While underway in open waters on your commercial crabbing vessel, the low clutch air pressure alarm sounds and the faint odor of burning rubber is detected. What is the appropriate response?
• Immediate actions when an alarm sounds underway on a commercial vessel • How loss of clutch air pressure can affect propulsion and control • The risk of continuing to transmit power through a potentially damaged clutch or slipping drive
• If the clutch air pressure is low, what might be happening inside the clutch or drive system, especially if you smell burning rubber? • In an emergency or abnormal condition, which comes first: securing/controlling the machinery, or starting a detailed investigation? • How could your actions change if the problem affects your ability to maneuver safely in open water versus in a confined channel?
• Decide whether it is safer to immediately remove power from the clutch before investigating, or to keep the system engaged while you look for the problem. • Consider what the burning rubber smell suggests about ongoing damage if the machinery keeps turning. • Think about standard marine engineering practice: on an alarm tied directly to a critical mechanical component, is the first priority to secure the equipment or to gather information?
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