Hazardous AC Panel Wiring on 2016 Cutwater 24

[JonR]

Anybody know of reputable boat electricians in the Edmonds area to do such and inspection and/or rework if needed?

 

[Wee Venture]

Bobby, I really did appreciate hearing about your own experiences and your affirmation of my post. Just sayin’. ...And Brian, I always appreciate your expertise and keeping us on track. The Tugnuts community is a great resource.

Anybody know of reputable boat electricians in the Edmonds area to do such and inspection and/or rework if needed?

The harbormaster at our marina (in Kenmore) recommends a marine electrician from Emerald Harbor marine. He has recently helped some boats who have tripped the ground fault interrupters in our updated marina electrical system. The firm is based in Elliot Bay but he lives in Shoreline which is close to Edmonds. His name is Dan Heil.

John

 

[fmstuart]

Other than the one post by Andrew, did any FM person respond about the standards not being met?


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[Andrew Custis]

Hello,

I have emailed back and fourth from the beginning with the owner of this boat that started the thread. If you wish to contact us directly, we always welcome a phone call or email. Customerservice@rangertugs.com.

Thank you,

 

[marcham]

As mentioned, abyc and nmma are voluntary standards. Not meeting standard and not being certified does not inherently make a vessel unsafe.

Most pleasure craft / recreational vessels in North America (which ranger rugs are) are not certified or inspected, but they will meet USCG requirements, which are very basic.

It's up to the buyer to ensure that their purchase meets their needs. This is also why sime insurers will require a survey, even for a new boat.

Europe has much more strict building and safety standards, but this comes at a price.

Once you get to bigger ships, classification societies will certify a vessel and will require the owner to pay for recurring inspections to maintain the class cert (and thus insurance).

Ranger Tugs are imho a compromise. You get a LOT of living space, fearures and performance from a very reasonably priced boat. Yes that limits the size of the engine bay, fuel hose routing, water hoses end up routed in less than easily accessible areas, etc... but that does not make the boat unsafe.


Another aspect which I find is widely misunderstood by owners of new boats is commissioning. Not unlike a new house that develops cracks in the drywall in it's first year, it's expected that a new boat will require some inspections and adjustments by it's owner. Sure the dealer can make repairs and replace components but it really is up to the owner to get to know their boat inside and out. That is the expected responsibility of any captain.

Boating is not a hands off ownership experience. Maintenance and making small improvements is part of ownership. Every owner should know how to use a dc/ac voltmeter and ammeter and how to bleed a diesel fuel system.

If someone wants or needs a higher build standard, then some manufacturers do offer that. However, expect to add another 0 to the price tag.

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[marcham]

As mentioned, abyc and nmma are voluntary standards. Not meeting standard and not being certified does not inherently make a vessel unsafe.

Most pleasure craft / recreational vessels in North America (which ranger tugs are) are not certified or inspected, but they will meet USCG requirements, which are very basic.

It's up to the buyer to ensure that their purchase meets their needs. This is also why some insurers will require a survey, even for a new boat.

Europe has much more strict building and safety standards, but this comes at a price.

Once you get to bigger ships, classification societies will certify a vessel and will require the owner to pay for recurring inspections to maintain the class cert (and thus insurance).

Ranger Tugs are imho a compromise. You get a LOT of living space, fearures and performance from a very reasonably priced boat. Yes that limits the size of the engine bay, fuel hose routing, water hoses end up routed in less than easily accessible areas, etc... but that does not make the boat unsafe.


Another aspect which I find is widely misunderstood by owners of new boats is commissioning. Not unlike a new house that develops cracks in the drywall in it's first year, it's expected that a new boat will require some inspections and adjustments by it's owner. Sure the dealer can make repairs and replace components but it really is up to the owner to get to know their boat inside and out. That is the expected responsibility of any captain.

Boating is not a hands off ownership experience. Maintenance and making small improvements is part of ownership. Every owner should know how to use a dc/ac voltmeter and ammeter and how to bleed a diesel fuel system.

If someone wants or needs a higher build standard, then some manufacturers do offer that. However, expect to add another 0 to the price tag.

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[fmstuart]

Thank you. Sometimes those of us who are new boat owners (looking at myself here) need to keep what you said at the forefront of our minds when we get frustrated. My wife and I spent two hours yesterday practicing approaching our slip and backing into it. We were working with a captain. I got to know about the idiosyncrasies of our Cutwater 32 than I ever would have had I not done that. For example, though we have twin Yamaha 300s, they are close together. They do not have the same maneuverability and agility to “steer” just by using the throttles that inboards do. Had I not learned that by practicing and talking with a captain, I would have blamed Cutwater for faulty engines or something like that. But I learned so much about how to “tame the beast,” so to speak. Now, my boat is a very nice “beast” to tame. But compared to my former 18 foot Sea Ray, it is whole different world. I need to remind myself of that a lot.


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[FWTMD]

The OP deserves thanks for pointing out a potentially dangerous installation.

Few owners have the knowledge and skills to spot what he pointed out.

There is a big difference between staying on top of maintenance, and finding dangerous installations on a new boat.

Boats that are reasonably easy to maintain will tend to be well maintained. That's an old and time-honored axiom.

Fuses and switches in odd spots are a builder's build decision that is apart from the design element. It is an unnecessary complication. And a complication that can become potentially dangerous when hidden away so that loose connections cannot be easily spotted. It isn't just about inconvenience.

And it extends beyond electronics, though let's not hijack this thread. It extends to other simple issues. Do you know where ALL hose clamps are that may need to be periodically snugged up or replaced in routine maintenance? Are you sure you know?

How many posts and threads occur because of a "Where's Waldo" question? Where do I find X? What do I have to disassemble to get to it? Service items need readily identifiable access panels that are clearly marked. Manuals are needed for all models to outline service needs, where the item is located, and how to access it if not easily identifiable. This includes the location of wiring connections that should be inspected, cleaned and snugged up periodically.

Once again, thank you Slade. Your post was a valuable service.

 

[Mariner1529]

While investigating problems using the ProMariner TruePower 3000 Inverter on our 2016 Cutwater 24 (Hull ID US-FLMC245L516) I found that the boat’s Blue Seas AC panel was not wired correctly. Neither SHORE nor INVERTER outputs went through the 30A breakers. The SHORE and INVERTER outputs were hardwired together, which is dangerous for putting 110V on the shore power cable from the inverter, and for putting 110V on the inverter output from the shore power cable. I rewired the AC panel as shown for the generic Shore Power / Inverter panels on the Blue Seas website. I urge other Cutwater 24 owners with inverters and Blue Seas AC panels to have a qualified ABYC technician check the AC panel for wiring errors like those I found, and to rewire the panel if needed. I have photos and diagrams for both “before” and “after” wiring, which I will be happy to provide by email.

Slade Cargill, 2016 Cutwater 24 "Sojourner", Longboat Key, FL

Good day, could you please send me your before and after photos. Thanks in advance