The rats nest behind the mahogany.

Two small screws undo the electrical panel. Hallberg Rassy is a prestigious boat builder from Sweden, known all around the World for the quality yachts. Our HR 312 MK2 from 1990 is stunning. The panel may be the original Mahogany that these yachts are infamously decorated or it may have been added due to damages or changes, the boat is 30 years old after all. The fuse switches themselves, I believe, are original, as many photos of similar yachts all show the same. 

Stickers have been added to alter certain ones as the switch names themselves are permanent. They are laid out vertically, fifteen switches in rows of five with three gauges above. One each for fuel and water and the other to measure voltage. I know for sure that the water sensor or sender does not work as it still shows full and we ran out the previous day, to our shock when the water pump wouldn’t turn off. 

We had decided upon purchasing to make some light changes, both literal and physical. We didnt think much needed doing and even our survey would agree. But lights were definitely on there, these 10w bulbs needed to be changed for more efficient LED versions. Maybe while we were at it we would add an extra USB charger and update some of the electronics. 

It all depended on my experience of marine electronics, which was very little, and what lived behind the electronics panel. 

We didn’t have a huge amount of faith in the battery situation onboard and had discussed the likelihood that we would upgrade to lithium batteries to help us manage and store more power. This seemed a costly endeavour but worth the benefits. However, moving to lithium is great if the diesel engine has a good alternator to charge. Ah, well the engine was also thirty years old and needed some repairs, and a clean, and maybe some new parts, so while we are there maybe an alternator too. We didn’t really like the diesel engine, we hated the noise, Angus most of all, the smell was bad and the white smoke bellowing out when we tried some tight manoeuvres in marinas didn’t help our relationship with it. 

I had discussed for some years that the next boat I would buy, I would chop out the old engine and go electric. It is the way of the future. Diesel is dying a death, a slow one but once that dial swings past middle those with diesels onboard will either be powerboats or as rare as those with no engine at all.  

Electric motors are expensive, everyone knows that, it’s much cheaper to go for a new diesel engine surely? But then you have new hoses, exhaust, upgrade the diesel filler, regular maintenance, oil changes etc FUEL, yes I had forgot about that. Not to mention that a few of the countries on our list to visit are soon to be banning diesel. Where would that leave us?

All this is just theoretical right. In an ideal world you would have an electric motor with enough battery storage for your needs and a method of recharging it without having to hook up your bike and pedal, or row for that matter. Changing the diesel for an electric motor really is a big job, then we would need lithium, solar and wind power, we would need more efficient everything, we would need to redo all the electrics because well, in for a penny in for a shitload. This is definitely beyond my skill set so we would need to employ others to do the work- NO, that’s not possible, we can’t afford that. Everything we can or will at least try ourselves, that was our agreement or at least mine to myself. 

None of this matters though because either I will undo these two screws and see a pristine electric setup, all suitably labelled and housed within sensible conduits or the complete opposite; a rats nest is a common term for whole pile of wires, intertwined and confused.  This is a defining moment, undo these and our job list explodes, undo these and there is no going back, no way for it to be unseen. You can’t close the panel and hope for the best knowing that any issue is going to bring you back to this position. Knowing that you could be in the middle of an ocean or close to shore and something behind here could bring it all crashing down, the hopes, the dreams, our home.

They undid pretty easily and I gradually lowered the panel down, there was some tension as I did, as if very full…. SHIT.