winter wrap up

The blue tarp that I adapted for a winter cover survived one season of very very heavy snowfall.  I will need to make a new one for next year, but hope to build a storage shed (bow shed from Simpson marine).  The boat shows no signs of paint peeling, delamination, and appears to be in pristine shape. 

the tarp was cut about 1 wider than the boat to the shape of the skiff, then folded over and fastened with double sided carpet tape.  That actually worked quite well and the edges held up for the season.  The grommets installed elsewhere were disastrous and I needed to use the push through plastic adapters for tarps. 

I hope to go trout fishing next week and will file a report when the first fish of the season is landed. 

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Electrical wiring

I am not an expert at marine or otherwise wiring, other than to know current flows from positive to negative and thus wired up the bow and stern light in a series.  That is, one long stream from input to output/ground.  This did not work.  The bow light looked fantastic with a very anemic light on the stern.  First thoughts were, "Perhaps this is how it is supposed to look."  But then took the stern pole light directly to the battery and connected a temporary hook up.  The light burned bright and could actually be seen by an approaching boat if necessary.  Hmmm, my connections must be wrong. 

Some online research and low and behold each light can share a positive lead but needs its own route back to ground, or each light can be run on a separate circuit shared by a common switch (a three position off/pull/pull switch.  Knowing that the stern lights can be problematic from a corrosion and dirt point of view.  The ability to power on the bow light separately appeals to me and will thus go with the later wiring.  Another lesson learned.  Additionally, I will install a fuse in the positive lead from the battery as well. 

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