But, if you are interested in maintenance issues that pop up from time to time, keep reading.
Otherwise, skip this one.
I check the boat on the way to work almost every morning.
One of my reasons for doing so is to make sure the power is still on.
I have bilge pumps, indicator lights, refrigerator, freezer, and other equipment that is on all the time and they draw down the batteries, so I need to make sure the shore power connection is good and the battery charger is running. I also keep two fan type electric heaters running on board when the weather is the least bit cold or damp, which is most of the time, and it is important to check them and make sure they are good, and not tipped over, or over-heating.
Last week early in the week when I checked the boat there was no shore power.
For those that don't know, the harbor and the city utility company provide a power pedestal near the stall, and we run a big cord called a shore power cord from the power pedestal to the boat. These cords do not have regular plugs like you would use in a house on the ends, but have special heavy duty plugs on each end, with 3 big metal prongs.
I tried to reset the power several times without success, so I just went on to work.
I called the harbor department and they said they had no reports of power out on my float so they recommended I call KPU (Ketchikan Public Utilities). I did so, and later that morning a KPU guy called me and told me he had checked the power pedestal and confirmed there was power to that point. Therefore the problem must be on the boat.
So that evening I went down there and unplugged the cord at the boat connection and discovered a badly burned plug. These two following pictures show the burned power plug from the Faraway, and also one that I had from my previous boat, the Forever.
The one on the right is from the old boat Forever, and the one on the left is from Faraway.
And they stink too, like an electrical fire.
Here's a shot of the back of the connection on the boat side. You can see where the one wire burned completely off and the plastic around it was also starting to burn.
Here's the back of the insert where the boat side connection lived. Also burned.
One last picture to convince you, if you are not already convinced, that electrical fires are a bad thing on a boat. A retaining bracket and a piece of burned up wire. Bad stuff.
All fixed now, but I will be more vigilant in the future, and watch for this more often.
I have seen and read about a new type of power cord and boat-side connection called a SmartPlug.
I may take a good hard look at that in the future.
