Last week a friend and boat electrician (one and the same person) came aboard for three days and vastly improved Sanderling’s electrical system. We installed a new Balmar 110 amp alternator and external regulator, and a Link 1000 monitor; rewired the battery banks to make one large (10 – 6 volt deep cycle batteries) house/engine/bow thruster/windlass bank and one generator starting bank; and split the 110 volt side of the electrical panel into two sections: one powered when the inverter is operating and everything powered when using shore or generator power. It was a big job, and the last of the three major projects necessary to complete prior to cruising.

In the process of checking out all the electrical systems after the rewiring project, we discovered a short in the spreader light circuit. Upon further investigation I discovered that the electrical line at the base of the mast where it passes through two stainless steel plates had become stripped of insulation and the hot side broken due to strain on the wire. The very short length of wire projecting beyond the base of the mast was not long enough to allow a crimped terminal, and I was unable to pull any additional wire from the mast; to top it off, there is no way to access the wires inside the mast – a real bummer! Now we’re faced with having to lay a temporary line along the outside of the mast to the spreader lights. There is always something to provide a challenge.

We’re still hoping to get underway around the 30th of April, despite the challenges of rewiring the spreader lights and provisioning food and clothing.

We’ll make it!