Good Boat Electrical How To and Tips Book Wanted

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Author Topic:   Good Boat Electrical How To and Tips Book Wanted

macsfriended posted 10-26-2005 01:59 PM ET (US)
Need a recommendtion for subject book (title, author, publisher etc.)
76 Newport has had dealer installed Depth Finder (RayMarine ST40) and a 12 volt plug - No Problems
I am going to add VHF and looking for tips and reasons to do so the smart and best way and with options for future but unspecified 12 volt items. Open to (maybe even wanting to) use bus bars under console to ease possible future installs.
Please advise.
Thanks, Ed

jimh posted 10-26-2005 05:52 PM ET (US)
Go to your local Boston Whaler dealer. Locate a 190 NANTUCKET. Look inside the console. Study the wiring. It will provide a good example of how to wire a small boat.
Go to the Boston Whaler website. Download the schematic diagrams of the 190 NANTUCKET wiring. Study them. It will provide a good example of how to wire a small boat.
Chuck Tribolet posted 10-26-2005 06:14 PM ET (US)
I have these two:
Chapman Piloting
Boatowner's Mechanical and Electrical Manual, Nigel Calder
and I've heard good things about
12 Volt Bible

Amazon's search facility will dig them up. Chapman will
probably be cheaper at West than at Amazon.

Chuck
Tom W Clark posted 10-26-2005 06:44 PM ET (US)
I have all three of the books Chuck mentions. Calder's is the best but it is probably more information than you need just to install a VHF.
Buckda posted 10-26-2005 06:59 PM ET (US)
...and 12-volt Bible is an excellent resource for the beginner, but it has a lot more to do with understanding DC systems and is a "baseline information" book - a great book for the bookshelf as a reference material.
re: West Marine - on the West coast, they may indeed be the least expensive source for marine literature. My personal experience with them has been that they are great for locating things you might need and a good resource if necessary, but a little research and I've always been able to trump their prices - either locally or online. (Compare $60 for Shakespeare's SS Rachet Mount for antenna's at WM, versus $32 at Cabela's, and $28.99 locally....that's more than a 50% SAVINGS to shop locally, for the same product number from Shakespeare. Quite an incentive to keep out of the local West Marine store whenever I can.)
Good luck -
andygere posted 10-26-2005 07:50 PM ET (US)
The 12 Volt bible is a great book to start with. You need to have a good grasp of the fundamentals before moving on to more complicated stuff. I give it 2 thumbs up.
I also suggest using the search function on this web site to compile articles that are specific to the projects you are doing. There is a wealth of information right here.

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Author	Topic: Good Boat Electrical How To and Tips Book Wanted
macsfriended	posted 10-26-2005 01:59 PM ET (US) Need a recommendtion for subject book (title, author, publisher etc.) 76 Newport has had dealer installed Depth Finder (RayMarine ST40) and a 12 volt plug - No Problems I am going to add VHF and looking for tips and reasons to do so the smart and best way and with options for future but unspecified 12 volt items. Open to (maybe even wanting to) use bus bars under console to ease possible future installs. Please advise. Thanks, Ed
jimh	posted 10-26-2005 05:52 PM ET (US) Go to your local Boston Whaler dealer. Locate a 190 NANTUCKET. Look inside the console. Study the wiring. It will provide a good example of how to wire a small boat. Go to the Boston Whaler website. Download the schematic diagrams of the 190 NANTUCKET wiring. Study them. It will provide a good example of how to wire a small boat.
Chuck Tribolet	posted 10-26-2005 06:14 PM ET (US) I have these two: Chapman Piloting Boatowner's Mechanical and Electrical Manual, Nigel Calder and I've heard good things about 12 Volt Bible Amazon's search facility will dig them up. Chapman will probably be cheaper at West than at Amazon. Chuck
Tom W Clark	posted 10-26-2005 06:44 PM ET (US) I have all three of the books Chuck mentions. Calder's is the best but it is probably more information than you need just to install a VHF.
Buckda	posted 10-26-2005 06:59 PM ET (US) ...and 12-volt Bible is an excellent resource for the beginner, but it has a lot more to do with understanding DC systems and is a "baseline information" book - a great book for the bookshelf as a reference material. re: West Marine - on the West coast, they may indeed be the least expensive source for marine literature. My personal experience with them has been that they are great for locating things you might need and a good resource if necessary, but a little research and I've always been able to trump their prices - either locally or online. (Compare $60 for Shakespeare's SS Rachet Mount for antenna's at WM, versus $32 at Cabela's, and $28.99 locally....that's more than a 50% SAVINGS to shop locally, for the same product number from Shakespeare. Quite an incentive to keep out of the local West Marine store whenever I can.) Good luck -
andygere	posted 10-26-2005 07:50 PM ET (US) The 12 Volt bible is a great book to start with. You need to have a good grasp of the fundamentals before moving on to more complicated stuff. I give it 2 thumbs up. I also suggest using the search function on this web site to compile articles that are specific to the projects you are doing. There is a wealth of information right here.