How much do you shut down when you leave the boat?

[iSaint]

We missed a good joke in response to the thread title: "I can barely function without my boat. I'm better off living and working on her so I'm at my full wits!"

[Jim Cate]

IMO, the chances of decently maintained hoses or skin fittings failing while at rest is bloody small. We've lived aboard for many years and only turn off anything if we are to be gone for weeks or months. Maintenance is a better response than just shutting of sea cocks if worried about sinking at rest.

Jim

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

IMO, the chances of decently maintained hoses or skin fittings failing while at rest is bloody small. We've lived aboard for many years and only turn off anything if we are to be gone for weeks or months. Maintenance is a better response than just shutting of sea cocks if worried about sinking at rest.

Jim

Hi Jim,
The concept of maintenance and fail safe practices are not mutually exclusive.

The action of closing the main thru hulls if I'm gone for the day is also a constant check for leaks or corroded screws on these Chinese "stainless" hose clamps.

You do the same, but just less frequently[emoji4]

[Attikos]

I drain the fresh water, close all the seacocks, close the fuel line valve, close the propane tank's valve at the tank, and cut off all the circuit breakers. The only connections to the dock are the dock lines and the power cable, which I leave connected so the charger will keep the battery banks topped up.

[toddster8]

I have to admit that I was better at closing off everything when the boat was kept a two-hour drive from home. Now that it's five minutes away, I've gotten a bit lazy. Electrically, I usually leave it with just the bilge pump and the battery charger (if shore power is connected.) Well, an electric dehumidifier too,most all winter, and an oil-filled electric heater in freezing temperatures.

Danger of properly-maintained plumbing failing is maybe more of an issue for those of us who have to worry about freezing. Although, there was once an unexpected cold snap, to -20 C, while I was out of the country and couldn't do anything to prepare. The boat came through fine (unlike many systems on the ranch) - probably because the river water was still relatively warm.

And I have to confess that I don't always shut off the engine fuel when I should - because I have to remove the ladder, the mattress, and the engine cover to get at it. But in the "valve on" state, there is nothing really holding back all the gas in the tank except the carburetor float. (!) Probably I should either install a solenoid valve in the fuel line or a long loop to a more accessible shut-off valve.

[Olddan1943]

Originally Posted by toddster8

And I have to confess that I don't always shut off the engine fuel when I should - because I have to remove the ladder, the mattress, and the engine cover to get at it. But in the "valve on" state, there is nothing really holding back all the gas in the tank except the carburetor float. (!) Probably I should either install a solenoid valve in the fuel line or a long loop to a more accessible shut-off valve.

I totally dislike hidden valves and hidden fuses. Cant get to them in an emergency.

[Jim Cate]

I find it ironic that folks who worry about plumbing failures and shut off every through hull valve will leave shore power connected and a battery charger running. I'd bet that far more boats are lost to unattended electrical issues than plumbing issues.

And yes, that's one thing I don't do: leave shore power connected on those rare occasions when we leave Insatiable II in a marina. One of the good things about a decent solar system...

Jim

[Pelagic]

I don't think there is a default recommendation because boat needs, safety's and ease of access vary.

If you have freezers and fridges full of food, you need to keep the power on, either via Solar or shore power. You just need to make sure the fuses/breaker are suitably matched to the wiring loads and tested.

But you don't need plumbing, so if it takes you just a couple of minutes to close off the water intakes why not get into that habit if leaving for a day or more?

Murphy's Law always sits on my left shoulder[emoji57]

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

I find it ironic that folks who worry about plumbing failures and shut off every through hull valve will leave shore power connected and a battery charger running. I'd bet that far more boats are lost to unattended electrical issues than plumbing issues.

Really? I think I'd bet in the other direction. Does anyone have statistics on this?

[Exile]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

I find it ironic that folks who worry about plumbing failures and shut off every through hull valve will leave shore power connected and a battery charger running. I'd bet that far more boats are lost to unattended electrical issues than plumbing issues.

And yes, that's one thing I don't do: leave shore power connected on those rare occasions when we leave Insatiable II in a marina. One of the good things about a decent solar system...

Jim

Originally Posted by Lake-Effect

Really? I think I'd bet in the other direction. Does anyone have statistics on this?

You're scaring me Jim! But in a good way since unfortunately my boat spends a lot of time at the dock these days plugged into shore power. Recently the boat next door to mine suffered a near catastrophe when someone on the dock heard the smoke alarm going off, went below, and found smoke coming out of the battery compartment. A nice boat but neglectful owner, so I suspect it was perhaps the result of corroded terminals, etc. rather than a fault with the charger, but don't know for sure. I've never had a problem but it does make a case for even a modest solar panel system which could keep batteries topped up.

I too would be interested in knowing to what extent leaving shore power unattended contributes to boat losses.

[Olddan1943]

I leave shore on. When I had a 120vt fridge, "someone" would come by and unplug the house side resulting in every things spoiling in the fridge.
On this boat, a 12vt fridge. Sure enough, I left the boat for 2 months and again they unplugged the house side of the power. I laughed because everything was fine when I got back
IF you have A/C, you might consider leaving that on so there is no mildew building up.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by Exile

I too would be interested in knowing to what extent leaving shore power unattended contributes to boat losses.

I would think that most boat fires at dock are a result of electrical failure.
So if a flip of a switch de-energizes that wiring for an unnecessary consumer, why not?

[DumnMad]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

I would think that most boat fires at dock are a result of electrical failure.
So if a flip of a switch de-energizes that wiring for an unnecessary consumer, why not?

May also protect them from surge damage during an electrical storm although unplugging would be better.

[ronstory]

I guess I'm the trusting sort... plus it's simple boat. No hot or pressurized water, manual head, no fridge. We have LPG but we have Rube Goldberg 30+ year old system that has so many interlocks I hate turning on the gas. I just use the gas bbq in the cockpit.

All thruhulls are inspected each year at the haulout and all hoses were replaced last year just because. Whenever I'm crawling around in the boat working on stuff I cycle the thruhull I come across, but other than that I leave them open.

The only set of thruhull I close when I leave for the head's inlet and outlet. I don't trust that joker valve... i'm worried it may decide to have the last laugh. ;^)

I leave shore power plugged in with the battery switch 'off' so the battery charger can read the state of the batteries independently. Note there always seem to be about 0.1-0.2V difference between them, even though they were from the same lot. Bilge pump is wired direct to a Battery #1 through an overrated fuse.

The AC main is left on and run a fan and dehumidifier that drains in to the galley sink.

That said, I also have Boat Command on board. I just checked the status page:
Shore Power is ON
Battery #1 13.53V
Battery #1 13.74V
Bilge Pump duty cycle / health is Green
External Temp is 43.0
Internal Temp is 61.1
Geo Fence is Green (the boat is within a 100' of where I docked it)

Having Boat Command helps too.

[Olddan1943]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

I would think that most boat fires at dock are a result of electrical failure.
So if a flip of a switch de-energizes that wiring for an unnecessary consumer, why not?

When you leave home, do you open the service breaker?
Disconnecting the water hose makes sense IF it pressurizes the boat's F/W system. Just disconnect the boat end of the hose. The worse thing that can happen is someone "borrows" your hose.