Thursday 1 February 2018

Electronic Equipment and Wiring



My intention is to sail on Europe’s Atlantic edge, the Scottish Western Isles of the Inner and Outer Hebrides, an archipelago comprising hundreds of islands surrounded by potentially challenging waters. It’s therefore my intention to equip the boat with a VHF radio fitted with an internal GPS, navigation lights, Tacktick speed and depth gauge, GPS chart plotter, cabin lighting, USB charger, battery monitor and an outboard motor fitted with a 12v 6amp power supply for re-charging the battery/batteries. All lighting units are LED’s to limit the draw on the battery. As I have already previously mentioned, this equipment has had to be considered at this stage of the build because once nearing completion some areas will be difficult or impossible to access, I also want a very neat final finish with no visible surface fixed cables. I have designed and constructed a compact but adequate control panel from sapele which I intend to finish in clear varnish. This is fitted to bulkhead 4 above the port side berth. I had to cut an aperture in the bulkhead to accommodate the radio which projects slightly into the storage area beneath the lateral shelving between bulkhead 4 & 5. I have constructed an easily removable rear cover to protect the wiring from items that may be stored in this locker. The chart plotter, speed and depth gauge will be mounted on the aft face of bulkhead 3, enabling accessibility and visual monitoring from the cockpit.




Radio and other equipment fitted to the control panel. These will be removed
 before varnishing and painting. The radiused insert in the side locker opening
 below the lateral shelf, is the outer face of the rear wiring protection cover.


All hidden cable runs will be contained in 20mm diameter white plastic conduit. I propose to manufacture purpose made timber capping to hide potentially visible cable runs in the cabin area; these will then be painted in the same colour paint as surrounding areas to limit their visual impact.