If you’re a Northwest boater or live near Seattle and have ever strolled along the water’s edge downtown at sunset, chances are you’ve probably seen Sailing Seattle’s world-class racing sailboats “Obsession” or “Neptune’s Car” sailing around the Puget Sound. If you are looking to take a sunset sail in one of the most beautiful cities in the US, chances are you’ll end up on one of these sailboats and it won’t be disappointing! Due to their size and incredible stability, they offer one of the most enjoyable sails you can take in Seattle without purchasing your own sailboat. Recently, both sailboats have been upgraded with the SmartPlug shore power system, and Obsession has even added a new “Powered by SmartPlug” logo to their boom. Look for it next time you see it sail by!
If there is any time to talk about shore power safety it is now! Tuesday morning (12/8/09) three powerboats at Sundance Yacht sales in Seattle burned beyond repair, causing $2 million in damages. Read the article at Three Sheets Northwest. Thankfully no one was hurt, but this could have been prevented! In the article, Dana Vander Houwen said that it “appears to have been caused by faulty wiring on the 110-volt power supply to the boat.” Later we found out it was absolutely due to shore power failure. In my earlier blog we talked about how 55% of all marine fires are caused by electrical issues, many of which are shore power related. So when we heard about this fire we knew the chances would be good that shore power was the culprit. I had also mentioned in the blog that in the past 7 years, damages from boat electrical fires in the US are estimated at 1 billion dollars. Well now we have 2 million more to add to that.
Let’s talk about preventing this from happening to you. Of course, we recommend switching over to the SmartPlug due to its number of fire prevention features but we also understand that many of you are waiting for the 50 Amp versions to hit the market. So until then there are several actions you can take to help prevent this from happening to you. ALWAYS check your shore power on a daily basis, this is so important. The marine environment is harsh and the current twist lock standard has proven themselves not to hold up in these conditions. If you see any corrosion, loose wiring, or any signs of overheating please contact your local marine electrician to have it inspected. If there is any doubt about your shore power contact them anyway, our Mom always said it but it’s true. It’s better to be safe than sorry!
Recently here at SmartPlugs we thought an installation video might be a good idea if any of you out there had questions about how to make our system work on your boat. Coming from an installer’s background (that’s what I did for 15 years before this) I was the obvious choice for the starring role. During the video shoot I discovered something that really suprised me. I had always thought that a molded cord-set would be impervious to corrosion…… but NO!!! Take a look at the pictures posted below and tell me what you think. It should be fairly obvious which picture was the old molded cordset (less then 2 years old) and which one we went out and purchased on the day of this video shoot.
Just another reminder how important tinned wire is in this harsh marine environment. ABYC recommends the use of tinned wiring throughout the boat. Here at SmartPlugs we are determined to use only high quality materials to surpass your expectations. Our new molded shorepower cord coming out the first of next year will include tinned wire, giving you more than just a year or two of trouble-free operation.
Check your shorepower!!!
It’s that time of year again. As the temperature drops and the rain sets in, we must not forget to winterize our boats. Just a few last chores to do before you can button your boat up for the winter and switch your attention to cold weather sports. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you make it though the winter and hopefully avoid costly repairs.
1. Check you dock lines. Too many people take for granted that just because your boat’s securely tied up today, it will still be secure tomorrow. All too many times have I seen dock lines break when the winter storms roll through.
2. For you sailors out there, make sure your sails are secure. Just last week at Elliott Bay Marina there were 4 boats that lost foresails because they weren’t secured well enough. That can be a very costly fix.
3. Check your bilge pumps and float switches. Some preventative maintenance done before the weather gets bad can really help you sleep at night. Nobody likes to worry about their boats.
4. CHECK YOUR SHOREPOWER CONNECTIONS!!! With the weather intensifying, your boat will be moving around at the dock much more so than usual. Also with the increase in precipitation/snow, you really need to keep an eye out for signs of failure. You should check each end of the cord for discoloration or scorching. If you see any signs of failure, you need to replace your cord-end immediately. There could be larger issues inside the cord that you can’t see.
