Engraving

This post is of limited technical value, but it's a shout out to Orion Engrave in Willemstad.  I have been to Willemstadt many times now and am impressed every time with the calibre of businesses there, the ease of doing business, and the range of services available.   I live in Metropolitan Toronto, (3rd largest metropolis in North America) and I have been able to get many things done well and secure parts and materials with less effort, more quickly via the entrepreneurs in Willemstadt than here at home with the corporate suppliers that often dominate the landscape.  Masha danki Korsou!

Engraving

As Sakura is now a Canadian-flagged vessel, she has to comply with a few new and arcane rules.  Among these is having her "official number" and her "Net Registered Tonnage" in letters 4cm high, affixed to some visible internal place,and difficult to remove or obscure.   I took some liberties with the font size and had the required information engraved onto a brass tonnage plate, salvaged from another Canadian vessel that was scrapped. (The plate was easy to remove and the less than 4 cm high engraved numbers were easily sanded off. ) 

The new engraving was done by ‘Orion Engrave’ in Willemstadt.  Nice shop, with a capable but literal-minded owner.  The text is not centred and was done EXACTLY as laid out on my drawing.  My bad.... 

While the font size isn't quite compliant, it is deeply engraved and difficult to obscure.  I will  fasten this plate with Robertson screws, the seldom-used yellow-handled size that sometimes frustrates tradesmen.  This will be difficult for anyone outside of Canada to remove, and should therefore comply with Canadian regulations. ;-)  

Locks and keys, small detail, deep rabbit hole.

Quest for duplicate keys 

Sakura came with a pile of keys, none labelled, and only one for the main hatch.   I sorted out the lot, tagged them all, and decided I should have duplicates for each and a few extras for the main hatch.

 “In 33 years I have never seen that key”.   Thus spake the learned locksmith at Kennedy's locksmith in Willemstadt.  Not surprising and I'm sure he knows his stuff.    I will order blanks and have him cut them on my next visit.  (There's always something that has to wait till next time.)

He identified the blank as a Borkey 501 or a JMA SEL-1D.   I can't find the former online and it doesnt seem to match the latter.  Hmmm....

Here's an enlightening exchange on the alubat FB group.   Thanks Mac!

The conversation continued.  My thanks to Alubat FB group members for providing assurance that this is a common key (and for cheap locks!) in Europe, and particularly to Anne-Marie, who photographed her recently-cut keys, their manufacturer and part number  Silca UL060.   

Which cross-references to JMA U-2D, a part number which seems to exist in North America, however is not commonly available as such.  
https://www.keyblankdepot.com/product_p/jma3355.htm
$7 for the keys, $75 to ship from Texas to Canada!

Bill F later indicated that an Ilco (a brand commonly available in Canada) 997B worked. 

So, following the next cross-reference trail from Ilco 997B, leads to yale 7D, and another online source.  https://www.clksupplies.com/products/997b-yale-key  I have emailed some local suppliers on this SKU.  

Apparently the following are equivalents:

ANIS A21
CANAS UVS2
CEA UN10
CHARLES BIRCH 5851
ERREBI U4PD
JMA U-2D
KEY-LINE UN4PD
KIS U20
LOTUS UV4
ORION UNL4P

Silca: UL060
Silca: ULO60
JMA: U-2D
JMA: U2D
KL: UN4PD
Orion: UNL4P
CEA: UN10
Anis: A21
Lotus: UV4
C Birch Hook: 585

Add (possibly) for North America
Ilco 997B
Yale 7D

NMEA 2000, instruments and autopilot

This network was completed and operational in Sept 2024.   The drawing was done in Maretron's N2K builder.  Not perfect but very cool!

Final refinement and troubleshooting was completed in August 2024, having been slowed by a defective 4-port splitter block and a still silent radar.   MMSI  numbers now entered except for the NAIS500 which requires $100 at a dealer to do the following:

I should note that all other data in the NAIS500 can be entered by the owner, they lock out only the MMSI and force you to the dealer….

