Useful Hints And Tips - New Owners Start Here.
Over the years we have been able to pick the brains and share the experience of other Hampton Safari owners at our annual events on the Broads. I have finally got around to writing down some of these and including them on the website. Although intended mainly as a starting point for new Hampton Safari owners, who may not have extensive experience of boating or boat ownership (-we didn't when we started!), there may be the odd "nugget" of interest to others too.
The topics on this particular page are intended to give some basic information on the various controls, switches, safety devices, and other features that are useful to know if, as, or when, things may go wrong, or better still, some preventative maintenance checks to hopefully spot and resolve potential issues before failures occur. In subsequent pages (see the "Projects" tab) we provide some further guides for basic maintenance tasks ranging from washing and cleaning your boat, winterisation and de-winterisation, simple repairs, and smaller project tasks that frequently crop up during ownership....
Pre/Post Cruise Checks
As there is no user/owners manual for a Hampton Safari hopefully these notes will give you useful list of things/controls to locate and good habits to adopt...
....even experienced owners (myself included) have forgotten the odd point from time to time (e.g forgetting to turn on the main sea cock for raw water cooling!) while distracted by other things...
Before Leaving Home:
1: Do check that you have your boat keys, wallet, phone and anything that you need while away - it's very frustrating to arrive at your mooring to find that you can't even get aboard! (Yes - we've been there!)2: Put the cat out (...we personally have no cats/pets....but you never know....)
3: Pick up some 5L bottles of water for drinking on board (or refill used ones at home). We use around 5L per day, so generally have around 5 x 5L bottles on board at any time for a 1 week cruise (assuming we refill them).
Bottled water tastes/smells nicer than (treated/filtered) water from the boat tank, which is fine for washing, washing up etc, but not so nice for drinking (boiled or otherwise)...
Pre Cruise Exterior Checks.
1: Fill the fresh water tank from a hose...not all BA moorings have water taps...
2: Connect the gas regulator to the gas bottle. Assuming that you adopt this guide as a habit all appliances should already be turned off. Check for leaks using the bubble tester.
3: Put out your boat club burgee (it's a good wind direction indicator for mooring if mounted at the bow)...
4: Check the fuel level in the fuel tank (usually the Hampton Safari fuel gauge is a wooden stick with marks/lines at regular intervals!).
5: Put out your mooring lines for cruising - ideally long (20-25ft) ones, 1 at bow and 1 at the stern plus other shorter lines for side on/stern on mooring while out.
6: Put your mud weight and it's associated line out on deck ready for use (whether planned or otherwise). It's useful to put the end loop around the bow cleat at this point, rather then remembering to do it after launching the mud weight!
7: Make sure your throwing line/life ring/boarding ladder are ready for use in case you need them!
8: Ensure that mops, brooms, boat hooks etc are secured (using bungee cords) and out of the way (e.g on the roof or in the fore/aft well where you won't trip over them.)
9: Check that your Rhond anchors/mooring spikes and hammer are where you expect them to be stored and at hand (in the gas locker?) if you need them (probably very rarely).
Start Up Preparations and Checks:
1: If you have been away from the boat for a while, check the battery condition (a simple multi meter voltage test, and/or check green indicator on battery). If any battery is less than 75-80% charged consider (mains) charging it fully, prior to departure.
2: Switch the battery selector switch to one of position 1, 2 or Both as required (see article) - usually position 1 (starter battery only). WARNING: If you subsequently change the switch position with the engine running NEVER switch through 0 or OFF position.
3: Check the level of water in the bilge (usually below galley floor) for normal expected level. Check the bilge pump is working by manually selecting the bilge pump switch (usually marked on dashboard).
4: Check engine oil level (using dipstick) and top up if/as required.
5: Check engine closed water cooling system (undo radiator cap and check. Add pre-mixed antifreeze solution if/as required. (top up with plain water, only in an emergency).
6: With the main sea cock in CLOSED position, undo the screw cap on the weed filter and check that the filter is weed free. Remove weed as necessary, carefully replace filter and screw cap ensuring any rubber seals are positioned correctly & not trapped/squashed.
7: Open on the main sea cock valve, checking for any obvious leaks around the filter cap or from hoses. DO NOT forget this very important step, else your engine will quickly overheat, and the impellor pump will need a new set of rubber blades!
