Hold in this position until
a crew member has secured the long lines around the
stakes.
MAKE SURE SOMEONE IS AT THE HELM UNTIL THE
BOAT IS SECURED.
5. If the boat turns sideways on the beach put your en-
gine in neutral and turn your engine o, Raise Outdrive/
Leg of your engine (Trim switch in the engine pod - SEE
PAGE 6). Try to push the back end of the boat out. Once
the back end of the engine is far enough out- lower the
leg of engine (see starting procedures trim switch sec-
tion) restart your engine and back out.
Reapproach the beach as straight as possible.
6. Your stakes should be pounded in at a 45 degree
angle away from both sides of your boat. Be sure to
pound them at an angle away from the houseboat with
no more than 5-6 inches above the ground. Pull your
long lines around the stakes and make a loop knot. Do
not tie extra knots or loops in the rope. Wrap around and
knot 3-4 times until ropes are secure. Do not leave any
slack in the ropes.
See knot tying techniques on page 43.
7. After you have tied up and turned the engine o,
make sure your key is in the o position. A key left in the
ON position will drain your battery.
Warning!
Do not try to beach or
leave the beach in strong
winds. Waiting it out will
be much safer for you
and your houseboat.

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3.3 Docking
Plan ahead when approaching a dock so that you are
not caught at the last minute by wind or current. If
possible approach a dock against the wind or against
the current (whichever has the most inuence over the
houseboat), keep your speed down so you will have
better control and minimize the impact should you
miscalculate your approach.
Prior to coming into either Marinas please call base and
ensure there is room on the dock system. Then follow
these procedures:
APPROACH SICAMOUS MARINA:
Approaching from Mara Lake: Make a u-turn past the
Twin Anchors dock and come in facing south (Mara Lake).
1. Have one person at the front of the boat and one
person on the back of the boat.
2. Upon reaching the dock put the boat in neutral, then
in reverse to slow down, then back into neutral.
3. Tie the front line of the boat securely to the dock
4. Put shifter in forward gear and turn the wheel away
from the dock - this will swing the back end of the
boat towards the dock
5. Tie the rear line of the boat securely to the dock
6. Return shifter to neutral and turn o the houseboat
engine.
NOTE!
The CruiseCraft V must be
piloted by Twin Anchors Crew
through the bridge. Please
radio Twin Anchors Base to
arrange assistance.
DANGER!
Sand Bar!
DANGER!
Sand Bar!

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Twin Anchors Base 1.800.663.4026 for medical emergencies call 911
3.4 Storm Procedures
Fortunately most storms on Shuswap Lake are of short
duration and move through the area very quickly. Quite
often it will storm on one arm of the lake but be calm on
others.
WHEN A STORM APPROACHES
YOU HAVE 2 OPTIONS:
1. If you are near a safe and protected beach area
before the wind picks up, beach the houseboat.
Make sure you have your ropes at a 45-degree
angle to the side of your boat and your stakes
are pounded in secure with no more than six
inches of stake showing.
Tie your ropes with as little slack as possible.
If there is a cross wind, (if the direction of the
wind is towards the side of your boat) and the
force of the wind is putting an unsafe amount
of tension on one of your mooring lines, place
the houseboat in forward gear and apply the
throttle to relieve the tension. Turn your steering
wheel in the same direction as the wind.
2. If you are on the lake and a storm comes up, stay out
on the lake and ride the storm out. A houseboat is
a very stable craft that will ride out any storm with a
minimum of discomfort.
The safest procedure is to head into the storm (with
or against the roll of the waves) at about half speed.
Keep the houseboat from turning sideways into the
wind. This will minimize the side to side rocking mo-
tion of the waves.
Continue to ride the storm out until it is calm enough
to beach. Most storms only last about an hour or less
in duration.
NOTE! Check Channel 3 every day for storm warnings!

16
3.5 Propeller Damage
If you should hit anything under the water causing
damage to your propeller, slow the boat to idle position
and place the shift lever in the neutral position. Turn the
boat o and inspect the propeller for damage. Contact
Twin Anchors base on Channel 2 for further instructions.
DO NOT CONTINUE TO OPERATE THE
HOUSEBOAT AS IT COULD CAUSE MAJOR
ENGINE AND/OR OUTDRIVE DAMAGE FOR
WHICH YOU WOULD BE LIABLE. INSURANCE
DOES NOT COVER NEGLIGENT ACTS,
OR DAMAGE TO THE PROP.
3.6 Accident or Breakdown
Twin Anchors guarantees good service to all of our
customers alike. However, due to unforeseen
circumstances mechanical failure does occur
periodically. In the event of any malfunction, accident,
or damage, you must contact Twin Anchors Base on
Channel 2. If you are out of range please do a general
call to have another houseboat relay a message for you.
If you have a cell phone you can call us at
1-800-663-4026.
All service calls resulting from damage caused by
the negligence of the Captain and/or his crew will be
charged to the charter. Costs will be determined by
Twin Anchors base.
Warning!
MINOR DAMAGE:
You will incur a charge
per blade for damaged
props.
MAJOR DAMAGE:
Damage to more
than 1/3 of the prop
constitutes major
damage as the prop is
beyond repair.