June 9, 2024

The Zeus3 7" will go above the companionway in the now-vacant instrument housing, where there is just enough space to install it.   Probably a good thing as it's typically my favourite seat.  Made the replacement instrument panel, thinner than the original.  (It’s what the supplier had in stock.).  This will house the Zeus3 7” MFD.  It should just fit.   (it does!  Perfectly.) 

This small pod will be retained for a possible autopilot controller, or?

 

Jan 2024 post

Have purchased a DST810 sensor, WS230 wireless wind, and second Zeus3 display for the helm. (all N2K)    This will replace the existing autopilot controller as well as provide full info display at the helm.   (Later:  didn’t fit at the helm, and I didn’t like adding the massive pod required.  It’ll go over the companionway.  Probably didn’t need it but it does provide a good instrument display and autopilot control.  )

Now all that is needed is to resolve the autopilot and troubleshoot the radar.  Radar:   https://www.bandg.com/help--support/?stPage=contentListPage-1

may need an adaptor to eliminate the junction box - 000-0127-56

Nov 2023 Post

Sakura has some relatively current electronics (gps, radar, chartplotter/mfd, sonar, ais, vhf, satphone) but also retains the original Raytheon autopilot, depth/speed/wind instruments.   Wind data is currently not displaying, I would assume the sensor is malfunctioning.   The older instruments are otherwise functional but do not fully integrate with the new.   The autopilot technology in particular has improved significantly and is therefore on the upgrade list.

New(ish) - 

• Raymarine Ray53 VHF
• B&G zeus broadband 4G Radar
• B&G zeus3-9 worldmap MFD
• B&G NAIS-500 class b AIS transceiver
• B&G GPS-500 GPS antenna

Old - to upgrade

• Raytheon autopilot 
• ST60 Depth, speed, wind

Electrical and Electronics panels - Order restored.

Sakura is 435/6 and was built in 2001. For the time, the design and execution of the original electrical wiring and panels was excellent, versus most I’ve seen, and the space available is generous.  That said, needs/wants have changed over time and some very DIY-calbre additions had accumulated.    As my refit involved some significant upgrades, Sakura was due for a re-think and refit of much of her electrical infrastructure.
Most of the electrical and electronic/instrumentation systems converge at and are controlled at the navigation station, which is supplied by the house battery supply via a switch in the port side aft cabin, near the batteries. The AC panel is located slongside the DC panel.   

DC Wiring and Panel Revisions

The factory wiring is neatly laid out with each circuit identified and documented in the original drawings.    

The objectives of the work done on the DC distibution system were:

• identify and remove substandard, unsafe or potentially unreliable wiring.
• Seperate AC, DC and instrumentation circuits where possible.  
• Ensure each circuit is properly fused and identified
• Consolidate fuses in a single location, standardizing on ATO/ATC fuses.
• Create an uncluttered  layout that is intuitive to use and straightforward to troubleshoot 
• Incorporate the new instrumentation and upgrades into a well-secured, identified, and intuitive layout with capacity for future revisions.  
• Revise the switch and instrument panel to simplify use, reduce clutter and reverse some of the "home handyman" modifications.

All of the previous owner-upgrades were removed and rerouted, rewired and labelled. This is time-consuming but I was able to correct several issues/inconsistencies and consolidate the random scattered inline fuses of mixed types, wire tangles, and poor terminations typical in older boats. Wiring is now labelled, simple, logical, and secured. All fuses are consolidated in two fuse blocks, one for navigational instruments, controlled by switch 10 on the panel and the other, 24/7, which will power the various alarm systems. Low current fuses are now all ACO/ACT type.   A final mod will be to move entertainment and communications to switch #13, feeding a seperate 4cct fuse block.

Toggle switches had been added to the woodwork surrounding the switch switch panel over time as needs arose, and some will be relocated from the main cabinetwork/panel to a new switch panel concealed inside the little drop-front cabinet above the chart table. This will prevent inadvertent operation of things like alarms or AIS modes, and will further declutter the cabinetwork. This concealed panel will be easy to replace or modify in future without damaging any visible cabinetwork.

