slipper power

[sailorboy1]

So was getting ready to get underway this morning and had taken off my slippers and put on my shoes and was powering up the systems (instruments, autopilot, chart plotter, radar). Suddenly the stereo goes off and the chart plotter cycles off/on.

I look over at the solar controller and the output is jumping all over the place; 9V,12V, 10V, 14V etc. I check the battery monitor and it says 13.V and is steady.

Then I notice all the lights on the power panel are off and then they came back on. I'm getting all freaked out that something really weird is going and that it isn't a good thing and that I should start should be looking for where the electrical fire is!

Then I look under the Nav desk and find that when I took off my slippers and tossed them under the desk (because that's where I keep them) that 1 had landed on both of the house battery breakers and turned off the power from both banks of batteries. This had been fine for a few minutes as the solar panel ties into the system at the power panel via a breaker and had continued to power the boat, but a little swinging on the mooring was putting it into and out of some shade.

Wonder how long I would have sailed this way had I not found it before leaving the mooring. I probably would have been trying to figure out why the autopilot kept dropping out.

[Sandero]

Who bothers with slippers on a boat? I am usually bare foot or with deck shoes... or rubber clogs.

You'll be more careful tossing your stuff where the main breaker/switches are.

[haw1961]

I can't speak for Don, but as I get older the hard wood floors play havoc on my bare feet. I need to at least wear socks.

[svmariane]

Originally Posted by Don L

...Then I look under the Nav desk and find that when I took off my slippers and tossed them under the desk (because that's where I keep them) that 1 had landed on both of the house battery breakers and turned off the power from both banks of batteries.

Excellent troubleshooting skills! Earns one cold beer.

Another slipper story: So we are docking in Tauranga NZ for customs / immigration checks, first stop since Tonga. I'm doing the dock line thingy and the Captain (my wife) invites the officials aboard. And loudly, from the Immigration chap: "Slippers! She's wearing SLIPPERS!" And so it goes with the paperwork, but every few minutes we hear a muttering... "Slippers. Slippers on a sailboat." ... accompanied by a slow head-shake.

Customs guy took it in stride. Much, much older man. Probably years of experience with the vagaries of life vis-à-vis women.

Dictum: When it comes to whatever makes a woman comfortable on a sailboat - just go along with it.

[IdoraKeeper]

And I said nothing ever malfunctions on your boat....in this case it was the resident lair acting as a gremlin. How was Maine?

[sailorboy1]

Sometimes I wear a sweater on the boat, wonder what havoc a sweater can cause.

Maine was OK, I might go back again some day.

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by Don L

Sometimes I wear a sweater on the boat, wonder what havoc a sweater can cause.

Maine was OK, I might go back again some day.

A Mr. Rogers button up Cardigan???

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by HappyMdRSailor

A Mr. Rogers button up Cardigan???

Of course! What else would one wear with their pink Bermuda shorts and knee highs?

[zeehag]

sounds like the major reason for why god made bare feet for boating....... good luck and cover them switches with a protection cover....lol..good story..have fun and happy sails.....



if one must wear a sweater or slippers on board then one is living at wrong latitude