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Big or small, sail or power, gas or diesel, most of the boats that are encountered today have an electrical system onboard. Some are as simple as a pull cord turning over an outboard motor, others are a complex DC/AC panel aboard a cruising yacht.
Electrical ground is a term used to describe the reference point in an electrical circuit from which voltage is measured, a common return path for electric current, or a direct physical connection to the earth.
Read more: Ask Andrew: Electrical Installations – Part 3:...
Last time we looked at making proper electrical connections – the tools, supplies and methods needed to make connections between components and wiring.
Read more: Ask Andrew: Electrical Installations – Part 2:...
With the Vancouver International Boat Show just around the corner I contacted Campbell and Alex at Trotac Marine to find out which new products will be highlighted at their booth this year.
Winter is a great time to look at some of the hidden spaces on your boat – to take stock of what is aboard, areas of improvement and ways to upgrade.
Read more: Ask Andrew: Electrical Installations – Part 1:...
whether you choose power or sail (or both) batteries are an important part of your boat’s electrical system.
If you walk the aisles at a boat show, visit a marine store, or stop in at a repair shop, you’ll likely be inundated with digital displays, vivid touch-screens, NMEA compatible devices, and Bluetooth connectivity.
Read more: Ask Andrew: SmartPlug looks like a smart solution
Informed estimates are that barely 10% of Canadian pleasure craft have underwater lighting but in Florida it’s a far higher percentage. And, among new luxury cruisers...
This continues our look at improvements to marine electrical systems. Following on our feature on new battery technology, here we review re-charging those batteries, starting with shore cords and isolation transformers. We’ll follow with a subsequent review of generators as well as alternators, dynamos, solar panels and fuel cells. As we noted in the April 2012 Canadian Yachting on page 50, new battery technology is increasingly common in marine applications, but new technology batteries need to be well matched to charging systems and first, you need a power source.
Heating and cooling systems add immensely to cruising comfort, whether you boat in cool shoulder seasons or contend with hot, muggy summers. Most boaters learn quickly that extending their season is ideal – Canadian summers are so short, whether you’re on the west coast or the Great Lakes. In central areas, summer is short but it can be hot and humid, and winter is too cold for much cruising in all parts of Canada. Extending into spring and fall makes boating so much more enjoyable, to say nothing of helping justify the costs.
Lifestyle
The Secret Salmon Recipe – Finally Revealed!
It was during our annual trip to Nova Scotia that I was made aware of the special recipe for cooking salmon that was being held very tightly by an individual in Chester Nova Scotia. It was said that for several years this individual would show up at parties with this cooked salmon that became the centre of attention. Several people tried to pry the recipe from him - or was it the secret ingredients - or maybe some magic dust - that made this salmon so sought after?
One of our Galley Guy associates, Jim Grove was also on this list of seekers wanting to pry the recipe from Robert Helms, but to no avail.
Read more about The Secret Salmon Recipe...............
Boat Reviews
Excess 12 and Excess 15
By Kieran Flatt
Catamarans have many advantages for cruising: more space, more speed, no heeling and a more comfortable motion. However, many experienced sailors find them less rewarding and engaging to sail than a monohull. That isn’t an inherent problem with multihulls, though. Rather, it reflects the fact that most cruising cats built in the last ten years have been aimed primarily at the charter market, designed above all to be docile and easy for novices to handle.
Read more about the Excess 12 and 15....................
Destinations
Looking for a boating adventure? set your course to Ucluelet
On the west coast of Vancouver Island Ucluelet is straddled between the famous Pacific Rim and the iconic Broken Islands.
The Ucluelet Boat Basin is steps away from the downtown core, and half-way between the iconic Long Beach and the Wild Pacific Trail
You are encouraged to take advantage of the untamed nature and sublime scenery while surfing, hiking, and enjoying the wildlife. Make the Ucluelet your base for exploration and adventure.
Read more about Ucluelet......................
Marine Products
See What You Cannot See
Electronic innovations that allow you to see in the dark, in the fog and in the depths
We cruising boaters often go places we have never been. Cruisers and fishing enthusiasts sometimes arrive in the dark, get caught in the fog or find what looks like a good anchorage, but do not have recent chart information or survey data to know if the anchorage is safe. We wander up rivers and into corners of small harbours in search of shelter or to pursue a particular finned prey.
Read more about Boating Electronic Innovations...............