Unlabelled toggle switches had also been added to the drop down nav instrument panel, where the MFD, Stereo, and VHF reside. This panel was replaced, a new stereo and VHF installed, and those switches will be relocated to the concealed panel. Detailed below.

As discussed below and in a seperate post, all of the interior lighting is now consolidated on switch 12, simplifying operation. This freed two 12v breaker/switches, one of which will control entertainment/communications, leaving the other as a spare.

The main harness bundles are secured, using large releasable cable ties and screwed-on mouting stands, replacing the original small adhesive-mount pieces. This is a detail well worth the minimal extra effort.

The NMEA2000 cables are all new, and are generally located across the top of the space, seperate from any other wiring. You can see two four port splitters stacked in the photo. The old Raytheon NMEA0183 network has been removed. Each NMEA2000 cable is labelled, and a digram and description of the the nework is found here.

The work is substantially complete and I am satisifed that the objectives were met or exceeded.

Identification and Labelling

The panel was relabeled, and all of the wiring I touched was labelled. This Brady printer is excellent for this purpose, though there are some limitations with respect to font sizes.   The labels shown in the printer are those used for the OVNI switch panel, and look "factory".  Those on the right are the wire labels.  These are particularly good, much better than the Brother P-touch labels I used in Windstar.    

Navigation and Communications Panel

I have replaced the aged stereo with a narrower Fusion RA670. This left a gaping hole in the already abused drop-down panel at the nav station. Conveniently, there was a piece of the appropriate plywood aboard, so was able cut a matching replacement panel with a layout of my choosing. It occurred to me that this is the perfect time to also upgrade the RAY53 VHF to one with NMEA2000 connections and dual station capability, so I have purchased a standard horizon GX1850B and SSM70H RAM4 remote mic. The GX1850 does NOT come with panel mount brakcets. The MMB-97 bracket kit must be ordered seperately. The RAM 4 remote mic comes with a cable that is long enough to reach the steering pedestal. It is not necesary to buy an extension cable.
I likely overthought the layout. Everything is a bit higher than it was, and hopefully the chartplotter is now aligned with bottom edge of the breaker panels. The stereo is still located above the vhf because the hanging mic cable might otherwise have interfered with the stereo’s control knob. The mic can now be hung beside the stereo, much higher than before, which ensures that the cable is neither interfering with teh stereo, nor resting on the chart table. The spacing between the devices should now be equal. (As I read this later, I can confirm that I overthought it...lol)

Prior posts and musings on this subject

One of the items aboard is a vintage UK OTA TV amplifier.  I'll probably remove that along with the other cabling that remains.

Video Here  and here

June 9, 2024.   

This post (and this process) began with documentation of the AC/Inverter portion of the wiring, and has evolved into a stepwise updating and reconfiguration of the electrical/electronics panels.  Basically anythng on the "house" branch circuit, PLUS any wiring associated with the electronics.   This is what's involved: 

• replace the UK-standard receptacles. (concurrent with the inverter upgrade and addition of the 120V inverter). DONE 
• Install and label the NMEA2000 network cabling concurrent with the removal of the old NMEA0183 instruments,  DONE 
• Install VEDirect cabling for the CerboGX,
• Relocate the Cobham Sailor satellite hardware, and the Redbox router.
• Migrate interior lighting to a single breaker.  (The LED lighting upgrade has reduced the need for seperate protected branch circuits.) 
• remove the "home handyman" mods to the extent possible.     DONE - most of the prior mods were removed and redone. 
• re-think and confirm which 12VDC items should be on which circuits - 24/7 or controlled at panel.   Done - 
• replace binding posts with proper labelled fuse blocks.   DONE - much safer, more reliable and easier to troubleshoot 
• reroute,  seperate, label and secure  AC, DC, N2K (etc) cabling in a logical, neat and intuitive manner. DONE.   Each is now separate and intuitively routed for troubleshooting.  
• De-confuse the wiring and switches - reassign spare, mis/unlabelled or relabelled breakers, in an intuitive, simplified physical configuration.  Minimize the use of additional switches and Add a secondary switch panel behind the door into the horizontal cabinet for any switches still needed, or for future additions.
• Re-cut and replace the drop down panel where the stereo, VHF, and MFD reside.