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Twin Anchors Base 1.800.663.4026 for medical emergencies call 911
4. Electrical System and Components
This boat has two Breaker Panels.
The downstairs panel is for operations on the main deck.
The mid-deck panel is for operations on the middle and upper deck.
4.1 Batteries
Your houseboat is equipped with a start battery for your
engine and generator. The start batteries will recharge
only while the engine is running.
You also have cabin/house batteries that charge only
when the generator is running, do not let them drop
below 12 volts at any time.
Once your cabin/house batteries fall below 12 volts, you
will need to start your generator to recharge the system.
See Section 2.4 for further information.
4.2 Lights
Ensure the breaker switches on the main circuit and
upper deck breaker panel are turned on. Beside the
main circuit panel and beside the lower helm station are
the individual switches for each section of the cabin.
4.3 Breaker Panel on Main Deck
The four columns of breakers are broken down as
follows: You have two separate systems,
the rst 2 columns on the left are 12 volt DC,
the 2 columns on the right are 120 volts AC.
12 VOLT DC SYSTEM: These breakers operate
from your cabin/house batteries.
120 VOLT AC SYSTEM: This is broken down into 2
systems:
1. The breakers in AC BUS 1 column operate only when
the generator is running.
2. The breakers in AC BUS 2 column operate when the
generator is not running, and depend on stored power
in your cabin/house batteries.
3. Some models will dier slightly and have the main
generator breaker on the AC BUS 1 column.
BUS 1 BUS 2
12 Volt DC System
Breaker Panel on Main Deck
Generator
Start/Stop
Inverter Remote
Control Panels
Hot Water
Tank RESET

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Twin Anchors Base 1.800.663.4026 for medical emergencies call 911
4.4 Breaker Panel on Middle Deck
The four columns of breakers are broken down as
follows: You have two separate systems,
the rst 2 columns on the left are 12 volt DC,
the 2 columns on the right are 120 volts AC.
12 VOLT DC SYSTEM: These breakers operate
from your cabin/house batteries.
120 VOLT AC SYSTEM: This is broken down into
2 systems:
1. The breakers in AC BUS 1 column operate only when
the generator is running.
2. The breakers in AC BUS 2 column operate when the
generator is not running, and depend on stored power
in your cabin/house batteries.
3. The breaker panel on the middle deck has the
breakers to operate the following:
• Operates hot tub on upper deck
• Hot water tanks, televisions and
lights on middle deck.
BUS 1 BUS 212 Volt DC System
Breaker Panel on Middle Deck
Inverter Remote Control Panel Hot Water Tank RESET

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4.5 Generator (GENSET)
PRIOR TO STARTING - RUN THE
GENSET BLOWER FOR 3-5 MINUTES.
AFTER THE GENERATOR IS STARTED –
SHUT THE BLOWER OFF.
Before starting make sure the large switch is in OFF
position - see picture below.
The generator on your boat has a start switch
located below the lower left side of the main
breaker panel.
Hold the“ON”toggle for 20 - 30 seconds and then
hold down the“START”toggle at the same time.
Once the generator is running, warm it up for 5-10
minutes prior to turning large switch to SHIP’S GEN.
Once your house/cabin batteries have reached oat
charge, you can shut o the generator by holding
the same switch to the STOP position.
When shutting o the generator turn the large
switch to OFF – this takes the power load o the
generator then you need to let the generator cool
down for 5-10 minutes prior to switching it OFF.
Let generator cool down for 1/2 hour prior to
restarting.
J CRUISER & TWILIGHT DREAMS:
Carbonated Genset. Hold and prime.
JANICE MAE, BOATALICIOUS &
POSEIDON’S CHARIOT:
Fuel Injected - just push the start button.

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Twin Anchors Base 1.800.663.4026 for medical emergencies call 911
4.6 Inverter System & Battery Charge System
The two inverter control panels are found to the lower
right of your main electrical panel, labeled“RC-6”. These
panels have an ON/OFF switch and is tied in with a break
on the main panel labeled“inverter” (turn this breaker
ON). There is an inverter system upstairs and downstairs.
You will nd 1 panel upstairs, and 2 downstairs.
When the generator is operating with the inverter, your
cabin batteries will charge and a yellow “bulk charge”
light will appear on the RC6 panel (TOP LEFT).
Only your entertainment centre, stove and certain
outlets should be used through the inverter without
generator back-up. Most 120 volt systems will require
the generator to operate.
4.7 Inverter Remote Control Panel
Lights indicate the voltage of your
Cabin/House Battery Bank.
AMPS DC:
Generator is running
The DC Amps indicator lights indicate the charge rate
going into the cabin/house battery bank.
Generator is not running
The DC Amps indicator lights tell you how much power
you are using in the cabin.
If there is no power, press the ON/OFF button or if there
is no power in the 4th column of the breaker panel, press
ON/OFF.
Alternatively, refer to the Troubleshoot Section.
BULK AND FLOAT CHARGE:
• Orange Bulk light- indicates batteries are charging.
• Green Float light- indicates batteries are completely
charged.
4.8 Fire Suppression System
The CruiseCraft V has a re suppression system located
in the engine pod. Should a re occur DO NOT OPEN
ENGINE POD LID.
• All electrical and engine components will shut down
immediately- except for the VHF radio (call Twin
Anchors Base immediately).
• Indicators and/or Alarms will display on all dash boards.
You Should
Know!
If you turn on a breaker
on the main electical
panel and the light for
that breakefr doesn’t go
on, check the generator,
generator breaker and
inverter switch.