One last thing to think about. As you do button up your boat for the winter, there seems to be a universal train of thought that you should leave a couple of space heaters on inside the boat to keep the chill off. Remember, depending on which space heaters you use and how they’re set, you could be maxing out your shorepower capacity. When you stack that electrical draw on top of precipitation and boat movement, that could spell disaster for your shorepower connection not to mention your entire boat.
Next week I’ll talk about the upcoming SmartPlug installation video we just shot and what I found inside a fairly good looking shorepower cord.
Check your shorepower plug!!!!!
My name is Aaron Smith and I work in the Research and Development Division of SmartPlug Systems. When I was asked to write this blog, I found myself wondering, “what would people want to read about??” “What do I have to offer that would be interesting?” I figured I should start out this first entry as an introduction to who I am and what I’ve done.
For the last 15 years I have spent countless hours troubleshooting marine electrical and electronic issues of all kinds. I have worked on some of the finest boats ever built and some not-so-nice-ones too. I have been fortunate enough to travel, through work, to some very unique places on the planet. Now, I have settled here for the long haul, to make a difference in what SmartPlug Systems is out there doing.
About a year ago, I shut down my own marine outfitting business and started here with SmartPlug Systems because I believe in the product…not just because it’s a better idea, but also because it’s truly making a difference in the marine industry. I hope that between our short-term goals of providing better shore power connections to the marine market and our long-term goals of being a part of the growing infrastructure in automotive and trucking industries worldwide, I will have much to share from the technical side of SmartPlug.
Next week I’ll concentrate more on shore power safety and winterization for boats. The temperature is dropping and the electrical load on your boat is climbing!
Check you shore power plug!!
Did you know that October is fire safety month? That’s right! There are thousands of activities and campaigns going on nationwide teaching people ways to improve their safety at home and at work. For many of us, our boats are also our homes and so we wanted to share our top five tips on how to prevent boat fires.
- Check and maintain all of your shore power components: Worn or overloaded cordsets and damaged shore power connections are a common cause of fires. Make certain to check all cable and adapter ends as well as receptacles on both boatside and dockside. Check for:
- Loose connections
- Corroded pins
- Any signs of blackening/scorching
- Any heat detected
- Have a U.S.C.G. approved fire extinguisher onboard and know how to use it!
- Here is a great read from Boat US on fire extinguishers, [read article]
- Talk with your marina to make sure they are educating their tenants and taking all the proper steps to help prevent fires.
- Regularly inspect electrical and fuel systems.
- Have a smoke alarm installed! If you already have one, it’s recommended to test them on a monthly basis.
A fire on a boat is extremely dangerous due to how fast fiberglass burns and the fact that it can spread so quickly to our neighbors’ boats. Let’s all dedicate this month to checking that all proper precautions are in place at our boats, homes and work places to help prevent fires.
And remember, it’s important to review this information regularly…not just in October! We must always be taking the proper steps to ensuring the safety of our families and neighbors all year around, and it’s our responsibility as boat owners to help prevent boat and marina fires!
Pass this on to a friend in honor of fire safety month!
Have you checked your shore power system lately?
How often are we asked this exact question either by our local boat dealer, harbor master or even our neighbors as they are repeatedly replacing burnt plugs? How is this OK? Shouldn’t we be calling for a change and demanding a safer option? I started doing some research and dug up some information this week on causes of marine electrical fires and thought I would share what I’ve found….
My research originated from a question I considered some might be asking after hearing about a new shore power option:
What makes SmartPlugs think they can change a standard and how can we guarantee that marinas and boat makers will cut over to this new shore power system?
