All the stupid questions - Bav32 new owners

[InDeep]

Hello,

We have just become new owners of a 2003 Bavaria 32 based on the west coast of Scotland.  We've owned trailered boats for many years, and chartered previously but suddenly find myself with a number of really silly first time owner questions.

• Bilge Pump: she has a manual bilge pump and an electric bilge pump.  The electric pump is wired via the switch panel, and is not automatic; I'm paranoid about her slowly flooding whilst I am at home - is it normal not to have an autopump?  if it did have an autopump should it be wired direct to the battery so it can run when left? if I fitted a small autopump can it share the same outlet fitting as the existing large pump.  She's in a marina right now but longer term will end up on a mooring bouy.  My plan by then is to add to monitoring so I can be reassured all is well (or alerted to problems) via SMS or similar
• Unused switches: the electrical control panel has a lot of switches which don't actually seem to do anything.  (a) the VHF is not wired via the VHF switch (on/off on front of radio works regardless of the main panel - I know some people believe this is better); if this IS normal do people repurpose that switch with anything in particular? (b) there are two interior cabin lights switches - only one seems to do anything (and I've not found any interior lights that don't work) (c) toilet pump? (d) Switch 15 is something that looks like a big pump icon but the german seems to translate as heating (20A).
• Marina shore power: do people tend to leave their boats plugged in to shore power when not on board and in a marina?  I've taken the view that unplugged is safer and will avoid us getting into power-greedy habits which will be problematic in the future on a mooring.
• Fancy battery switch over: there's some wording in the manual which is ambiguous about the "priority of navigation lights" over other electrical loads.  It almost sounds like the electronics will do that for us, and then we have to switch the other circuits off/on to reset once the battery is charged but that sounds unnecessarily clever.  Do they actually mean - the skipper should prioritise the nav lights and then only turn other loads on when battery power permits?
  Inevitably we've started talking about upgrades - so here are my medium term plans, once I've fixed the (fairly minor) issues highlighted in the survey:
  
  • Mirror: the mirror in the heads has started to look a bit "rough" around the edges.  Every one we looked at of this sort of age was similar - its a custom shape - any ideas how easy it will be to remove (bonded to bulkhead?) and if need the same shape to cover the wall or could just fit a far cheaper rectangle
  • I'd like to add some reading lights in the cabins.  Given I am about to switch all the halogen bulbs for led equivalents can I just add them to the same circuit (the new ones will also be LEDs) rather than run cables back to the main panel.
  • It doesn't have diesel heating.  We will likely add it.  When factory fitted was the heater in the engine bay or the cockpit locker (I was expecting the former but when looking at boats we saw some with them in the cockpit locker).
  • Aft cabin portlight "blinds" : the forward cabin has blinds and there are blinds on the big hatch in the saloon but the aft cabin does not.
     On a training boat we sailed on (not a Bav) we had some very simple magnetic covers for them - anyone seen/used something like that?
  • Companion way hatch : it has the perspex style hatch - it feel like in a busy marina we might want more privacy (and perhaps some thermal control) - do people just improvise a curtain?
  • Inverter: it doesn't have an inverter, I'm not sure we need one (I would likely get a portable ~150W one just in case for laptops etc), but was trying to work out if its simple to add say 500-1000W to the circuit that is supplied by the shore power or if becomes a really complex job with very expensive kit
  • Nav Instruments: the electronics are 20 years old - fully serviceable but it would be nice to repeat wind data etc at the chart table, and have the plotter data outside; it has no autopilot which may become a long term project.  How much swearing will be involved in running cables from helm to chart table? (v's going wifi all round)

[tiger79]

Welcome to the forums!

If you fit an automatic bilge pump, it needs to be wired direct (with appropriate fusing) to the house battery, and it should be plumbed to a dedicated outlet, following the pump manufacturers instructions on a gooseneck, etc.  However, check first to see how dry the boat is after a few months, you may not need a pump.  The only thing in my bilge after 8 years is dust! And remember that a small auto pump won't cope in the event of a major leak.

It's likely that, in almost 20 years, previous owners will have fiddled with the wiring, so you just need to trace circuits.

I never leave my boat plugged in to shore power when I'm not there.  If you plan to use shore power frequently, it would be worth adding a galvanic isolator.

I've not heard of a system which prioritises nav lights.  Is the manual you're referring to a Bavaria manual?  Or something put together by a previous owner?

OK to add LED lights to the existing circuit.

