With a large number of shared customers, and many more of each company that can benefit from our joint experience, the two companies are launching a new level of collaboration and cooperation, including:

• Steve D’Antonio’s new blog, the Marine Systems Excellence Blog, will be available on the WheelHouse Technologies home page. When customers go to www.wheelhousetech.com to log into their WheelHouse, they have the opportunity to read Steve’s industry leading blog.
• SDMC has become a WheelHouse Preferred Service Partner. As a Preferred Service Partner, Steve has full access to WheelHouse’ proprietary equipment templates, Equipment Document Library, and corrective maintenance records for use in research and articles.
• WheelHouse Discount available to SDMC Captains Club Members. Captains Club Members and other referred customers of SDMC will receive a 20% discount on WheelHouse implementation and first year subscription services.
• WheelHouse Technologies new PM Series Advertising Campaign will include commentary by Steve D’Antonio. The PM Series advertisements and expanded web detail highlight a common preventive maintenance task aboard yachts and workboats and link to a discussion at www.wheelhousetech.com on PM importance, tools, and techniques for the conduct of maintenance.
• WheelHouse Technologies recommends Steve D’Antonio’s Pre-purchase, Captains Club, and industry consulting expertise to their suppliers and customers. To focus efforts on its core business delivering turn-key maintenance programs to yachts and workboats based on the award-winning WheelHouse maintenance management platform, Steve D’Antonio will be the recommended consultant to WheelHouse customers for vessel selection and technical support services.

Richard Ossoff, owner of Cronulla (Selene 60), WheelHouse and Captains Club customer said “WheelHouse is a wonderful tool for managing and tracking the extensive maintenance requirements of our trawler and Steve’s Captain’s Club provides me with unparalleled expertise and responsiveness on trouble-shooting as well as counsel on upgrades and systems enhancements. Together, they make an unbeatable combination for managing maintenance and providing skilled, on-target trouble-shooting and overall care of my boat.”

Barry Kallander, president and founder of WheelHouse Technologies, said “Our collaboration with Steve has had a positive impact on our customers through Steve’s input to our proprietary equipment templates that provide the basis for our turnkey services. Steve and our team routinely interact in an open exchange of information that ultimately benefits the customer. We look forward to our continued and expanded relationship with Steve.”

Steve D’Antonio, one of the most prolific and highly regarded technical writers and consultants in the marine industry, said “I have watched Barry and WheelHouse Technologies (formerly SeaKits, Inc.) since they first appeared on the scene in 2006. Over the years I am convinced, through mine and my customer’s experience using WheelHouse, that it is the most comprehensive maintenance solution available. What’s more, it is backed by a group of individuals I have come to know and respect. I look forward to my continued association with WheelHouse Technologies and their contribution to the safety, reliability, and value of my customer’s yachts.”

About WheelHouse Technologies, Inc.

WheelHouse Technologies, Inc. was founded in 2006 by a submarine service veteran and USCG Licensed Master with a vision to improve the availability and reliability of yachts and workboats through sound maintenance practices. The company provides WheelHouse Yacht Solutions and WheelHouse Fleet Solutions, a computerized maintenance management system operating in the cloud for single vessels and fleets. In addition, the company provides related products and services including SeaKits Brand Kits, Global Parts Logistics, and Owners/Systems Manuals. WheelHouse Technologies products and services are available through leading boat builders, service partners, and company direct.

About Steve D’Antonio Marine Consulting, Inc.

With nearly 25 years of experience as a marine mechanic, electrician, consultant, technical journalist and boatyard manager, Steve D’Antonio ranks as one of the most knowledgeable boating experts in the country. He has operated Virginia-based Steve D’Antonio Marine Consulting since 2007, advising boat buyers, owners and industry professionals.

For more details contact:

Barry Kallander
President/Founder President
WheelHouse Technologies, Inc.
282 Central Street, Unit 9
Hudson, MA 01749
barry@wheelhousetech.com
978-562-5211

Steve D’Antonio
Steve D’Antonio Marine Consulting, Inc.
PO Box 111
Wake, VA 23176
steved@stevedmarineconsulting.com
804-776-0981

Discussion

The Windlass is an essential piece of safety equipment on a workboat or yacht.  When needed due to a loss of propulsion or steering control it must deploy quickly and safely to secure the vessel.  In addition to its safety purpose, cruising yachts rely on their windlass to anchor  in remote anchorages.  Failure to deploy or retrieve an anchor is at worse a safety hazard, and at best a major nuisance.  Often overlooked, periodic servicing is critical to the proper operation of the windlass.