8: Check the fuel cut off switch (usually under floor near engine) is in the ON position and that the engine throttle kill cable is pushed home (or the engine will not start!).
....And Away....
9: Remove and ensure that any loose cups, kettles, odds and ends that rattle, or may wobble off surfaces, are secured/stowed away.
10: Insert the ignition key and switch to warm up setting. Hold for 30 secs to heat the diesel glow plugs.
11: With the Morse control lever in Neutral (gears disengaged), move handle to slightly positive throttle position. Start the engine on the key. Run the engine for a minute or two on fast idle and then throttle back to idle while the engine warms.
12: Depending on wind and tide conditions discuss your expected plan for leaving the mooring (forward or reverse out into wind and tide) and which lines to let go first.
13: Get your able/willing crew to release mooring ropes in the planned order placing them coiled neatly on deck as directed by you (the pilot).
14: Check the boat is behaving as planned/expected throughout. Stop and make fast if it's not behaving as expected and rethink your exit.
15: If all goes well, Crew will hold onto the last rope and carry it on board with them after pushing off/away from the quay heading.
16: As Captain - check you haven't left them behind!
Close down Checklist - Prior to Leaving.
1: Assuming the boat is already docked and tied up...
2: Shut off the engine using the kill switch/cable. Turn off ignition. Leave Morse control in Neutral and drive gear disengaged.
3: Shut off (CLOSE) the main sea cock. Carefully remove the screw cap from the weed filter, remove the filter and clean out any weed. Replace the filter tube and carefully replace the screw cap ensuring seals are correctly placed and not trapped/squashed.
4: Turn on (OPEN) main sea cock to ensure no leaks around the filter etc. CLOSE the main sea cock.
5: Switch off the battery by turning the battery selector switch to O or OFF position. Manually check that the bilge pump is operating.
6: Visually check engine bay base/sump area for any oil or other fluid leaks (easy to spot if using oil spillage mats).
7: Ensure that the fridge is empty, defrosted and wiped clean/dry. Leave fridge door ajar to prevent mould. (Wedge open with a tea towel if needed to prevent accidental closure while brushing past).
8: Close and secure sliding canopy, doors (except exit!) and windows.
9: Optionally switch off fuel tap (under floor near engine) and/or the sea cock for raw water toilet flush.
10: TURN OFF gas taps for each appliance. Turn OFF GAS Supply at Regulator and remove regulator from Gas Bottle in gas locker.
11: Check level in Fuel Tank - Note reading and determine whether to bring diesel for topping up on next outing, or plan a refuelling stop on future trip as necessary...
12: Stow/put away any unused mooring lines, mud weight, burgees, Red Ensigns etc.
Living On Battery power
Your Hampton Safari will probably have as a minimum, a typical two battery set up, i.e a starter battery (high drain/low usage) used mainly for starting the engine and essential items e.g a bilge pump and a second leisure battery (steady drain) which powers appliances such as interior lighting, fridge, 12v TV, radio, 12v phone charges etc.
You may also have access to other forms of power such as solar panels (used to recharge your batteries while moored), access to 240V shore power via an electricity post while moored, or an Inverter which can be permanently or temporarily connected and used to convert 12/24V DC to 240V AC enabling certain mains appliances to run from a battery for short periods.
If you are restricted to the typical 2 battery installation then it is important to manage and conserve your usable battery charge especially on longer outings (e.g 5-7 days) with short (1-2 hours) trips between consecutive moorings, especially in the shorter autumn/spring days.
It is important to ensure that you do not discharge your batteries below 50% charge as this can damage the cells significantly reducing the life of your (expensive) leisure batteries. This chart helps you assess and monitor the state of charge based on a relatively simple "across the terminals" measurement (with neutral terminal connections disconnected to isolate the battery) using a multi-meter.
Simple ways of reducing battery load & conserving capacity:
1: Switching off excess lighting when not actually needed.
2: Switching off the fridge overnight (with the door kept closed, it will not significantly lose it's cold temperature but do check effect on the freezer compartment if you have one!).
