I am considering an upgrade to Smart Plugs.
But this blog post shows the problem on the dock end... not on the boat end.
I believe the Smart Plugs only affect the boat's end of things. Correct?
In any case, here is how I solved my problem (without spending $100s on new cords):
https://shellerina.com/2022/11/11/shore-power-cord-fix/
It is tough to say exactly what the caused of the resistance which caused the heat / failure in this case. In this case it was on the dock end... but still... not a comforting thing to see.