POWER CHECK: A MASTER PLAN FOR YOUR AC AND DC SYSTEMS

A thorough spring inspection of your boat’s electrical system can help you avoid breakdowns, fires and safety risks when the summer season kicks into high gear.

Steve D’Antonio

AC and DC electrical systems are an integral part of any cruising vessel. While you might be able to sail without a functioning electrical system, it’s difficult to do much else, including navigate, be seen at night, retrieve an anchor, and communicate. So it should be a priority to make sure your electrical systems are in good working order. Spring is a good time to check if you want to have fewer problems once the summer boating season is in full swing. DC ELECTRICAL Begin with house and start batteries, and specifically with overcurrent protection, aka fuses and circuit breakers. With one exception, every wire connected to a battery’s positive terminal must have a fuse or circuit breaker within 7 inches of wire length, or within as much as 72…

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Cruising World (Digital) - 1 Issue, April 2025

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