Marina Shore Power

[markm]

I know most marinas have 30 amp plugs and that you need a 15 amp converter. Do any or most marinas have both 30 and 15? Should I bring electrical cords and adapters for both?

Thanks

Mark

 

[RDragon]

I guess that depends on where your going to be. Over on the Puget Sound, I have never needed a 15amp plug or converter. However, when we were cruising the Erie canal, The town docks did not have a lot of 30amp outlets...We had to make the conversion. So, the best answer is the old boy scout motto: "Be prepared, but hope you don't need it!"

Hope that helps
Drew 😀

 

[CaptMac]

Yep - depends on the Marina. When shorepower is available, all would have 30 amp. Some have 50. A few will have 15A. Many will have the plug to convert to 15A that they rent/lend, but if it were me - I'd bring my own

Mac

 

[Larry H]

If you travel in B C, Canada, you may find 15 amp circuits that use a 20 amp twistlock outlet. I carry a 15 amp three prong to 30 amp twistlock adapter and a 20 amp twistlock to 30 amp twistlock adapter. I prefer the pigtail style where there is about 2 ft of cord between the plug and connector.

Guest dock outlet panels can get crowded and the solid adapters and cord plug combination can stick too far out of the panel or are too heavy to stay in. The solid adapters are also easily stolen. A pigtail adapter can have a SS wire swaged around the cord of the pigtail with a loop on the other end for a small padlock. I also carry some small line to support the cord as the outlets get worn and loose and the cord wants to sag and fall out. You might want to write your boat name on the adapters and cord end with a marker. That helps sort out which cord or adapter is yours.

 

[captd]

I have just about decided not to carry the heavy 30 amp 50 ft. cord around. I have been using the 30 amp pig tail in the boat and just pluging in a #12 extention cord. Saves a lot of weight and a lot of work to pack and unpack the 30 amp cord. Not counting all the space it takes up. Plenty of power for the Ranger Tug. All you need to carry is the little adapter to plug into the Marina if they only have 30 amp service ( or 50 and 30 amp , Like the one I am in right now.) Much easier to string out and pickup the light cord.
captd

 

[henrym]

I carry #12 and #10 power cords. A #12 extension cord is fine unless you want to run the AC, water heater, and microwave at the same time. With a 50' #12 15 amp cord, there is also a possibility of getting a greater voltage drop than with a #10 50' 30 amp cord.
Henry