New York City Boat Electrical Repair

Long Island is going to have the most marine electricians in the greater New York City area. However, there is still a large boating community on the other side of the Sound along the Connecticut coast and along the Jersey shore. The tri-state area, although seasonal, has a large enough boating economy to support plenty of marine businesses. However, you’re not likely to find a large amount of specialization. You are more likely to find large boat repair shops centered around marinas that offer electrical as one facet of their service. You’ll find the most marinas on Long Island with Port Jefferson, Sag Harbor, and Montauk being general hot spots. On the opposite side of the Sound, Rye and Mamoroneck have decent marine industries before you get into Connecticut. Areas in Connecticut like Rowayton, Southport, and further east towards Essex also have recreational boating communities and the service facilities to support them.

The American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) marine electrical certification is still the best source of truth for quality. ABYC maintains all of the boat building standards adhered to by the manufacturers and electrical is the most extensive standard issued by the organization. Ultimately, you’ll want to start your research by looking at online reviews of service providers. Check out marine electricians near you to find the best electrical repair for your boat. All you need to do is follow the link and then enter in your location. You will see all of the companies in a 50 mile radius that can help. If you don't see any close ones at the top of the search results, then you can scroll down to the free listed companies. Also, it makes sense to ask your marina what services they offer and if they recommend any electricians. The marina will likely offer electrical services themselves, and if it is beyond their expertise then they can help you find someone else. You will also want to ask friends with similar boats who they use. The word of mouth approach can be effective, but you want to make sure that this is coupled with online research because you may be able to find another service provided that is less expensive.

NEW YORK BOAT ELECTRICAL REPAIR COST

Again, you’re more likely to find general boat repair shops in this area centered around a marina. This means you may have to haul your boat to the location to get someone to look at it. If they do offer travel services, you want to be sure to ask upfront what the costs are associated with travel. Small electrical repair jobs should be around $250 while large repair jobs can range up to $850 on average. This all depends on the size and extent of your electrical systems.

DIY BOAT ELECTRICAL REPAIR

Here are some general tips for troubleshooting electrical problems, but overall we recommend that you hire a professional. These types of repairs can be dangerous and complex.

ABYC code uses yellow for DC ground: To differentiate between old black DC ground wire and black AC wire, the new code uses yellow for DC ground. Old DC wiring used black for ground and red for positive. AC systems have 3 wires and use black for hot, white for neutral, and green for ground.
Watch zinc anodes: If there is electrical current in the water from your dock or from another boat, your zinc anodes will degrade rapidly. If this is happening, find a marina attendant to get the issue resolved as this can be very dangerous.
Bilge pump should be wired directly to battery: Bypass the main switch and wire the bilge pump directly to the battery. When you switch off the main switch, your bilge will still get power and can run periodically to keep water out of the hull.
Fasten the battery: Batteries should be in a marine grade battery box with a strong fastening mechanism. Do not try to move the battery to another compartment, but rather stick with wherever the manufacturer installs it. If you are replacing a battery, then you should verify what type the existing battery is, but more than likely it’s a flooded cell lead-acid battery. Make sure to keep an eye on the battery charge and only top off batteries with distilled water. Make sure to install the right size fuses between the batteries and the switch. Never turn the master switch for the battery while the engine is running.
Do not shorten navigation system cables: Do not shorten cables for GPS or radar. If you hire a professional for any repairs then they should be able to take care of the excessive cable.
Wire bundling: Run your electrical wiring as high as possible make sure that the wire bundle is not in an area where it will be rubbed against - this could lead to chafing and eventually dangerous exposed wire. Do not mix AC and DC wires in the same bundle or place an excessive amount of DC wires in the same bundle since these generate a lot of heat.