If you want a further discussion of shore power wiring, please read the most recent American Boat and Yacht Council recommendations on connecting a boat power distribution system to shore power. If you have more questions after reading the ABYC recommendations you should start a new thread in the SMALL BOAT ELECTRICAL forum, and ask a specific question.
Please do not propose surveys of boater behavior, such as “Do you connect your boat to shore power?”
Your own behavior with regard to connecting to shore power or some other aspect of boating should be in accordance with your own needs, so what others need may not be the best guide for you. You may also elicit advice that is inappropriate or conflicts with regulations. Your behavior should be guided by regulations, not what another causal boater might do.
In the case of a boat kept at a dock in the water at all times, any sort of continual connection to shore power must be very properly done in order not to cause harm to the boat and to not cause electrical shock to anyone in the water. If you plan to use shore power at your own dock, you must provide that power in compliance with Electrical Codes for your municipality. You should also be insured against any claims for harm resulting from a fault in the wiring. You need to research the requirements for electrified dock wiring and have any wiring you install inspected and approved. Use of a ground-fault-interrupter (GFI) on the 120-VAC source is likely mandatory and also critical. More
information on shore power and GFI can be found on another website.
This topic is very complicated. Again, read ABYC recommendations. Post specific questions to SMALL BOAT ELECTRICAL for any follow-up.
I also recommend you read these older discussions:
Risk of Low Voltage Electrocution from Swimming in Marinahttp://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum6/HTML/003778.htmlSwimming Safety: NOT IN MARINAShttp://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/019696.htmlAlso, since you have purchased a recently made Boston Whaler boat, you can anticipate that the boat wiring and boat electrical system are likely to be in compliance with federal regulations that apply to the electrical part of the boat. Whether or not your particular boat has an OEM-installed battery charger is unknown to me.