3: Try not to run Mains appliances from temporary invertors (e.g especially those run from a car style plug adaptor) e.g to run a small 240V TV for long periods. (These can be dangerous if the 12v socket wiring is not appropriately fused or the proper gauge for the extra load). Inverters themselves, consume significant power over and above the appliance being run, especially if converting from 12V DC to 240V(AC Invertor) to 240V(AC Power Supply) to 12V DC (Appliance e.g TV)
4: Check battery selector switch to ensure that you are not draining both leisure and starter batteries at the same time (see the tip on the battery switch)
5: If you have access to shore power, use it while you have it. (You could also charge your batteries using a charger at the same time - some boats have a permanently wired charger that switches in when shore power is connected and trickle/float charges the leisure batteries).
6: Plan your longer trips to move between moorings on a daily basis and with at least 2-3 hours travel in between, allowing the alternator to fully recharge your batteries (see the tip on the battery switch).
Low Cost Options to Increase/Conserve Battery Capacity:
1: LED Replacement Bulbs/Lamps
1.2W LED lamps are a straight 1:1 replacement for the usual 15-20W individual Halogen lamps contained in the recessed ceiling lights common in many Safaris.
No extra components are required. A set of LEDs will cost around £12.00 and will probably replace all ceiling lights in most Safari's.
2: Replace 12v halogen strip lights with adjustable/variable LED strip lights. 1 strip light consumes less than several individual halogen or LED lamps. Remember with any non adjustable LED replacements WARM WHITE is the best option in a relatively small Safari cabin.
3: Use a portable folding Solar panel and controller temporarily connected to your batteries while out cruising on longer trips. This will be powerful enough to keep your leisure batteries charged while running your fridge, TV etc. We used a set up similar to that shown in the link for several years, with semi permanent wiring to enable the controller/battery wiring to stay in place, and the panel to be spread on the canopy roof (using bungees) and connected while out on extended trips. (Note: This was not used, or intended as, a permanent installation while on home moorings, or over winter).
Higher Cost Solutions:
4: Consider installing a second leisure battery. Ideally both leisure batteries would be connected to the load with their neutral lines individually switched such that only one battery is discharged/recharged at a time. (See diagram ignoring Solar panel connections)
Running 12v batteries permanently connected in parallel is not recommended as 1 battery can drain into the other, causing them both to drain/discharge unexpectedly.
5: Install a permanent Solar panel and solar controller (see small project article). This can be sized according to your expected usage profile and needs for a cost effective installation.
6: For full "Bells and Whistles" you could adopt a split charge, solar panel/alternator charge control unit with a 12/24V battery bank installation sized for inverter use (e.g. availability of 24V supply for greater efficiency) with suitable split charge Alternator/Solar capabilities. (See articles in our Technical References pages)
Gas Bubble Leak Detector
You have probably seen one of these installed near to your gas bottles (usually inside the gas locker) on your Safari. It is a gas Bubble leak detector.
It is a "best practice" to switch off the gas supply to appliances and to switch off and remove the gas regulator from the gas bottle at the end of each trip.
It is a good idea to use the bubble tester to check that all is well after reconnecting the gas regulator to the gas bottle and before setting off on a new trip.
If you suspect that you may have gas leak, the bubble tester is also provides a first step towards confirming a leak, before identifying it's exact location.
Testing For Gas Leaks - Operating the Bubble Tester
1: Ensure all gas appliances are switched OFF.
2: Connect the gas regulator to the gas bottle and switch on.
3: Press/Twist the red button on the gas bubble tester & hold for 1 minute. Pressing the button diverts gas through the glycol liquid in the sight glass. If bubbles appear then you have a leak somewhere. The rate that bubbles appear can give an indication of a how big the leak may be. Most leaks provide a regular but slow stream of bubbles. In the event of ANY leaks being detected the root cause should be fully investigated and fixed BEFORE using ANY APPLIANCES. Gas leaks can form/build up gas pockets which ignite with catastrophic consequences - a fixed leak is cheaper than a burnt out boat or a life changing injury!
4: If bubbles appear, then you have a gas leak WHICH NEEDS FURTHER INVESTIGATION.
5: You can check the operation of the detector itself by getting an assistant to switch on an appliance (e.g light a burner) and you should see (an expected) stream of bubbles indicating that gas is flowing and the detector is operating correctly. (There's no need to operate the button for a full minute in this case!)
6: If you have a gas leak use a combination of an electronic gas detector wand and/or gas leak detection spray/fluid e.g pump aerosol or a similar pump aerosol filled with soapy liquid to spray on joints, taps etc.
