Need good marine electrician in Tidewater VA

[dgltrader]

I haven't really "announced” that after many years of looking, I am now the very happy owner of a 43 DCMY formerly named "FIN A LEE"…a stabilized “Hurley” w/ 6v92’s.

She will soon sport the name “La Dolce Vita”

Fred (Finalee) has my many thanks and is both a great guy and owner.

The “brain trust” was excellent in recommending surveyors in the Newport News Tidewater VA area.
Don at Tranquil Marine (hull) and Dennis at Moonlight Diesel…both were excellent, very thorough, reasonable, and are highly recommended.

I am hoping to get some recommendations for good marine electricians…
This is an item the underwriter is requiring- the installation of ELCI(s) on shore power electrical input(s).

The boat has 50 amp electrical service w/ Glendening reels on both sides, and Hurley really had done an outstanding job in the ’95 refit (like a work of art)…

So I need someone who has the skills/knowledge to take care of this requirement…and hopefully (dreaming) won’t break the bank. I'm sure more items will show up.

Many thanks in advance.

Dave

 

[cb48lrc]

I have had work done at Severn River Marina 2+ years ago. Good honest yard on Mobjack Bay, check out the reviews on Active Caption.

 

[Boatsb]

Is your boat 2 wire or 3 wire ac? Early hatts can not use an elci as the neutral and ground are the same. Also the elci requirement is not for older boats and refits. It applies to new vessels. What is their reasoning for the requirement?

 

[SKYCHENEY]

I would think you could just put an ELCI breaker at the inlet in place of the shot gun fuse or whatever is there now. It shouldn't be a big deal and shouldn't break the bank. If you have isolation transformers, then you don't need it at all. I have found that many surveyors don't really even understand what Hatteras did. I have had them tell me I need GFI plugs in the heads because they didn't know that Hatt already had GFI breakers on those circuits. Most surveyors are not electricians. I would make sure you really need it before you spend the money.

 

[MikeP]

+1

What Sky/BoatsB said

There is NO requirement to update a boat's electrical system beyond what was originally provided. IOW, if the boat meets the REQUIREMENTS of the appropriate regulatory agencies - USCG/individual US State - at the date of manufacturing, then it's OK. Forget ABYC - they have NO authority and nothing to do with requirements. They ONLY provide suggestions/recommendations. Some surveyors and other uninformed individuals treat ABYC as a regulatory agency, which it is NOT.

FWIW, Hatt easily meets all the appropriate regulations current at the date of manufacture.

OTOH, what a Previous Owner may have done to screw up the boat is an entirely different issue…

 

[saltshaker]

+1

What Sky/BoatsB said

There is NO requirement to update a boat's electrical system beyond what was originally provided. IOW, if the boat meets the REQUIREMENTS of the appropriate regulatory agencies - USCG/individual US State - at the date of manufacturing, then it's OK. Forget ABYC - they have NO authority and nothing to do with requirements. They ONLY provide suggestions/recommendations. Some surveyors and other uninformed individuals treat ABYC as a regulatory agency, which it is NOT.

FWIW, Hatt easily meets all the appropriate regulations current at the date of manufacture.

OTOH, what a Previous Owner may have done to screw up the boat is an entirely different issue…

What is required by the underwriter is completely different. They can ask for what ever they want. The request most likely came from a survey recommendation. Problem is you'd have to convince the underwriter to ignore the surveyor's rec.

 

[LARRY VALENTINE]

I haven't really "announced” that after many years of looking, I am now the very happy owner of a 43 DCMY formerly named "FIN A LEE"…a stabilized “Hurley” w/ 6v92’s.

She will soon sport the name “La Dolce Vita”

Fred (Finalee) has my many thanks and is both a great guy and owner.

The “brain trust” was excellent in recommending surveyors in the Newport News Tidewater VA area.
Don at Tranquil Marine (hull) and Dennis at Moonlight Diesel…both were excellent, very thorough, reasonable, and are highly recommended.

I am hoping to get some recommendations for good marine electricians…
This is an item the underwriter is requiring- the installation of ELCI(s) on shore power electrical input(s).

The boat has 50 amp electrical service w/ Glendening reels on both sides, and Hurley really had done an outstanding job in the ’95 refit (like a work of art)…

So I need someone who has the skills/knowledge to take care of this requirement…and hopefully (dreaming) won’t break the bank. I'm sure more items will show up.

Many thanks in advance.

Dave

I like Don Gullifer at 757 422-9689 if you can get him. Larry Valentine

 

[captddis]

What is required by the underwriter is completely different. They can ask for what ever they want. The request most likely came from a survey recommendation. Problem is you'd have to convince the underwriter to ignore the surveyor's rec.