Before:

• 

 Owner-added Toggle Switches

There are 7 toggle switches that were added by the prior owner.  Some of these could be replaced by the now surplus breakers, and some can be hidden in a separate switch panel.  

The 7 owner-added toggle switches include:

At breaker panel

1. nav lights - (pulpit/off/masthead) this is adjacent to the breaker for this circuit so it will remain there.  Not sure why it needed an "off" position.
2. Gas Detector (on/off)   to relocate to companionway with other alarms, or in the new switch panel.  I would think these alarms should be on a 24/7 circuit, and controlled as a group.  
3. Silence - (on/off) this disables the transmit function only for the  AIS transponder:   A separate switch is not required for this functionality.
4. AIS (on/off)  To be relocated to a concealed switch panel, using a DPDT centre off switch.  This will combine switches 3 and 4.  
5. Fuel Gauge (Port/off/stbd)  This is adjacent to the breaker for this circuit so it will remain there.
• strange that there is only one fuel gauge, and that a toggle switch was added.   I suspect that the BMV 712 replaced the second fuel gauge, necessitating the selector switch.   Strange given that there is a now-redundant voltmenter on the panel, which could have been replaced, but perhaps the BMV didn't fit that opening.    (Black ones are available.)  It may be possible to reinstall the original fuel gauge and reolcate the BMV712. 

Beside VHF  

1. Sat Comm.   (on/off)   This turns the Cobham sat system on
• This will be relocated
2. AVO  (on/off/on) This toggles the VHF/FM antenna between sources or automatic mode. Likely AIS/vhf.  Not sure what’s become of the FM antenna, though there’s a cut-off piece of coax in the PS cockpit locker.   The radio seems to work fine.  
• These two switches will both be relocated to a concealed switch panel.

So, 5 of 7 switches will be relocated, and two of those combined,  further reducing both visual clutter and the potential for inadvertent operation.  

The horizontal drop down cabinet contains a length of finger duct and was used only to store some junk items. An acrylic switch panel could easily be installed inside this cabinet, hidden behind the door. This would hide any switches installed there, and the panel could easily be reconfigured as needs change, without butchering any woodwork.  

Based on scaling the 40mm hinge in the above photo, the opening meausres approximately 120mm X 350mm.  I could mount the panel from the top and leave room below for junk.  Will incorporate a USB charger so that phones could be charged inside the cabinet.  Less clutter….

DC Breaker Panels (house loads)

There are 15 breakers, in columns of five, across two panels as pictured below

The columns of 5 are (sort of) grouped by function:     

1 compass/nav lights
2 mooring light
3 (blanked with marker, had been labelled "top light" which actually meant the "steaming light".   Relabelled. 
4 Deck light
5 Fuel gauges
6 Water pump (white label)
7 bilge pump portside
8 bilge pump starboard side
9 shower pumps
10 electronic board

• Need to confirm what is actually connected here.  (This was reconfigure and is now distributed via a fuse block.  It controls:
• Mfd
• N2k
• VHF
• AIS
• RADAR
•  

11 12V plugs

• should attempt to have USB chargers and fans wired to this cct.

12 Int lights/transom light

• the transom light is actually connected to #15

13 interior lights. (Future use- water maker?)
14 interior lights. (Reconfigure to Entertainment/comms?)
15 interior lights. (Interior lights)

• #15 is actually connected to the transom light.
• Need to understand which lights are on which breakers.   Perhaps there is a good reason to switch branches separately from this panel?  Can/should this be done from one breaker?

Options

• AIS - this should likely be switchable independent of the other electronics, and combined with the ‘silence’ switch.
• Silence - likely  means AIS, Rx only.  
• Watermaker - at some point there will be one.
• Sat Comms/LAN - should this be a separate breaker  on the main panel?
• Radar - should this be switchable due to its power consumption? (it is switchable at the MFD)
• Entertainment - should this have its own cct, separate from Navigation electronics?  Combine with comms and switch each within the new switch panel?   Entertainment/communications?