That is a valid question and we had to ask ourselves the same thing when this project began in 2007. Let’s be sure to note: Just because something has been around for 70 years and no one has challenged it, doesn’t mean it’s the best option. The problem is that it was our only option for far too long. In fact, from our initial research in 2007 we found that the current shore power system was even more dangerous than our initial thought. Here are some key points I found which have contributed in why we have created the SmartPlug:
- In the last 7 years damages from boat electrical fires in the US is estimated at 1 Billion dollars! (That is a statistic from 2007, I can’t imagine how much more money has been spent to replace plugs or in the worst case marina’s since then!)
- 48 deaths over the last several years from electrocution were directly attributed to failing shore power components.
- Over the years, several attempts have been made to pass legislation enforcing safeguards for the problem. These efforts have failed, partly since there is no existing product available to challenge the outdated and problematic twist lock standard in use today. Until now!
In addition, I’ve come across some statistics from Boat US Insurance that sums up the direct cause of marine electrical fires. Decide for yourself, do you feel 100% secure in the current twist lock shore power option? Click here to read the blog.
As you can see the current shore power system is not only failing but jeopardizing our safety when the plug is in use. 55% in our opinion is way too high for this to be ignored and is screaming out as a hazard. That hazard is our responsibility as boaters to address and help change, which is yet another reason why we have created a better option. We at SmartPlugs have seen the dangers that the current standard brings to the marine industry and feel that it’s time to start recognizing it. Not to mention, the twist lock option is not only difficult to use but expensive to replace every time the connection fails or corrodes! If there were a better more reliable product available that you wouldn’t have to worry about replacing due to corrosion or burning would you buy it? We are here as another option in the marine shore power product listing. We are here plain and simple to offer all of you a choice the next time you walk in your local boat store to replace yet another burnt or corroded plug. It only seems right that we at least have that choice!
We at SmartPlugs know that our success is directly related to our customers and distributors and we want to hear your experiences! This is a way for us to make our products and offerings the best they can be. What better way to learn then from all of you who have the knowledge to share!
So…we created this short survey to learn more about your experiences with shore power so we can be sure we’re offering you the highest quality products to meet your needs. It’s so important to us that once a week we’re drawing a survey respondent’s name and giving away a $50 off coupon to be used at the SmartPlug Store. If that wasn’t enough, every month we’re giving away one free 30 Amp Boatside Shore Power Inlet and Connector combo!
Take the SmartPlug Survey!
We greatly appreciate all your feedback as we grow and make the marine industry safer!
Why are we blogging? Our number one goal as a company and as individuals within the company is that we produce a quality product which helps to make the marine industry safer and as we are finding out much sooner than expected, safer for other industries too! More on that soon! Our CEO Ken Smith has been in the marine industry for 38 years and the last 8 years of that were rebuilding yachts that have been damaged due to fire, most which were originated from the current shore power system. How often are we reminded as boat owners to check our shore power system and in unfortunate but common cases do we find our shore power plugs melted or burnt? What if we could stop those issues all together? It’s time for a new option! Our blog is here as a resource for information on shore power safety and usage and on the SmartPlug itself. We want to be available to you for any questions or curiosity you may have.
Let me introduce myself, my name is Sandra. My goal for our blog is to pass on our extended knowledge and to keep you updated with all things SmartPlug. We have an amazing team here that comes with a diversity of talents ranging from our CEO representing many years in the marine industry to our designer who had a hand in designing Perlage System. Also representing us is an amazing in house web/graphic designer, an enthusiastic marketing and sales team, our awesome research and development team and new to the company VP of Operations, Greg Duncan coming from Marinco. We all look forward to being in contact and would love to hear from you about your thoughts on the current shore power system. What do you like most about the current shore power option/what do you like least? Do you feel that the current shore power design is safe for use in a marine environment?
Our company is growing and growing fast! We are excited to be reaching out to you and looking forward to hearing from you. Stay tuned for future blogs where we plan to let you know about all of the fun successful stories thus far and to come! We have a lot of exciting news to share with you along with contests, surveys and promotions and even ways that you can win a FREE SmartPlug for your boat!!
Blog with you soon!
SmartPlug Systems
Comments (0) 
Themocracy