Keith wrote:
Based on what the last couple of surveyors on my boat have made me do, make
sure they're all GFCI protected. You can daisy chain them within
reason, so each one doesn't have to be GFCI. Do it now, or your
surveyor will make you refit later.

Hi Kieth:

Ya, whats with that, "thy shalt have ALL GFCI recepticals?" I can
certainly under stand for some or most "wet prone areas," but what
about this story? Last winter the white Carver motor boat three slips
down put an electric heater in his boat to ward off the winter chills.
It gets cold here. We're talking low teens, snow, and 2-3 inches of
ice in the marina.

Carver owner left one through hull valve open.
Heater on to keep boat from freezing.
Marina electricity failed.
Marina power restored after a few hours.
GFCI tripped.
No heat on boat.
Through hull froze, split, and shipped water when tempratures went
above freezing.
Boat sunk.

Personally I would like to have at least one circuit that is not GFCI
protected. Not sure why, call me old fashioned. I am also the kind of
guy who likes real roll-up windows on my car. Yes, I relize the Carver
owner violated a basic winterizing rule: close through hull valves and
drain.

Did the surveyors make the GFCI protection a deal breaker?
Maybe I did not read the ABYC electrical standards closly enough. Does
ABYC require/recomend 100% GFCI protected circuits on boats?
Or are talking bank loan requrments?

Ideas please?
Bob

I don't know about ABYC standards, hopefully someone else does. When I
bought my 1986 Krogen in 2001, the initial surveyor required GFCI's in
the galley and heads. Said nothing about the engine room. The insurance
company also required them based on his recommendations. Fine.

At five years, the insurance company required another survey. This
surveyor recommended GFCI's be put in the engine room outlets, and the
insurance company concurred. Fine again. This still seems to be hit and
miss though... why didn't the first surveyor require them in the engine
room to begin with? Anyway, if I was doing a new build, I'd go ahead
and have them throughout. Of course, you could always have one
regular... just don't tell the surveyor!