At the BMEEA, we know that buying a boat is more than just the purchase itself. There are many things to consider and usually these are learnt on the fly which can be frustrating and costly.

We will be running a series on "10 things I wish I'd known before I bought my first boat" and round 1 is 10 things Derek Gilbert, BMEEA Chairman, wishes he'd known before he bought his first boat - Enjoy!

9 - I wish I’d learned that Electrics and water do not mix well

I wish I’d learned that Electrics and water do not mix well, no matter how carefully cables are run and connections are made.

The marine environment will seek out any and every weak point and will cause bolts and screws to vibrate loose, will cause corrosion and high resistance joints in switches and contacts, triggering intermittent operation and power fluctuations in entirely random ways and with entirely unpredictable consequences.

More and more boats are having more and more complex systems fitted to try to make navigating, operating and enjoying your boat better.

All it takes is a waterlogged connector, a failed battery cell, a loose terminal in the power supply and the experience onboard can be very different, this is when basic navigation skills are needed as a backup – what backups do you have?

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At the BMEEA, we are experts in all aspects of the boat owning experience, so please do get in touch with your nearest BMEEA member for assistance!