The location of the diesel heater isn't set in stone; you can put it where you like.  However, give due thought to ducting runs and exhaust routing.  If you can, arrange a smaller diameter duct feed into the heads.

You don't need an inverter to charge a laptop - a simple car adaptor works fine.  If you do decide to fit an inverter, don't wire it into the boat's mains circuit, there are big safety issues.  The cheapest, simplest and safest way is to hardwire the inverter to one or more dedicated outlet sockets.  I have a 2000W inverter wired to an outlet in the heads locker (for using a hairdryer) and a second outlet in the galley (for the kettle and microwave).

I'd caution against using any type of wireless navigation instrument - hard-wired is infinitely simpler and more reliable.  Whether you can export plotter data will depend on the plotter model.

An autopilot is a major advantage; ideally fitted below deck with a linear drive system.

[symphony2]

Little to add really, but a few small points.

Electrics. Agree that difficult to comment as this is something that owners tend to mess about with over the years. You may wish to reconsider the battery and switching arrangements. our boat was built with a split diode to control the charge from the alternator to the 2 banks of batteries and an isolator in the negative line, usually located under the chart table. You may want to consider upgrading this to individually switched banks and a low loss splitter such as a VSR, at the same time adding a battery monitor so that you know what you are consuming. This gives priority to the engine start, although in reality this does not need much charge if in good condition. Everything else normally comes off the house bank through the DC distribution panel. Sometimes the VHF is wired direct to the battery and an automatic bilge pump should be. It might help to give more details on your fancy battery switch as it may not be the standard installation. Never used the inverter on my last boat as charged the usual toys through USB outlets on the house circuits.

However highly unlikely you will need a bilge pump at all - I have had 2 Bavarias from new, the first similar age to yours and the bilge pump died of lack of use and the second one from 2015 to this year when I sold it The only time I ran either pump was to show the buyer they worked!

Only time I leave shorepower connected is to fully charge batteries (assume you have a mains battery charger) which can take 24 hours or more if you have a biggish bank. However good batteries particularly AGMs have low self discharge rates so no need to keep shorepower connected. Where you are located I suspect many people leave rube heaters running during the winter, so as suggested fit a GA if you are plugged in for longer periods.

The mirror is just sheet plastic which you can buy and cut to shape. I removed it on my 37 - came off easily cleaned up the door and fitted a standard size round plastic mirror.

The heater goes in the cockpit locker on the 32. Use the search facility here as there have been a number of threads on heating including a fairly detailed one on a 32 installation.

Unfortunately there is not room to fit a below decks autopilot so it will have to be a Raymarine wheelpilot.

Suspect you have ST60 instruments and a repeater is very expensive. Few people now bother with repeaters at the chart table and the most common setup now is an MFD chartplotter and instrument read out at the helm and a tablet with wi fi that will act as a repeater down below.

Your washboard should be tinted perspex so not much chance of people seeing below, but by all means hang a towel over it f it bothers you!

Hope this helps. Enjoy your Bavaria.

ps, best to ask these sorts of questions on the help forum as that gets the most traffic.

[InDeep]

@symphony @tiger79 - thank you for your detailed answers!

I like your confidence in the dryness of the hull!  Perhaps I am being paranoid.  Certainly sounds like I can be fairly relaxed whilst she's still in the marina.  I'll hunt out the heating threads.  My thoughts were to heat the two cabins, the saloon and the wet hanging locker in the heads - which in turn would heat the heads.

I'll experiment with the tinted washboard and see if I can see in! 

They are indeed ST60 instruments.  I wasn't thinking to repeat them directly - but if I have followed the manuals correctly (I've not removed the units to check) there should be seatalk connections on there, and with the right wiring should be able to feed a plotter and like you say that plotter could broadcast to a tablet.  The only plotter is at the chart table (its a Navman one which looks like it still works well, but was originally Noah's!).

Whilst it is unfortunate that the only option is a wheel pilot it is good to know before I waste a lot of time looking at options.  After a very expensive week I suspect the bank manager will be pleased that I have to have the cheap option too!

Yes there is shorepower, which is permanently wired to a charger, and to a number of 240V sockets.  I'll hunt for a galvanic isolator.  We are in Scotland so it will get cold in winter and the previous owner left some tube heaters on board. 

Here's the bit of the manual which was confusing me:

"All batteries are maintenance–poor and drain-protected. They are charged via a buffer diode by the motor-generator. Charging the starter battery always takes priority to ensure a safe start of the engine.
...
Navigation lights have absolute priority. In case of a lack of capacity all other consumers have to be switched off first. By a stand-by operation of the engine, even when under sail, the batteries can be brought up rather quickly. After a while you can switch on the other consumers again."