Labelling

Black inset of label field on breaker panel is approx 8mm X 28mm.  Unfortunately the smallest label Brady offers is over 9mm wide.  (3/8”)  M21-375-595-BK.  

 

Circuit protection at Nav stn.

• I have ordered two 6 pos fuse blocks for use in the house panel area at the nav station.  One will be for the entertainment ancd comms equipment, one for the NMEA/navigation equipment, as energized by the panel switches 10 and possibly 15.     24/7 circuits will likely be supplied from a similar fuse box at the battery box. 

May 2024

My prior post was obviously written under the influence of a very positive state of mind.   

As I explored further, it became clear that the various electrical upgrades over the years were not installed very thoughtfully and much needed undoing.  Breakers were relabelled, (or repurposed and not labelled) switches added.   Furthermore, the new N2K network, the ethernet and satellite networking, the AC wiring additions, and the loops and coils of excess cable from those upgrades plus some of the cabling from the older NMEA0183 instruments were all stuffed into the main electrical area, and simply cable-tied and taped together.   Photos are incomplete and don't show the worst of it.  That's enough on the sins of a darker past...

I excavated, untangled, and removed the NMEA0183 wiring and anything else that is now surplus or  was really substandard.  I separated, routed and secured the various systems, and labelled many wires and cables as they were identified.  Even though systems are now upgraded, there is much less cabling and other clutter choking the space.   I will likely locate the satellite communication and LAN router to some other nook nearby.   

A compact,  low-current fuse block with ground bus is definitely required, and this will further improve ease of troubleshooting and reliability.   I will need to determine which circuits should be grouped and how they will be switched, two such blocks may be best.  Fortunately, due to lighting upgrades, I now have several spare breakers, and this could further unclutter the system.    

The visible work hinted at what lurked behind.  (Who chops holes like these in a nice yacht???)

The switches above will be relocated except for the top and bottom ones, which relate to the adjacent breakers.   All safety related switches fand alarms will be moved to the companionway, and the AIS on/off will be relocated to the horizontal cabinet, behind its drop-front door.

The strip between the panels thats been drilled full of holes will be covered with a black plexiglass panel, 1 1/8" X 7 3/8"

I replaced the UK style receptacles with GEWISS branded items.   (Could the PO have not centred the receptacles under the panel?)

The little teak thingees have been removed.   I may locate the charging cradles for the handheld VHF radios to the left of those new receptacles.   

The boat has a router with ethernet connections linked to a Cobham FleetONE satellite system.   Both these hardware items were stacked (loosely) inside the electrical cabinet, and will be relocated.   This will clear some space and enable viewing of LEDs on the router especially.    As it was, any tracing or troubleshooting of any problem would have been pretty difficult.  

prior post/working notes

the factory wiring is very good, with every red conductor numbered.   As expected, a few owner mods fell short of perfection with regards to wiring practices and circuit protection .   As the various systems are revised, and as the battery configuration has been updated, there is a need to verify and consolidate charge-source wiring (note - this turned out to be one of the simpler projects...)

This means that solar, wind and Sail-Gen require an easily accessed fuse point, adjacent to the batteries. 

Below is the relay for the electric windlass, or the electric main halyard winch, not sure whinch.

It needs to be deternined where the batteries terminate. There is a "Repartiteur" in the drawing, which roughly translates to a distribution point.   It is located (on the drawing) in the starboard aft cabin.   No idea what it looks like.   The switching is in the port side aft cabin, as pictured.   .  

is there a positive bus?     (no)

Is there a ground bus?   (yes, under the P/S aft cabin berth)

Is the shunt correctly wired?  (yes)

What is the size of the existing cabling?  (Big)

Why the original lighting sucks and what I did about it.

Original Alubat Lighting (and why it sucks)

 Area lighting should illuminate the area evenly, and adequately for its intended use.  Task lighting speaks for itself, and accent lighting is designed to highlight a feature, or to create a different shape or vibe to the space.  Each is typically used concurrently in the same space.   Area lighting is the primary challenge in retrofitting a boat due to constraints on fixture placement, low ceiling height, and glare from the light sources,  being necessarily at or near eye level.  (You should see the light, not the source.)   Area lighting should be designed to be brighter than may be desired at times, with light levels managed through dimming.  Additionally, being able to control each fixture can help manage not only the overall light level, but can permits the creation of different "scenes" which can add variety, shape and ambiance to an otherwise uniformly lit space.    