Clutch Lever

Our example PM is based on a Maxwell windlass common on yachts.  Maxwell provides several variations of windlasses including vertical and horizontal chainwheel and capstan configurations, dual chainwheels, electric and hydraulic power, and optional band brakes.  While there are several variations, the basic operation and maintenance are similar.  Always refer to your owners manual for detailed operating and maintenance instructions.  WheelHouse users will find the owners manual in the Document Tab.

Most Maxwell windlasses use a hand clutch (using an inserted clutch lever) to engage/disengage the chainwheel from the capstan.  The clutch engages or disengages clutch cones which allow the  chainwheel and capstan to turn together or  independently.  These clutch cones and their riding surfaces require periodic service, including cleaning and greasing, to operate properly.

To service the above deck components, follow the detailed instructions in the owners manual to disassemble the topworks.  Clean all components and check for damage to springs, washers, plungers and other parts.  It is good to have the recommended spares on hand should any parts require replacement.  WheelHouse users will find the recommended parts in the Parts Tab.  Grease the clutch cones and the grease nipple (if fitted) at the deck plate using a good quality water proof grease.    Reassemble the topworks following the instructions in the manual.  Clean the chrome surfaces and spray with an anti-corrosion spray.

Upper Clutch Cone Removed

Lower Clutch Cone Removed

Below deck components include the gear box, worm drive, electric motor or hydraulic motor.  Inspect for corrosion, tightness (bolting, electric and hydraulic connections), leaks, and overall integrity.  Spray with anti-corrosion spray.

Gearboxes are either sealed and require no maintenance, or the gear oil may be changed every 3 to 5 years as required.  Use the oil recommended in the manual.  Some units may have a bank brake which requires periodic inspection including greasing the lead screw and inspecting the thickness of the brake lining.

Most windlass failures are the result of poor operating practices compounded by lack of maintenance.  We have seen fuse failures, bent deck bolting, motor failure, and damage to keys and internal parts when the windlass is used to “pull” a yacht to its anchor.  Failure to perform topworks servicing can result in seized clutch cones and drying out/failure of internal small parts.  Windlasses should be used to deploy and retrieve anchors from the bottom in a near vertical manner to prevent overloading the windlass motor or stressing the windlass mounts.  In addition, the windlass should be unloaded by securing the deployed chain using a bridle arrangement.

By following recommended operating practices and routine maintenance, your windlass will likely outlast your ownership, and will provide dependable service whenever you need it.

About our “Preventative Maintenance (PM) Series”

The PM Series addresses a PM found on most vessels by highlighting the requirements for a specific piece of equipment and then expand on equipment variations and techniques.  While you may not have the specific equipment referenced in the PM Series, the concepts should apply to your equipment.  The PM Series presents actual PMs taken from the WheelHouse Maintenance Management System.  WheelHouse users will always have the PMs and related documents and parts that are specific to their equipment.  Non WheelHouse users  should refer to their manufacturers guidance for your specific equipment when completing maintenance.  Contact WheelHouse for a product demonstration and pricing information.

Discussion

Oil change recommendations vary greatly between engine manufacturers, models, applications, and can even vary depending upon the brand and rating of the oil used.  For example a John Deere 6068TFM75 used in a recreational marine application should have its oil changed every 250 hours or annually, whichever occurs first.  If you use John Deer Plus-50 oil or an oil meeting an E4-E7 ACEA rating, this interval can be extended 50% to 375 hour or annually.  Be sure to check your engine manufacturer to verify the correct maintenance schedule.

Courtesy of John Deere 6068 Owner’s Manual

Always remember that even if you have not met the hour requirement for an oil change within a given year, it is imperative that the oil still be changed at least annually.  There are several failure modes to oil as it ages.  When an engine runs cool,  moisture can build up through condensation within the engine.  This moisture combines with residual sulfur  from the diesel fuel.  This combination creates sulfuric acid which can damage sensitive engine components.  Additives and detergents which are designed to clean and neutralize contamination in the oil as well as to prevent corrosion and wear break down over time and must be replenished.  Also, extended oil changes can cause carbon created during combustion to overwhelm the remaining detergents, creating sludge.

Now if you find the opposite to be true and you are running several thousand hours per year, you may want to speak with your engine manufacturer or dealer about installing a centrifuge or bypass filtration system, such as an Alfa Laval or PuraDYN system, on your engine.  These systems add extra filtration, they may supply additives and detergents back to the oil, as well as some even have heaters to burn off any water and fuel that are trapped in the oil.

