During a routine check on Frolic’s safety gear, we found several nonfunctional items. If, like me, you tend to take these items for granted, think again.
Crew overboard recovery system
We removed our Lifesling crew overboard kit to clean and inspect it. Fortunately, we did this before relying on it! The kit had been mounted on Frolic’s stern for years, stowed in a hard plastic case, and includes a sun-protection sheath covering the short part of the line that comes out of the case and is tied to the boat for figure 8-type COB recovery. We found many failures on the polypropylene line inside the case, such as visible discoloration (Figure 1). In some places, the line parted in my hands, and the web strap connecting the ends of the float had also disintegrated. For what it’s worth, the strobe on the flotation did operate. This gear is retired! Our 50-foot throw rope is in good condition and worked well in a test throw.
Electronic strobe
Our U.S. Coast Guard-approved SOS electronic strobe did not operate when I twisted the lens to turn it on. The batteries were clean and at full charge. I removed the electronic module from the lens and saw no signs of corrosion. However, after I lightly sanded the three metal surfaces using 600-grit cloth sandpaper and finger pressure (Figure 2), the strobe worked. (It’s very bright, so I advise covering the lens with your hand when testing!) In the future I plan to check this strobe before any nighttime passage.
Electrical outlets
Frolic’s AC outlets are in use most of the time when we are connected to shore power. We leave the battery charger and golden rod heaters on. While plugging in my laptop computer charger, I noticed that the outlet moved. I removed the plugs and outlet cover plate to find that the outlet was cracked and coming apart! The wiring had been in place since we acquired the boat back in 1996, and some wires were doubled up on a screw terminal—a big no-no. The doubled-up wires on this outlet were soldered into a crimp connector (another no-no), which was screwed to the outlet. When I removed the outlet, the wire broke at the soldered ends. I wish I had noticed this dangerous situation sooner! I replaced the old outlets with new water-resistant marked ones and wired them correctly.
American Boat & Yacht Council Standards describe the specifics of boat wiring. If you’re uncomfortable delving into this complex task, consider hiring a certified technician to evaluate your boat’s electrical system for safety issues.
Liquid petroleum gas
Added by a previous owner, the liquid petroleum gas/propane locker on our 50-year-old boat houses a 5-gallon, 20-pound horizontal LPG cylinder. The propane locker vented into the cockpit so that the heavy gas would drain out the cockpit scuppers. Since the cockpit coaming is higher than the bridge deck, there was a chance a fast leak could flow into the cabin—an unacceptably dangerous situation. So, I glassed over the cockpit vents and plumbed a vent from the bottom of the propane locker to a new through-hull in the transom. When I checked on the two 2-pound backup cylinders I keep in the locker, I was glad I’d vented the locker overboard; both cylinders had rusty bottoms, and one was empty! Having a reserve of LPG fuel is nice, but the inexpensive general-purpose small cylinders must be protected and monitored for corrosion. They should be stored in a sealed compartment that vents overboard.
This article originally appeared in the Santa Barbara Sail and Power Squadron newsletter, Signal Hoist.