7: The wand is easier/simpler to use to locate leaks e.g. "sniffing" around a cooker or hob burner or gas taps. The spray can be useful to specifically locate a leak (e.g determine which of 2 adjacent taps/joints may be leaking) by directly showing where bubble are being emitted.
8: Remember that sometimes gas taps/fixings themselves can leak when operated i.e. tap handle changes from opened-closed (or vice versa) rather than just leaking when closed.
9: If in doubt get a registered (marine) gas engineer to investigate further and fix the issue if you are not confident/capable of fixing it yourself.
10: ALWAYS re-check for leaks AFTER doing the repair too (to check you have actually fixed it and have not introduced new ones!)
The Battery Selector Switch
Many Hampton Safaris have one of these rotary selector switches fitted. The switch is normally located somewhere close to the battery box which houses the starter battery and/or additional leisure batteries.
Although it may seem completely obvious what it is for and how to use it, there are a couple of important points to bear in mind which avoid you inadvertently ending up with two flat batteries, or a faulty alternator, due to "incorrect" operation of the switch.
Read this excellent article which provides a full explanation of what the switch does, how it is normally wired, and how to operate it correctly. Don't worry about the final sections on how to "improve" it - just focus on the day to day usage and common misconceptions and you won't go far wrong...
Getting Underway - Engine and Gearbox controls.
As you will probably already know, (or if not, you will soon find out,) piloting a simple, inboard single engine boat like a Hampton Safari is quite a bit different to driving a car. For a start, there are no brakes, only 1 gear in either direction (forward or reverse) and wind and tides can have more effect on your (sideways) direction and (forward/reverse) speed of travel than you might think (or in some cases expect).
Basic Hampton Safari Boat Controls.
Seacocks & Fuel Cut Off
These should be "OFF" when leaving the boat and need to be switched ON before starting up and moving off...
Steering:
The steering wheel (at the front) is connected to the rudder (at the back) via a cable. Turning the steering wheel left (anti clockwise) or right clockwise) turns the rudder to the left or right (when looking to bow) and when moving in forward gear the boat moves left or right. The turning effect comes from the flow of water over the rudder driven by the propeller and the turning effect (in forward) is most pronounced from 0 through to 20-45 degrees from centre (approximately 1/2 way to full lock in either direction). The rudder has very little effect on direction when travelling in reverse. Directional control while reversing is achieved by correcting any directional drift (away from the aiming point), by occasional short/gentle/controlled "blips" in forward gear (with rudder) to realign the stern towards the target and then continuing in reverse as before. Slow & gentle is better than hard & fast!
In these circumstances a simple (stick on) Helm Indicator dial (e.g made by Osculati, Davis or Rulan,) can help keep track of where the rudder is pointing - search and/or shop around for best price)...
Forward and Reverse Direction and Throttle Control:
The throttle and gear lever is combined in one mechanical control, generically (and historically) known as a Morse or Telegraph (probably named as such by the original manufacturers long ago and nothing to do with codes or telegrams!).
On your Hampton Safari the Morse control is mounted close to the pilot seat and can be either panel (side) or surface (top) mounted.
All you see of the control is a handle and a button. The actual mechanism and controls cables are hidden under the dashboard or behind the panelling.
The handle controls two cables connecting to the engine throttle control and gearbox. There is also control button located either in the centre of the handle or very close to the handle. The button serves to engage or disengage the gearbox. On the Vetus control pushing the button disengages the gearbox drive. On the Vetus control the gear box is automatically re-engaged when the lever is return to Neutral. pulling the button out will engage the gearbox (or vice versa). Pushing the handle forwards or backwards increases the engine revolutions by pulling on the throttle lever on the engine. The direction of travel is determined but the direction
Ropes, Fenders, Buoys and Mudweights
Your Hampton Safari will generally have a bow cleat and two stern cleats, one at each corner. Typically, you would use a stern cleat and bow cleat for side on mooring, and two stern lines/cleats for stern on mooring. Some Safaris have additional side cleats fitted roughly half way down either side. The exact siting depends on ease of access when fitting a side cleat (see our article "Fitting a side cleat").
For a Hampton Safari, cleats are usually about 8" long, and are made of stainless steel, chromed or galvanized steel.
