Electrics Afloat

In these days of advancing technology, it's no longer practical for boat owners to be sanguine about their electrical systems because we are becoming more and more dependent on them. On today's yacht you can find many of the comforts we're familiar with at home: hot water, TV, microwaves, heating and refrigeration. This means a comprehensive distri¬bution system and, for many, some reliance on AC shore power. Then there are the navigational aids. A well known yacht designer recently told me that he foresaw the demise of the traditional chart table - indeed, he no longer bothered to include one in any of his designs below 30ft. Such boats, he said, will navigate by electronic instruments - GPS, chart plotters and the like - and the space previously occupied by the nav station will be liberated to provide more accommodation.
And when did we last crack an engine? Very few modern diesels even offer a hand start facility - the only emergency starter being a spare battery. Although we might question the wisdom of such developments, there's no doubt that this is the reality whether we like it or not. As yachtsmen, we need to know about electrics.
Much of this book originally appeared in Practical Boat Owner. It contains no electrical formulae - except for the basics of Ohm's Law - and seeks instead to provide an understanding of how electrics work and what possibilities are open to you if you want to upgrade. All of the systems recommended comply with the codes and guidelines of the British Marine Electronics Association and the European Recreational Craft Directive.
ALASTAIR GARROD has been based in the Solent area virtually all his life, and his childhood was spent cruising the West Country and Breton waters on the family boat. After leaving school, Alastair spent seven years in the Merchant Navy and then went back to college as a mature student to become a technical illustrator. In the early 1990s Alastair joined Practical Boat Owner, where he has been for over 10 years.

Contents
INTRODUCTION
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
CHAPTER 1
The Basics
CHAPTER 2
Batteries
CHAPTER 3
Start Your Engines
CHAPTER4
Alternators
CHAPTER 5
Charging Systems
CHAPTER 6
DC Distribution
CHAPTER 7
Alternators AC Safety
CHAPTER 8
AC Distribution
WEBSITES
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX
AOOENDICES