Category: Electrical

Electrical, Mast9 Comments

How to Add an Anchor Light For Less

$tingy Sailor

Early on in our sailing career, the first mate and I discovered that we really enjoy anchoring out overnight. The bays in the North Idaho lakes where we cruise are surrounded by snow-capped mountains, covered by crystal clear starry skies, and afford plenty of privacy. The problem was, Summer Dance didn’t have an anchor light, which is a shame because according to the original invoice that I have, it would have only cost $36 in 1981 when she was built. Not even $tingy Sailor can add one that cheaply today.

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Accessories, Electrical, Trailer1 Comment

Speed Up Trailer Hookups with a Backup Camera

$tingy Sailor

This project isn’t on the boat at all but it can make getting the boat on and off the water faster and easier for the trailer sailor. I’ve used trailers for most of my adult life, so I’m pretty good at backing them up. But getting the hitch ball right under a coupler on the first try is next to impossible without some kind of aid, either human or otherwise. I’ve tried the antenna ball gizmos but they’re not accurate enough if you have a really heavy trailer that you can’t muscle into place. And bless her heart, the first mate tries to line me up right but it doesn’t work out most of the time, which means one or both of us can easily get frustrated. Not a good way to start or end a great cruise.
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Accessories, Cabin, Electrical14 Comments

Brighten up Your Cabin with LED Strip Lighting

$tingy Sailor

It seems that every C-22 owner upgrades their cabin lighting at some point. The original dome lights are not very bright or sturdy and their incandescent bulbs use a lot of battery power. In Summer Dance, the previous owner had replaced the two salon dome lights with the combination white/red LED lights from a certain Catalina parts dealership. They don’t use much power but they also don’t put out much light either.

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Electrical, Hull3 Comments

How to Rebuild a Rotten Battery Tray

$tingy Sailor

The battery tray on Summer Dance was heavily water damaged. The nails holding the side pieces to the base had rusted away and the pieces pulled away easily by hand, leaving only the base. It was badly stained and rotted and gave off a very funky smell. Fortunately, the previous owner had installed a plastic battery box and screwed the strap anchors into the base, but it had to be replaced completely.

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