Fairleads are shaped guides made from similar materials as cleats and are fixed to the gunwales to guide the mooring line and to stop it chafing/rubbing along the deck.
A side cleat is a very useful addition when mooring in strong tides and winds, or as an essential aid for single handed boaters with no crew. A side mooring line can be attached to a bankside mooring post quite quickly (and with practice, without even leaving the boat,) and once it is secured, although the boat may swing either bow or stern out, it will not be able to pivot right round through 180 degrees, or more awkwardly, stop at 90 degrees to the bank/quay heading. Once the side line is attached the bow and stern lines can be attached in turn to fully secure the boat side on.
Side cleats are also useful for attaching "spring lines" which help to stop your Safari moving backwards and forwards with the tide/wind but still leaving it free to rise up and down with the tide while moored.
If you've ever hired a boat you may remember that the ropes never seemed quite long enough...As an owner you are more in charge of your own destiny and the following guidelines will hopefully help you.
N.B: Mooring lines can be bought online in standard lengths with a spliced 12" loop at one end (for fixing to the boat cleat). Choose the closest length to that required (you can always trim down to size but not add a bit on!).
What mooring lines/ropes do we need?
For our inland waterways use we recommend 3 strand twisted polypropylene multifibre ropes (cheaper and simpler to splice) or braid on braid polyester ropes (more comfortable/softer, slightly more expensive and more advanced splicing technique required). Having used 3 strand twisted ropes initially, we have upgraded to the braid on braid!
Mooring/Docking Lines
The following mooring line lengths are recommended
1 x Bow Line and 2 Stern lines (1 each side) around 2/3 the length of the boat (minimum length 6m). A couple of shorter mooring lines (4-5m) are useful/recommended for mooring stern on (and/or for occasional "rafting up" alongside another Safari). The 4-5m lines for stern mooring serve for use as "spring" lines. or be used with a side cleat. Over time you might adapt/re-purpose old lines to other "odd" custom lengths, especially if you master the art of Splicing.
What size diameter ropes do we need?
The recommended mooring lines diameter for a 25-30ft long boat is 3/8"/10mm minimum to 1/2"/12mm max (based on the expected weight/strain). The smaller (10mm) diameter line may be slightly cheaper, but the 12 mm lines are more comfortable to grip and handle.
Fender lines are generally 8mm diameter and around 1-1.5M long and have a spliced eye (loop) at one end.
Mud weight lines have a metal shackle eye spliced into the end and the line is attached to the mud weight using a U shaped screwed/locking Shackle bolt. Mud weight lines are normally around 1 to 1.5 x boat length (27-36 ft). A mud weight chain (to add drag)is not really required on a Hampton Safari.
Fenders and Buoys - What's the difference?
Fenders are usually cylindrical in shape, hang vertically and are evenly spaced along the length of the hull. They are there to (hopefully) protect your Safari from impact during docking, scuffing on quay headings, and/or other boats while moored alongside. They can also (if you are lucky) reduce the impact of collisions by/with other boats (- boating being a non contact "sport" of course!).
Buoys are generally ball shaped floating markers but on a Safari is used as special fender towards the bow and/or hung over the stern when mooring stern on (see mooring lines).
Corner Fenders can be permanently screwed/fixed on the stern corners of your Safari to help protect the vulnerable corners when reversing into small spaces or when leaving the quay heading.
Bow Fenders hang over the bow to try and protect against front end bumps and scrapes (one boat's bow, bumping the boat in front's stern)..
How Many Fenders and what size?
The generally recommended fender diameter for a 25-30 ft boat is 220 mm (nominally 8"). A good length (given that on a Safari they are hung from the gunwales (and not rails) is 660-750mm (or (roughly 2'-2'6"). A Majoni Star Size 3 Fender or similar (there are many makes available) would fit the bill. Shop around online for single or multi (usually in sets of 4 or 6) fender deals with Fender lines.
You will generally have 2 large Buoys e.g Polyform Size A2, hanging one on each side. approximately midway along the bow curve, with 2 medium sized buoys e.g Polyform Size A1 hanging over the Left and Right hand sides of the transom.
You may have 1 or 2 Corner Fenders installed on each stern corner
You may also have a bow fender or another ordinary fender hung horizontally over the bow.
Several variants of the above recommendations are demonstrated by the following short video clip of Safari's at Ranworth in 2023
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