The new batteries

One is always looking for additional storage on a boat. Whomever set up the Sloop had devoted a huge under-seat storage area to the manual bilge pump. By installing a new floor platform in there I was able to make room for 2 additional house bank batteries as well as the bilge pump. The extra weight should balance out the 2 existing batteries on the opposite side of the boat. I am interested to see if that was why Sloopy would always list slightly to port.

I used 1/2" plywood and sealed it to the hull with 3M 4200. The curved out spot is for the depth-finder transponder thru-hull fitting. All the wood surfaces are coated with polyurethane to retard rotting and mold. With the new transponder I am hoping to get the first ever "accurate" depth readings on Sloopy. Previously Sloopy's depthfinder suggested that the depth was perhaps 32' or maybe 285'...or no, wait a second, ummm 355'.  No 16'.....

The manual bilge pump was so dirty that I thought it was old and worn out. I took it home and cleaned it up and tested it in the kitchen sink. Turns out it is relatively new and in perfect working order..... It just wasn't connected to the drain. If there had been a bailing emergency you would have worn out your arm AND sunk at the same time. This shot also shows all the additional wiring I added/replaced to power the new stuff.

This shot shows the finished set up. The 2 additional batteries are wired in parallel with the first house battery on the other side of the boat. I can imagine the builders in 1972 asking "what on earth could you ever need 3 house batteries for on this boat? Well that was before the days of GPS navigation, CD and iPod Stereos, tiller pilots and lcd TV sets. Not to mention 12V blenders, refrigerators, reverse osmosis units, and water heaters. I still want to connect voltage meters with momentary contact switches, so I can monitor the charging. So far my tests have been limited to "can you play the stereo fairly loud all day and still watch TV the next day. Not very scientific.