That's from the official Bavaria manual.  Based on what you say I am assuming its just bad translation.

[symphony2]

The bit about charging is correct - it is as I described the standard set up. The second sentence about priority is not something "automatic" it is just suggesting that if you run the batteries down switch off all you can so that you can preserve power for nav lights. bit of a nonsense if you are not sailing at night, but common sense if you are!

[Krumelur]

The bit about charging is correct - it is as I described the standard set up.

As I learned (since my diode isolator is broken), there is not an actual priority for the starter battery. At least not in a way where a logic would decide that the the starter battery needs charging. If the starter battery is running low, it will draw more current via the isolator, therefore leaving less for the housing. I find the wording from the manual rather misleading.

[InDeep]

Ok, so after a couple of weekends aboard I have some more questions!

She has a list to starboard.  I’ve only really noticed it in the marina and she is tied alongside on the starboard side, but I notice it mentioned in some notes that the owner before last left for the previous owner.  Is it a known thing or is it tension in the dock lines pulling it down?  Fuel, and batteries (2 house,  1 engine starter, All the kit in the cockpit locker does make sense why it may be heavier that side.  There’s also a whisker pole on the starboard side.  Especially if the water tank (port side) is not full.  The holding tank is empty but will only make it worse.

I’d quite like to add another battery - I can manage 24hrs with the current set up but as we plan to do a lot more anchoring and mooring than her previous owners I am thinking more batteries will be useful.  I’m just talking standard lead acids.  If I add another battery to starboard locker it will be worse.  I’m thinking I could add one to the port locker that has the fridge compressor (and therefore I dont really want to put loose stuff in anyway.  Can I just link one of the existing house batteries to this in parallel?  I’m guessing it would be a 5m ish cable run - but shouldn’t be massive currents. Perhaps 6mm2 cross section cables?  Should there be a fuse in them?

Other options for rearranging weight - move kedge anchor and it’s chain further to port (it’s slightly to port now under the forepeak but I will move this.  Get an outboard of the tender, there is a bracket on the port quarter.   Move the liferaft from central in front of spray hood to port side on the stern.  The whisker pole is not easy to move as its brackets are welded onto pullout. 

[InDeep]

Additional question! 

The washboard is the large smoked plastic type.  It’s pretty big - where do people store it when it is not in use?  Has anyone cut it in 2 and fitted a piano hinge to give better storage?

[Yngmar]

Not sure if that's an Ocean series feature, but ours fits on top of the sliding hatch (with some rubber feet we added to keep it from scratching it up). They both slide into the garage together. Means it's always there if you need it in a hurry.

There's also a washboard holder down below behind the stairs, but that's a very silly location for it, as you have to go inside and wrestle it out from behind there if you need it. We use that holder for a custom made game board instead of the washboard ever since we discovered the above feature

[sy_Anniina]

"On top of the sliding hatch" most likely would be an Ocean series feature. Ours is the same lenght, hull, rig & vintage as Yngmar's, but a "regular" aft-cockpit version.

Another possibility is that this is an undocumented feature made possible in some individual boats due to manufacturing tolerances - tried our wahhboard and it slides about halfway to carage -catching at "garage mouth". If opening would be cut a bit higher - it might slide in all the way?

Our stern cabin (stbd side) has slides for washboard storage on the bulkhead separating engine bay from the cabin.

BR,

Tommi
s/y Anniina

[InDeep]

Ok - thanks for washboard ideas.  Even if there isn’t a slot for it already adding a couple of grooves is probably less hassle than cutting and adding piano hinges

[Moodymike]

One of the best mods on my B32 (2003) was to cut the washboards in two ( professional 45 degree cut in 60/ 40 configuration) no hinges as much lighter separate. My Bav also lists to starboard like most others I know.

[kavok]

My BIGLE pumps.
The yellow is automatic 24 hours directly to  service battery.
The white ones is twice powerful tath the standard.
But also I have only dust in the beagle in last 5 years

[diverphil]

regarding the battery's, yes you can add more in parallel, but I would put them next to each other on the port side to Eaven out your list but remember your power drain could be a lot more than 6mm cross section can take, the main fuse will let you draw 120 amp from the service battery's so use wire that can take the load.
there is info like this around on the internet similar to this depending what country or standards you're working to. https://enerdrive.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/How-to-connect-batteries-correctly.pdf.