Has anybody elses searay sank in the slip

[Daniel P Thomas]

Are you guys for real?
If you have shore power, why not leave most of your AC/DC nonessential breakers on?

When I leave my boat on Sunday with a return on either Friday afternoon or early Saturday I leave the following on:

All DC switches are off including
freshwater pump
head system
12 volt lighting
12 volt radio/entertainment/tv

Leave on bilge system

Turnoff
110 volt galley outlets
Microwave/Stove circuit
AC/Heat System
(unless we know ahead of time weather will be above 80+ for the entire week)
Then only one system stays on.

Leave on 110 volt:

Refrigerator
Ice Maker
Converter- Battery Charger

All batteries left in the ON Position

30+ years
14+ boats
With no negative results
No loss of battery life
4+ years on all boats

I have never closed a seacock only because of the slim chance that I would forget to open one prior to firing up any system.

Not sure why anyone would close seacocks if you will return to a boat within a 1-2 week period.

Maintenance...Maintenance ...Maintenance and
Inspection weekly of all intakes and hoses will eliminate most if not all problems.

Disclosure.......
I am in fresh water with a 6 month season so this will not apply to you saltys and 12 month boaters.

Dan

 

[rondds]

MANY times I called a marina mate or turned back while on the way home or got home and went back b/c I realized I hadn't disconnected the dockside water from the boat. You can shut the valve at the dock but if a kid uses your hose to fill up a water cannon you could be sunk.

I don't leave the ac on when I go home. I'm too cheap for that. I don't shut seacocks.

We had one knucklehead at our marina whose boat sunk. It was a 37' Mainship Aft-cabin. The boat sunk in 3' of water. Forward a/c unit popped a line. Only the bow went down so there was water and genny damage but the engines were OK. He lobbied hard to get the boat "Totalled" and won. The boat was back on the market within a year and has since sold. This guy was better off being out of boating on so many levels - he never bought another boat and we never heard from him again.

 

[Morgan Jane]

The AC units on my boat just have a smooth pieces of copper that the hose slides over. I don't know about you guys but this seems kind of "half ass". There should be some barbed or compression type fitting on the AC units that the hoses connects to. Reading these stories has convinced me to braze barbed type nipples on to my AC units. Project #1 in the Spring.

 

[Whitenights]

Are you for real with that statement ??. :wow:


Note to self, Never buy a boat from you. :thumbsup:

That is a nice insult there Wayne. Sounds like you are a pro.

PS, You will not find a better '90 model boat anywhere, period!! Covered in covered slip all its life. Never left out to bake in the sun, never in salt, all orginal canvas and upholstry.

And no way would I own a boat that has sunk either.

 

[Summer Fun II]

No insult was intended . I was just asking if you would really do that.

Sorry if you took it that way. :smt001

 

[Skuza]

For the love of God, Why? Pretty simple fix to avoid a disastrous problem.

Do you keep your refrigerator running during the week?

All AC and DC breakers are turned off on our boat when we go home at the end of the weekend with the exception of the Battery Charger, AC Refrigerator, and Microwave. The microwave circuit is left on so we know if the power has been out while we were gone.

Reason charger is left off is it cooks the batteries. Yes giving $500 in batteries priority over thousands of dollars of boat but that has conditions. There are always neighbors/staff at the marina to note if something is wrong. If something catastrophic happens Ive got bigger problems.
Yes fridge is left on to preserve perishables.
The microwave idea is novel but does not tell you how long the power went out. Coulda been a momentary interrupt. I like another members idea of ice cubes in a ziplock. Let's you know if the power was out long enough to melt. But if you shut down your fridge this trick isn't for you.

 

[comsnark]

My boat has I/O's. I replaced a perfectly good set of 13 year old bellows (both engines) last year.

I ALWAYS leave the boat plugged in while at the dock. Batteries should not be able to be cooked by the charger. I don't like to run the refrigerator while I am away, but I don't see why you can't leave the boat power on.

 

[rondds]

The way SR wires batteries (in parallel), the charger cannot distinguish one from the other and if one is weaker, it will continue to cook the stronger battery in an attempt to juice the weaker one. One reason why it makes no sense to me to spend 3 digits on batteries. Buy the largest lead acid battery you can fit and replace it after 2-3 years. Let em cook.

If you want to know how long the power was out, just plug a lamp timer into one of the outlets. If you come to the boat a week later and the lamp timer says 9am and it's noon, you know you were out of commission for 3 hours.

 

[keokie]

Rondds,

From what I have been taught about batteries and chargers, wiring in parallel can work fine. Since the batteries are connected, they will tend to self equalize their state of charge, and they will be drawn down and charged largely equal as well.

A properly operating 3 stage charger should keep them fully charged and replenish when necessary with no boiling of any batteries.

I will say I have had very bad luck with ProMariner chargers (which are OEM in many Sea Rays). My 3rd one on an '02 (2cd in 2 years) has just failed, and will not properly go into float. Folks in my circle have had very good luck with Zantrex. I also put a Zantrex in my 260 in '01, and it still works perfectly for the current owner.

No intent to high-jack. I agree the best bet is to leave the charger on whenever a boat is in the water, but boiling batteries is expensive and undesireable for the fumes and acidic emissions as well.

 

[Daniel P Thomas]

Ron
Like the Timer idea.
I have been using that on the boat for the past 3 years.
Works just like you said.

Same with the battery charger issue.
I have never had cooked batteries on any boat I have owned.
So charger stays on constantly.


Dan

 

[gregkjones]

No insult was intended . I was just asking if you would really do that.

Sorry if you took it that way. :smt001

If the lines are tight, and he is docked at 140' of water and he accidently cuts the lines or unties the boat to reduce the strain on the dock, why do you think you shouldnt buy a boat from him? We know he will not tolerate salvaged boats, that is a real plus. He understands that the boat is totalled at that point, no sence in damaging the dock too. Let her go. She wants to sink, so let her. She will see in time that she was wrong. If you love something, let her go, if she loves you, she will come back. If not, there are many many more just like 'er out there, even better ones in fact.

Now there may be good booz on that boat, so letting that sink may be insulting. I understand being upset about the alcohol abuse but certainly not for letting the boat sink. Some boats need the tough love treatment.

 

[ivanhow]

by leaving the main batteries switches on, won't dried the batteries out?
or the charger will continue charging them?
i'm new in this, just bought a searay 310 sundancer 2000

 

[Alex F]

......
If you want to know how long the power was out, just plug a lamp timer into one of the outlets. If you come to the boat a week later and the lamp timer says 9am and it's noon, you know you were out of commission for 3 hours.

Hey Ron,

Cool idea on the timer. But, I just wonder what value does it this info provide? If the marina lost power for 1hr or 10hrs there's just nothing you can do about it. I don't turn off the breakers for DC, instead I turn OFF the batteries switches to keep all unnecessary equipment off, just in case if there's a power loss. When we're out and anchored for a weekend, the batteries get most of the bitting. So, if we lose a power for a day or two it's no big deal at all, unless there's a serious leak and pumps are working non-stop. When the power is restored the batteries will get recharged and all goes back to normal, I hope....LOL

 

[rondds]

Hey Alex
I don't do the lamp timer thing b/c a power outage is basically a moot point by the time I get to the boat. I think it would be be helpful if you wanted to figure out if there is a power problem at a marina. I just thought it would be a better plan for guys who care than ice in a ziplock.