Tough to quote with that sparse info; maybe someone has experience of a similar size vessel.

A boat electrician once told me he would roughly quote on a "per circuit" basis for low current draws - so for every circuit running from the switchboard. But one would imagine some circuits (eg. anchor light) should cost a lot more than others.

If you keep the system fairly simple doing it yourself is not terribly daunting if you do not put 240 volts into the mix.

I recently rewired my boat and kept it to a priority heirarchy. Currently I have just one battery but have installed a second double pole isolator switch to allow for a second battery to be installed.

Double pole isolator switches are required for vessels in commercial survey and cost about $85 each. The rotary switches with Off/ One/Two or Both can play up fairly easily and give you all sorts of grief.

My heirarchy is as follows:-

1. Nothing connected directly to the battery except the isolator.

2. Connected to the battery side of the isolator :- Therefore power always available.

a. Auto bilge pump with it's Off/On/Auto switch.
b. Volt/battery condition meter.
c. Masthead dual anchor or nav light with Off/Anchor/Nav Light switch.

3. Connected to the out put side of the isolator:-

a. Main VHF radio.
b. Engine start system and control panel.
c. Heavy duty cable with it's own fuse and switch for electric toilet.
d. Six gang switch board With it's own heirarchy:-

Switch 1. Anchor/steaming light on pole at rear of cockpit.
Switch 2. Navigation lights port/stbd/stern
Switch 3. Instruments being chart plotter/sounder, secondary sounder/fish finder (cockpit viewable), speed log/temp sensor (cockpit viewable).
Switch 4. Cabin lights.
Switch 5. Stereo system, 12 volt lighter socket and USB outlets and secondary VHF.
Switch 6. Fridge.

As yet I do not have a solar panel but when I do get one it will be a toss up between connecting it into the above system or getting a deep cycle battery for the fridge and connecting the panel to that.

If you have radar it may have special requirements.
Hope this helps.

Ramona said..

Jayde28 said..

Karsten said.., just bought the boat it's a Gibsea 402 the plan is to set it up for cruising does anyone have any experience with these boats??

Mentari or Nellie? both boats have just sold. Have no experience with them but they are highly regarded and both were on my wish list!

Mentari but it was Nellie that first got me interested (sadly someone beat me to it) but I couldn't walk away from the new engine and rigging , still needs quite a bit of work to get it back to cruising as it's only really been used for twighlight sailing but after living aboard a Compass 28 it feels like the Hilton Thanks Cisco for the advice, played around with the electrics last night turns out most things are working just wired to the wrong labels but at least I have a anchor and nav lights and the bilge works