Oil Analysis

When reviewing engine manufacturer recommendations, you will also see that most manufacturers recommend oil analysis with every oil change, or at least annually.  Oil analysis is great for trending engine failures over time but it can also highlight issues of immediate concern such as a heat exchanger or injector failure as shown in the two sample reports shown below.

Those people doing extended oil changes require more frequent sampling and should also be using an advanced analysis including TBN or Total Base Number which measures the amount of active additives left within the oil.

When sampling oil, follow proper sampling procedure, see our website at http://www.wheelhousetech.com/services/oil-and-coolant-analysis/

To purchase oil sampling supplies, check out our on-line store at http://store.wheelhousetech.com/oil_coolant_fluids_analysis_kits

About our “Preventative Maintenance (PM) Series”

The PM Series addresses a PM found on most vessels by highlighting the requirements for a specific piece of equipment and then expand on equipment variations and techniques.  While you may not have the specific equipment referenced in the PM Series, the concepts should apply to your equipment.  The PM Series presents actual PMs taken from the WheelHouse Maintenance Management System.  WheelHouse users will always have the PMs and related documents and parts that are specific to their equipment.  Non WheelHouse users  should refer to their manufacturers guidance for your specific equipment when completing maintenance.  Contact WheelHouse for a product demonstration and pricing information.

Discussion

Regular inspection of your engine control linkage ensures that your engines throttle and shift controls will operate properly.  Your engine control system may be different than the Hynautic controls in our example, so please consult your WheelHouse or manufacturer’s manual for specifics.

While the system mentioned in this PM is hydraulic, there are also electronic, manual, and pneumatic engine control systems.  With the exception of a full electronic engine control system, each of these types typically includes some mechanical components including cables and linkage which requires regular inspections.
Understanding the components in your particular instillation is the first step in being able to complete a proper inspection.

The following practices should be observed along with the specific details included in your engine controls owner’s manual:

1. Power down electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic sources.
2. Thoroughly inspect control head connections in the pilothouse, wing stations, and other remote stations.
3. Inspect mechanical connections on engine throttle bodies and gear boxes to ensure that vibration has not loosed them. Note: Photo below shows control linkage with missing cotter pin.
4. Power back up all sources and start the engines.  If any tightening or adjustment was required, ensure proper adjustment and operation before putting back in service.

About our “Preventative Maintenance (PM) Series”

This is where we will discuss a typical preventive maintenance task each month.  Our goal is to communicate a PM found on most vessels by highlighting the requirements for a specific piece of equipment and then expand on equipment variations and techniques.  While you may not have the specific equipment referenced in the PM Series, the concepts should apply to your equipment.  The PM Series presents actual PMs taken from the WheelHouse Maintenance Management System.  WheelHouse users will always have the PMs and related documents and parts that are specific to their equipment.  Non WheelHouse users  should always refer to manufacturers guidance for your specific equipment when completing maintenance.  Contact WheelHouse for a product demonstration and pricing information.

• Access WheelHouse Mobile anytime at http://mobile.wheelhousetech.com and log-on using your normal user name and password.  We recommend saving the link on your phone as well.
• WheelHouse Mobile is available on any smartphone, including Android-based phones, iPhones, and Blackberrys, among others.
• Receive Maintenance Alerts via email message whenever a new maintenance alert comes due, and link to WheelHouse Mobile directly from the message.   You will only receive messages  when a new Maintenance Alert comes due.
• Turn WheelHouse Mobile on/off  from the WheelHouse (web) Admin menu, as well as identify up to 3 email addresses to receive Maintenance Alerts.  Your email address of record is the default address.
• Update runtimes (to ensure your maintenance schedule is current), view new maintenance alerts as they come due, and view all active maintenance alerts at any time.  After one day, all “New Alerts” can then be found in the “All Alerts” list.
• Maintenance Alerts that are completed in WheelHouse Mobile dynamically update your WheelHouse web application.
• WheelHouse Mobile includes Help topics, or you can always contact us at Support@wheelhousetech.com.

WheelHouse Technologies has released version 1.0 of WheelHouse Mobile.

WheelHouse Mobile is another step in our pursuit to deliver easy to use content that helps you maintain your vessel.  Feel free to send us feedback on your experience, and don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

We encourage you to try WheelHouse Mobile and configure it according to your needs.  Thanks for using WheelHouse and WheelHouse Mobile!