New Owner, some questions

stevebirch2002 · Jan 6, 2002

Hi Scott

Well done on your Vega purchase.

The batteries are in the original place for the VEga. I have mine wedged
tight with a couple of wood wedges. Other people use brace acroos the top
with edges glassed into the sides for attachment. The other place to put
the batteries eems to be in the Port or Starboard lockers within a battery
box.

Smart chargers are a good idea but get the ones with two or three isolated
outputs so it enables you to charge seperate batteries at the same time. An
alternator smart charger is also a good idea. The battery switch is the
method I use as it relies on the user rather than electronics to ensure
your engine battery is never flat!

Clean the inside with any bathroom cleaner or fibreglass cleaner. All the
wood will unbolt so an easy boat to renovate. The wood should be cleaned
and then treated in any propiertry stain or varnish to your own
requirements. I personally used a satin varnish as i do not like the high
gloss of standard gloss varnish. Always use a good varnish.

Hope this helps

Steve Birch VEga "Southern Comfort" V1703
At 13:30 06/01/02 -0000, you wrote:

chris20636 · Jan 6, 2002

Hello and welcome aboard, Scott:

I am the owner of my second Vega; the first, #321 had her "extra" battery
installed and strapped down to a small platform in the extreme after,
starboard corner of the stowage area under the cockpit. (Point of interest: I
did not have it strapped down one time when I heeled sharply to port and the
battery nudged the starboard cockpit self-bailing hose off of the transom
hull fitting. A solid stream of green water came in for a few moments before
discovered. -- A word to the wise - - etc.) The battery selector switch was
located on the port bulkhead, just above the alcohol stove. One definite
advantage that I see to this setup is that the third battery is significantly
higher than the others. Valuable if the others are flooded.

I now have Vega # 1868, which had two batteries, both under the cabin. I
am the third owner, but none of the past owners had installed a selector
switch, nor any means of transferring other than leaving them both in
parallel or manually lifting a connector from one and attaching the other. I
have installed a #1, #2, Both or Off switch on the forward side of the wall,
under the lip of the sink platform. I will send you a picture if you like.
I intend to install a third battery similar to the method used on my old
#321, but I haven't decided how to accomplish the switching, yet.

Fair Winds,,,,,,,,Ed Davis (aka SaylerEd)

drmscm · Jan 6, 2002

I own a Vega that is located near Middle River, MD. and would be happy
to give you a tour and answer some of your questions. By the way, just
for my own knowledge, what may I ask did you pay for your Vega. I'm
selling mine this Spring (or sooner) and am curious to know it's value.
Many Thanks.
David Mann

uglyangel14 wrote:

pelagicasd · Jan 6, 2002

Scott,
Welcome to the group! In regards to your questions concerning electrical
systems. First thing to do is go to your local chandlery and buy "The 12
Volt Bible". It's not expensive. Another good reference is by Nigel Calder.
It is expensive but will be worth it as you work on your elderly classic.
Read both of these and start planning your system.
You won't be running 12 volt loads from your shorepower connection for
example. It will be 110 in this country and will have to go to a marine
grade charger. Don't try and skrimp here and buy used. Something new from
one of the chandlerys will do and yes it should be a smart charger.
Your 12 volt load is going to come off of your panel and your panel will be
supplied from batteries. They will need to charge before being deeply cycled
if you want to keep from replacing them every couple of years and having to
constantly add water. It is a good idea to deeply discharge then occasionaly
but they only have so many cycles built into them. The origional system on
the vega has some good attributes if you want to adhere to the KISS
principle. It's very basic and easy to maintain. On the other hand this is
the 21st century and the origional system would have been at home in the
early 20th!
What do you want to do with the boat? Gunk holing in the Chesapeake for a
few days to a week isn't going to require as much as being away from the
dock for a month or two at a time. Are you going to cruise? What kind of
loads do you anticipate and how much will you be using them? Modern
amenities are nice, how many of them do you want?
Some of them will make your sailing more comfortable, some of them will make
it safer. Running lights are an example. Vega lights are legal but upgrading
to a larger size makes you more visible and thus less likely to be run down
at night. Radar is a wonderful thing, VHFs are not mandatory but should be.
Refidgeration has a lot to be said for it as does being able to take the
salt out of the water your boat is sitting in! All of these things require
power and you need adequate capacity to store it for use and replenish it as
it is used. Storage means big batteries, charging requires alternators,
solar panels, wind generators, or trolling generators. It is possible to
make enough electricity to live in comfort but you will add weight and it is
a small boat.
The battery compartment beneath the cabin sole was a good idea from the
standpoint of keeping the weight low and close to the center of effort.
Bad point is if the boat is sinking the last thing you want to lose (next to
the boat and your life) is your batteries. They're going to be running your
pumps and powering your distress call. Speaking of pumps buy more than one.
Little pumps because the boat is little is a false presumption. Little boats
need bigger pumps because they fill up and sink faster. A little one for
routine stuff and the biggest you can find for emergency stuff. By the way,
Seperate circuits for these and the big one should be hard wired to the
battery bank. Keeping the batteries in the cockpit locker isn't a bad plan
but it will lower your stern. We carry a group 27 starting battery and four
6 volt golf cart batteries just aft of the cabin bulkhead and it is not
acceptable. I will be re-doing this. I will probably go with two of the
newer and taller 6 volt batteries and a group 24 starting battery. I'll put
one 6 volt battery in each cockpit locker as far forward and inboard as
possible. I'll put the group 24 under the cabin sole in the origional area.
This is a bad place if the boat capsizes. Imagine you are sitting on your
overhead and the battery falls on top of you! We currently carry heavy items
in that area. We made a plywood plate that drops into the compartment. On
top of the plate are two oak cleats that are through bolted with wing nuts.
the bolts are not on the center line. By loosening the nuts we can turn the
cleats diagonally. We drop the plate in, turn the cleats so they run
sideways and lock the plate under the sole. tighten the nuts and nothing is
going to come out if you capsize.
Consider your wiring. Read up on this and if you figure you need 16 guage
use 14, it pays up on this in less current draw from the bank.
Consider wetness and consider corrosion. I crimp, solder and use waterproof
heat shrink on all terminals except for battery lugs. They get filled with
copper paste, crimped and covered with heat shrink. All connections get a
copper paste between them.
I don't claim to be an expert and I've probably done some things wrong.
On the other hand we spent 19 days at anchor in Mexico with out running the
engine. We made fresh water, had cold drinks, chatted on the VHF, listened
to the stereo, ran fans and watched videos. Power was from two 55 watt
panels. We had zero electrical faiures and I'm still not satisfied. The boat
weighs to much and the sailing suffers from it. I repaired the origional
system when I got the boat. I replaced it once and then replaced it again.
I'm almost happy with it.
Good luck. Walt, Lyric #120

vega1860 · Jan 7, 2002

Hi Scott,

I recommend you pick up a copy of 'This Old Boat' by Don Casey. It will answer a lot of your questions regarding restoring and maintaining any older fiberglass boat. I found it particularly useful for refinishing projects, both interior and exterior and for rigging. Another useful item would be the Vega Owners Maintenance and Repair Manual published by the American Vega Assn. If you aquired your boat from a former member of VODCA or the AVA, you may already have one.

Aloha,

Chuck Rose
SV Lealea, V1860
Honolulu

"uglyangel14" sshaw@... wrote:

New Owner, some questions

uglyangel14

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stevebirch2002

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chris20636

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drmscm

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pelagicasd

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vega1860

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