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!
Our very own Mike Miller will be featured in a 1 ½-2 minute segment airing on February 1st @ 4pm on the FOX Sports Network which was filmed last July at the annual MAATS show. Be sure to tune in, this is the first episode of the “Pleasure Boater” series. Additionally, this segment will also run 3 times on the Sun Sports Network, making its way into 11 million Gulf Coast households in April! We will keep everyone posted with those dates.
Due to market demand, SmartPlug Systems will be selling individually packaged Inlets and Plugs in approximately 6 weeks. In order to accommodate the boater who may have two boatside inlets in different locations, are moored in multiple marinas or have multiple boats, SmartPlug Systems will release individually packaged Plugs and Inlets. Recognizing that every boat is different, in the future SmartPlug plans to offer a variety of combinations of products to meet the varying shorepower needs for boats.
There are some days when you come in to work and the energy is just high…and today is one of those days. A couple of weeks ago, Tim from Navagear stopped by SmartPlug HQ to meet us and learn more about the SmartPlug. After holding one of the demo units in his hand and having that famous “Aha!” moment, he ended up taking a SmartPlug Inlet and Connector home to install on his own boat. Well last night he posted a fantastic article on Mad Mariner about his installation experience. What a great review…thanks again to both Mad Mariner and Navagear!
In addition, I opened my mailbox this morning to find notification of a new Twitter friend: “FirstMateYC is now following you.” As always, I checked out our new follower’s Twitter page and then looked to see if they have a website. To my surprise, First Mate Yacht Care posted an article about the SmartPlug as well! What a great way to start the day!
Thanks to all of them for their support!
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!
Ken Smith will be giving an in-person demo of the SmartPlug at the West Marine Superstore in Fort Lauderdale on October 30th. If you’re in the area, stop by and take a look!
Address:
2300 S Federal Hwy
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
Tel: 954-527-5540
SmartPlug’s showing at the IBEX, US Distributing, Western Marine Distributors (CA), and Annapolis shows of late have met with great success. The show of support and level of interest from our new friends and partners has been amazing to say the least. Thanks for your support!
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!
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