ABYC codes

So after joining (for free, 5 days) I was able to view the entire standards library, and print the ones I'm interested in referencing. I also received a 'members only' special offer to pre order a printed copy of the standards for less than $100 in a book form although that offer ends tomorrow. That's very reasonable and a good option.

Greetings,
Mr. sb. !s that $100 for ALL the "standards" or only one section?

Thank you All Y’All! Great answers

RT Firefly said:

Greetings,
Mr. sb. !s that $100 for ALL the "standards" or only one section?

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It's actually $89 for the entire standards in a printed book format, members only pre-order price, it's for the upcoming release.

FYI-The original wiring on my '81 42DC Uniflite was done very well. Not to current standards, but all tinned copper and pretty well thought out. What was bad was stuff previous owners added. I added GFCI's, removed added Romex, and hope to remove unused stuff. Plan to upgrade to 50A service with ELCI. I guess what I am saying is, you may not have to do as much as you think. Hit the dangerous stuff first, then start pecking away at it.

sparky66 said:

FYI-The original wiring on my '81 42DC Uniflite was done very well. Not to current standards, but all tinned copper and pretty well thought out. What was bad was stuff previous owners added. I added GFCI's, removed added Romex, and hope to remove unused stuff. Plan to upgrade to 50A service with ELCI. I guess what I am saying is, you may not have to do as much as you think. Hit the dangerous stuff first, then start pecking away at it.

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I've found the same. All the original wiring on my '77 42 DC is done to a high standard with good quality materials and still perfectly serviceable. Thankfully there are very few modifications or additions so overall in pretty good shape.

Standards organizations, such as SAE, RTCM, RTCA, etc are NOT government organizations they are commercial industry associations which also may have government membership and/or charter.

They make their money by selling standards created, sponsoring meeting and associated activities. Occasionally they can get government sponsorship of identified and needed standards.

garychurch said:

Standards organizations, such as SAE, RTCM, RTCA, etc are NOT government organizations they are commercial industry associations which also may have government membership and/or charter.

They make their money by selling standards created, sponsoring meeting and associated activities. Occasionally they can get government sponsorship of identified and needed standards.

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Very true, yet surveyors and insurance companies treat ABYC Standards as if they are LAW!

Alaskan Sea-Duction said:

Very true, yet surveyors and insurance companies treat ABYC Standards as if they are LAW!

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Since finding access to them through the free membership, and printing the ones I knew applied to my boat, I've already referred to them several times in less than a week. They are nothing mystical or hard to understand and are written in no-nonsense easy to understand wording.

I was looking at my bilge pump installations for instance and it's nice to able to just look at the appropriate complete document instead of digging through one or more DIY repair books looking for information and hoping it's complete.

sbman said:

Since finding access to them through the free membership, and printing the ones I knew applied to my boat, I've already referred to them several times in less than a week. They are nothing mystical or hard to understand and are written in no-nonsense easy to understand wording.

I was looking at my bilge pump installations for instance and it's nice to able to just look at the appropriate complete document instead of digging through one or more DIY repair books looking for information and hoping it's complete.

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I agree they are a good resource, but they are not a legal standard.

I will link you to a 6 episode seminar on marine electrical. Yes it is long but trust me you'll be ahead of the game when you start your electrical projects on your boat, AND its free:

Jeff Cote - Pacific Yacht Systems

Blue Seas circuit wizard

Blue Seas offers a free app called Circuit Wizard that a useful quick reference for conductor sizing and circuit protection with calculator tools. ABYC standards are not a legal document like the NEC but are a good guide for best practices. Their web site offers some free "how to" videos, also available on YouTube. Some here: https://www.youtube.com/user/ABYCAnnapolis

Portage_Bay said:

In addition to Calder's book take a look at "Boat Owner's Illustrated Electrical Handbook" by Charlie Wing.

Regarding ABYC being "suggestions". It is correct ABYC standards are not law. However many surveyors inspect to current ABYC standards, insurance companies then expect you to correct the surveyor's findings to ABYC standards. In my opinion it's easier to follow ABYC standards as I go along than "correct defeciencis" after the survey.

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Fully concur with the Wing book suggestion, the best guide available for DIYers diving into electrical systems, very easy to understand. Make sure you get the second edition.

ABYC Standards are voluntary, however, they do echo the CFR for gasoline and electrical systems, so for a gas-powered boat they, those chapters that deal with fuel and electrical at least, are the law.

You can get a boat owners' membership to ABYC, which includes the Standards, pretty inexpensively at https://abycinc.org/mpage/recreationalboaters

rsn48 said:

I will link you to a 6 episode seminar on marine electrical. Yes it is long but trust me you'll be ahead of the game when you start your electrical projects on your boat, AND its free:

Jeff Cote - Pacific Yacht Systems

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Excellent video!

I think the ABYC standards are all well intentioned, and all quite good.

The only real issue is with older pre-standard boats and surveyors and insurers who indiscriminately was to see compliance. But frankly, many of those discrepancies really should be fixed, as some are quite horrific. Plenty have surfaced here on TF. I wouldn’t want some of the issues on my boat, wouldn’t want to be docked next to such a boat, and certainly wouldn’t want to insure it. Some issues are from original builds when the norms were different, but most I think are the result of retrofits over the years.

The issue seems to be when ABYC is blindly applied to older boats rather being more discriminating and focusing on the things that for everyone’s benefit should be updated

Takoradi said:

I am about to take possession of my Uniflite 42. After inventory (and if I'm lucky), I expect I'll have a bit of remedial wiring to do. (If I'm not so lucky, I'll have a LOT of remedial wiring to do.)

I'd like to have a copy of the ABYC electrical codes to help with the work and I can't find a single collection of "electrical standards" that covers the entire vessel. They sell them piecemeal at $50 a pop which would be about $500.

A-16 Electric Navigation Lights $50
A-27 Alternating Current (AC) Generator Sets $50
A-28 Galvanic Isolators $50

etc...

https://abycinc.org/page/StandardsSupp58

Is there a place to get a full copy of the electrical standards? It seems they'd be readily & easily available so maybe I'm looking in the wrong place.

Tak
Ps. Also I can't figure out why my profile picture doesn't show up in my posts. I have the right size png file uploaded and have the "show profile picture" checked.

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Didn't you get all this information from your surveyor?

included in survey?

No. My survey referenced the standards but did not include them.

Thanks Jeff!

Circuit Wizard looks like a nice ap. Thanks Kabyak!


Tak

Some issues are from original builds when the norms were different, but most I think are the result of retrofits over the years.

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That hits the nail on the head. Here on TF we are primarily talking about boats that are decades old. As a result they usually have many prior owner modifications and therein lie the issues. While we were shopping for a cruising boat, I saw all kinds of atrocities that had been comitted.

When we bought our boat, 26 years old at the time, which had been beautifully maintained and improved by a succession of prior owners, all of the survey call outs were about non-OEM, owner-created or at least owner bought issues, especially electrical ones. Things like the occasional use of wire nuts, romex, things like that. Then I came in to make the boat more compatible with our anchoring-centric cruising style and added all kinds of stuff. We tried to do it right, and apparently did, as none of our projects got called out by the very thorough, experienced and picky surveyor when we sold the boat.

The ABYC "codes" have fairly simple goals: among them being to do what you can to keep the boat afloat, prevent fires and avoid electrocuting someone.

caltexflanc said:

The ABYC "codes" have fairly simple goals: among them being to do what you can to keep the boat afloat, prevent fires and avoid electrocuting someone.

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I would agree ABYC are codes that are recommendations or suggestions.

My big issue is the way these "codes" are used by surveyors and insurance companies.