While some of Sakura's interior fixtures had received energy-saving LED lamps (bulbs) to replace the power hungry originals, the lighting was otherwise original and left a lot to be desired.  Why?    

The 2" downlights used in the overhead areas were designed to conceal the bright halogen light source, and to distribute its light downwards in a conical beam.  As a result, these fixtures work poorly as area lighting in low-ceilinged  applications, where the conical light distribution leaves the upper portions of the space in the dark.   This is the dreaded "cave effect".   While such fixtures were a fashionable breakthrough for certain uses in the pre-LED era, they were often misapplied.  Fortunate LED  light sources are easier to control (meaning, they can be designed to distribute light more effectively than can a reflector and bulb) and there are much better choices today in a similar slim, circular form factor.    

The original budget RV-style fixtures used in the head, galley and navigation area also reflect the limitations of what was available at the time.     

What to do?

Most of the overhead recessed downlights were replaced with touch-switchable miniature close-to-ceiling fixtures.    The distribution (of light) from these fixtures is nearly 180deg and eliminates the cave effect. (The photo of the nav station shows this well.)    

Initially the nav station, galley, and main head each received an upgraded disc-type fixture which can be cycled between red, white (dimmable), and off.   These work so well I added one each to the sleeping areas and forward head as well, as the red lighting could be maintained while sailing at night.  

Even though the new fixtures are wired as one-to-one replacements of the old, and are therefore controlled in groups by the orignal switches, the touch-switchable feature is useful because individual fixtures can be turned off, allowing for different "scenes" as discussed above.   The dimming and red options on those fixtures add even more versatility.

Alubat's use of screw terminal blocks makes replacement quite simple.   

Fixture Choices

Beware LED light sources with cooler or unspecified colour temperatures.  I chose those with 3500k (like halogen) or lower.  (Warmer)   Plenty of information online about colour temperature.  

• The wall-mounted fixture in the forward head was replaced by a 2W elegant "sconce".
• The 3W red/white fixtures are especially well suited for areas where night illumination is desireable.  
• The remaining ceiling downlights were replaced with the switchable "boob lights" mentioned above - 4W 4.5" units in most ceiling areas, and 3W 3.5" units where it made sense. 
• I have also purchased 4 gooseneck reading lamps, but have yet to determine where they will be used.

Loads and Wiring

The interior lighting originally reqiured four 16A breakers on the switch panel to manage the loads.   This is not surprising as the power-hungry ceiling downlights used halogen lamps, and other fixtures required two small incandescent lamps.   The upgraded lighting has a total load of approximately 70w, approximately 6A.    This is well within the capacity of ONE circuit.    

So, Sakura's panel was revised and all of the interior lighting is now controlled by switch #12 on the panel, which has freed up two switches.   This required consolidation in an additional terminal block in the panel.

The original rocker switches located around the boat operate as designed, and no new fixture locations have been added.    Now though, in addition to groups of fixtures being operated by a single switch each can now be controlled individually, as discussed above.  Each sleeping cabin now has red/white/dimmable fixtures overhead, as does the galley and nav station.   This should be very comfortable for night use, and create a more versatile setup for living aboard.   

At some pooint I will post brochure-calbre pictures of a well-lit and orderly vessel.  The change is really remarkable, particularly given the relatively modest cost.  

One funny thing I noticed when working on the boat is that the head sinks are actually translucent.  When lit from below, they glow.   

Ugly, yellowed and orroded)

Bad lighting

Easily replaced bad lighting!

Klassy gold-toned plastic.  Not yet sure what to say or do about these quite yet....

Existing fixture inventory

• 11ea 70mm recessed downlights. 
• 5 ea Adjustable spotlights (theoretically these are reading lights.)   
• 5 ea ugly fixtures, 1 in each head, one over galley sink, one at Nav stn, one in forepeak.