That is the problem. Anything a surveyor puts on the list, the insurance co will demand it is done.
ABYC has no teeth but insurers take it as gospel.
The last surveyor who BUS sent out said my rudders were weeping and then BUS said the boat could not be moved until they were repacked. He also said that all clamps on the Generator had to be double clamped. I pulled a hose off of the pump and took a picture showing how the second clamp would tend to push off the hose as the fitting was only long enough for one clamp. And they let that go.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

That is the problem. Anything a surveyor puts on the list, the insurance co will demand it is done.
ABYC has no teeth but insurers take it as gospel.
The last surveyor who BUS sent out said my rudders were weeping and then BUS said the could not be moved until they were repacked. He also said that all clamps on the Generator had to be double clamped. I pulled a hose off of the pump and took a picture showing how the second clamp would tend to push off the hose as the fitting was only long enough for one clamp. And they let that go.

Exactly. Any time you have a survey, you need to talk to the surveyor before his final report and make sure you know what he is writing up. Many times you can explain the situation or fix a minor problem while he is there and avoid having it in the report.

 

[captddis]

Exactly. Any time you have a survey, you need to talk to the surveyor before his final report and make sure you know what he is writing up. Many times you can explain the situation or fix a minor problem while he is there and avoid having it in the report.

I did that and he said there were a few rusty clamps on the muffler. I got my box out and showed him that I was replacing while he was there and he still wrote them up. He also dumped oil onto the carpet in my ER.

He left his camera and I chased him down the street in the rain to return it. Had I known he was going to be a dick, I would have thrown the camera it into the water.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

I did that and he said there were a few rusty clamps on the muffler. I got my box out and showed him that I was replacing while he was there and he still wrote them up. He also dumped oil onto the carpet in my ER.

He left his camera and I chased him down the street in the rain to return it. Had I known he was going to be a dick, I would have thrown the camera it into the water.

I guess it depends on who is paying for the survey. My last insurance survey, I had to pay for. Therefore, the surveyor I used was my choice and I made it clear who he was working for.

 

[Boatsb]

I'm about to get my insurance survey finished. Luckily I know the surveyor well enough to make sure the items have already taken care of when I did the haulout.

 

[34Hatt]

Exactly. Any time you have a survey, you need to talk to the surveyor before his final report and make sure you know what he is writing up. Many times you can explain the situation or fix a minor problem while he is there and avoid having it in the report.

I did it also asking why he wanted me to bond a fiberglass tank

As with Dave he was sent by Boat US because they wanted to make sure boat was safe I said yeah right they want to drop the value!

I guess I was right since he never checked any running gear, thru hulls and bilge pumps!

 

[jim rosenthal]

Yes, another one of BoatUS "free" deals which is free for them and ends up costing YOU.

 

[saltshaker]

I did it also asking why he wanted me to bond a fiberglass tank

As with Dave he was sent by Boat US because they wanted to make sure boat was safe I said yeah right they want to drop the value!

I guess I was right since he never checked any running gear, thru hulls and bilge pumps!

Kind of like my surveyor noting the zincs on the stabilizers need replacing. I asked him why would I need to replace something that was never there and why do I need zincs on fiberglass fins? Same guy stated that I only had 3 bilge pumps and I should add 1 more bilge. I then pointed out to him that I checked all 6 with him, showed him the 6 switches and identified all 6 locations. Remember being a professional only means you get paid for what you do. It is not an indication of the quality of your work.

 

[bobk]

Kind of like my surveyor noting the zincs on the stabilizers need replacing. I asked him why would I need to replace something that was never there and why do I need zincs on fiberglass fins? Same guy stated that I only had 3 bilge pumps and I should add 1 more bilge. I then pointed out to him that I checked all 6 with him, showed him the 6 switches and identified all 6 locations. Remember being a professional only means you get paid for what you do. It is not an indication of the quality of your work.

Yeah, when I bought mine, I used a very well respected hull surveyor. Oops, the survey said there was no emergency egress from the master SR. He didn't see the large center port to the swim platform. Ask your surveyor to send you a draft so you and he can discuss it before it goes to the insurance company and lender.

Bobk

 

[saltshaker]

Yeah, when I bought mine, I used a very well respected hull surveyor. Oops, the survey said there was no emergency egress from the master SR. He didn't see the large center port to the swim platform. Ask your surveyor to send you a draft so you and he can discuss it before it goes to the insurance company and lender.

Bobk

I did just that. If I sent that survey to my insurance co. I'd be fixing things that weren't broke or would never have gotten coverage

 

[34Hatt]

Remember being a professional only means you get paid for what you do. It is not an indication of the quality of your work.

I have a friend who couldn't get his autopilot to work right could not calibrate his compass. One day he has his bilge open I look in and say there is your problem. The compass is mounted next to the macarator like with a 2" space. He said it has to be right it was professionally installed

That was 3-4 years ago and it still is there except he starting trying to move it and I found it in the bilge water