Panel Re-wire.

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Z

Zaren

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Apr 23, 2010
5
Catalina 30 Seattle, WA
Heyo world.

Cruised Mexico, Central and South America. Then decided to bust my way through the Pacific. Got to Tonga and then decided/was forced to hold up for cyclone season. Put Panache (my 1976 Catalina 30) on a cyclone mooring in Vava'u, and went down to New Zealand to work a wine vintage to make a bit more money. I'm currently visiting my home town of Seattle, and loving all the consumer conveniences of the United States!

It has been the better part of a year since I have been aboard Panache, and I just got confirmation yesterday that my distribution panel/electrical situation is totally shorted out :( I figured I would have some electrical work when I got back, but this was a little more than I bargained for. The batteries were trickle charging with solar, but a leak on deck got the best of the distribution panel.

The panel is custom, using many military surplus breakers, so replacing them would be a serious hunt I'm not really up for. I have replacements on the boat, but I might fall short of replacing all the bad breakers. My idea - and correct me if their is an easier way to do this - is to buy a couple inexpensive switch/fuse combo panels, and re-connect all the circuits. Assuming the main breaker for the panel is also screwed, I would also need to replace that. The pre-made options for main breakers look expensive, and some advice for making a custom one from scratch would be appreciated.

All this should get electricity pumping, and I could augment things on the move/when I get to Suva, Fiji, only 400ish miles away. Its a sail boat after all, so power is not a huge priority. However, it would be nice to listen to music, navigate in THIS century, and start the engine.

Since Tonga is so remote, I will not have opportunity to buy more kit once I arrive, so I need to get this right the first time. I leave on the 10th of September and will have a bit of time to hunt the NZ part market before I fly up to Tonga. Would like to get a square plan within the next couple of days.

Cheers,

Zachary SO Lough
Panache, 1976 Catalina 30
www.SailPanache.com
 

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Team118

Team118

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Jan 22, 2008
405
Catalina 380 16 Rochester NY
Actually impressed you've taken a Catalina 30 this far...I honestly thought this was definitely NOT the boat to take out on open blue water for an extended trip.

Kudos and good luck!
 
Stu Jackson

Stu Jackson

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Feb 26, 2004
23,050
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
It really all depends on how much you want to do now or defer. Heck, for 400 nm you could use wire nuts! Panel replacements used to be available from Seaward, but they sold out (up?). Blue Sea could fit you up with a panel that would fit your space. Good luck.
 
jrowan

jrowan

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Mar 5, 2011
1,294
O'Day 35 Severn River, Mobjack Bay, Va.
There are a lot of Kiwi sailors in New Zealand & I'm sure that you could find a small 6 circuit basic panel to fit the early panel that you have there. Your C 30 is such an early model, that it does not have all of the extra circuitry that later models are wired with.
Your panel has 5 circuits & a master breaker at the top of the panel would be a good idea /upgrade.

For a panel that small, I wouldn't bother trying to find a Seaward replacement, because honestly, they weren't very good to begin with, that's why sailors are replaceing them.
Any 6 circuit panel will work, preferably a breaker type, not a fuse type.

I'm assuming you have the early location of breaker panel set underneath / next to the main companionway opening, which surely leads to corrosion from rain seepage.
If you want to pick up a panel in the states, then any small Blu Sea panel will do.
If it dosn't fit prefectly then go bigger & cut the fiberglass surround to fit. If its smaller then mount a cut out trim board around the panel. Good luck, & you're an inspiration to fathom a C-30 sailing so far in real Blue water cruising. Post some more pictures of your adventures while sailing!
 
E

Escapade II

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Mar 13, 2006
6
Catalina 27 Pultneyville, New York
Hi Zach -
I am in the process of rewiring my '81 C-27. including both cabin distribution and engine panel. Things I have learned include 1. that perhaps the most challenging aspect is figuring out what's already there after 30+ years of additions and changes. 2. Each individual circuit is quiite simple once you've traced it out.

I would agree with what has been posted re getting a new panel. Just be sure to tag the wires as you take them off the old panel for future identification. They dissappear into jacketed cables/runs that make future identification difficult. Navigation lights, entertainment power feeds, cabin lights, etc. are very straight forward, it's just a matter of keeping tract of what's what and making sure you keep the battery "plus"es straight from the battery "ground/common"s.

Worst case, be sure to have a "jumper" wire that would let you jump from the battery to the starter solenoid if needed to get it started. (Assuming that the heavy battery wire is still there to supply the heavy current for the starter.)

Good luck with it and congratulations on undertaking an ambious voyage.

Gene / ESCAPADE II '81 C-27TM 4816
 
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