We are getting the parking lots ready for the Car and Boat Show Saturday, Aug 5. This is a bigger endeavor than you might imagine. Boaters in our marina are sometimes gone for months at a time, and we have to make sure their cars are parked somewhere safe. It can be difficult to manage, but we are blessed with a community of boaters who enjoy supporting town events and most people are happy to help. Remember to come out for this event if you can, it should be good again this year.

Safety and Maintenance: One of the benefits of working in a marina is the experts you brush up against on a daily basis. I recently spoke with a tenant who is a certified electrician and who is also an expert on RV electrical systems. We were discussing the electrical standards of the American Boat and Yacht Council, which are the standard for yacht construction. They are significantly stricter than any of the other regulations out there, and they mark a solid standard for safety and reliability.

I was asking him about a situation I observed at an RV show. The electrical system was exposed, and there were seven wires running off the positive post of the lithium ion battery to all points of the RV. There were no fuses to be seen. This expert confirmed that ABYC standards for boats would have required overcurrent protection (a fuse or breaker of some type) within 7 inches of the source of power (the positive post on the battery, in this case). This is to prevent wires from heating up and causing a fire in the event of a short circuit, since moving electricity generates heat.

ABYC offers one significant caveat: starter cables carry lots of energy but only for a short time. They do not require a fuse, but make sure you have some type of fuse or circuit breaker on every other wire leading off of your positive battery terminal. Consult a marine electrician if you have any questions, and look for the ABYC certification when you call.

Remember to mark your calendar for the Skagit Farm to Pint Festival on Sept. 30, in conjunction with Genuine Skagit Valley. This should be a lot of fun, and you can find more info at SkagitFarmtoPint.com.

See you on the Channel!

— Chris Omdal, harbormaster