Uploaded September 2023 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
A short clip of the second leg of our trip home; Off the coast of Atlantic City, destined for New York City
A short clip of the second leg of our trip home; Off the coast of Atlantic City, destined for New York City






![Wiring The Boat For International Travel - Ep. 114
To travel the world, I need to be able to plug the boat into international power grids.
In this video, I cover installing a Victron auto-voltage 3600w isolation transformer (ITR3600) and the Victron Multiplus-II 48/5000/70 inverter charger.
Its nice to be working on the boat again!
] Patreon:
- https://www.patreon.com/c/TheDigitalMermaid
] Channels that have Helped Me;
* @ProjectBrupeg
* @OffGridGarageAustralia
* @AcornToArabella
* @BillCarlson
] References;
Kids in the Hall - Kraft Dinner Skit
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TnWIICkBeE
Bowline knot
- By Buz11 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=112187838
Victron ITR3600 Manual (the good one)
- https://www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/Isolation_Transformer_3600W_Auto/108939-Isolation_transformers-pdf-en.pdf
Victron Multiplus-II 48/5000/70 Manual
- https://www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/MultiPlus-II_120V/32424-MultiPlus-II Quattro-II-pdf-en.pdf
] Chapters
0:00 - A Tangled Mess
2:18 - Hoisting the Isolation Transformer
4:53 - Decommissioning the Multiplus Compact
7:06 - Prep Work for the New Equipment
8:54 - Making Space for the Multiplus-II
9:38 - Trying to Mount the Isolation Transformer
12:13 - Hanging the Isolation Transformer, Take 2
17:03 - Hanging the Multiplus-II
20:09 - Its Hung, But Poorly, Lets Try Again.
24:08 - Creative Problem Solving
25:29 - Finish Securing the MP2
26:11 - Planning the Circuit Breaker Panel
28:29 - Wiring the Breaker Panel
32:!5 - Adding an AC Sub-Panel
33:54 - Wiring the Isolation Transformer Input
35:28 - Meeting People; The Reason Im Doing This
36:31 - Wiring the IT Output to Multiplus-II Input
37:37 - Validating Bonding and Isolation of the IT
38:26 - Adding the Critical AC Circuits
40:26 - Cross-Checking The AC Panel Wiring
42:39 - Final Checks
44:38 - Lets Power it Up!
46:23 - Configuring the Multiplus-II
47:04 - Wiring the Phoenix IP43 Charger
49:59 - Finishing Up, Upcoming Videos Wiring The Boat For International Travel - Ep. 114](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_jPer8K4Mx4/mqdefault.jpg)
![Ep. 89 - Tying Up Loose Ends
Its time to move on to the Helm development! Before that can start though, I need to tie up a bunch of loose ends (and provide a bit of an update).
If you need insurance in Ontario or Canada,
* James Maynard, Insurance Broker
* https://www.maynardinsurance.ca/
] Channels that have Helped Me;
* @SailingYachtZora
* @ProjectBrupeg
* @OffGridGarageAustralia
* @AcornToArabella
* @BillCarlson
] Chapters
0:00 - A Winter Interlude
0:35 - Whats Next?
1:46 - Final Thoughts on JK BMS
4:52 - Is LFP OK at 2.0 ~ 4.2v?
6:24 - Charger Config over BMS Config?
8:05 - You Dont Need a BMS...
8:49 - Victrons External BMS
10:20 - Parallel-Battery Banks
11:26 - Forced Precharge Resistors
13:39 - Lost Battery Capacity, Why?
16:28 - The Insurance Odyssey Ep. 89 - Tying Up Loose Ends](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/a502CYazQAk/mqdefault.jpg)
![This Can Save Your Life; ELCI/RCBO RCDs - Ep. 113
ELCIs, Equipment Leakage Circuit Interrupters, have been required on boats in North America by ABYC since 2013. They can prevent electric shocks on the boat, as well as prevent ESD, electric shock drowning. These should be retrofitted on to older boats, like mine.
This video attempts to set aside the emotions of ESD and instead explain the physics and biology of what leakage current is, how it causes death, and how an ELCI residual current device can protect you and others from drowning or heart attacks.
] References;
Electric Shock Drowning Association (FAQ)
- https://www.electricshockdrowning.org/esd faq.html
Leviton GFWT2-W 20A WR GFCI
- https://leviton.com/products/gfwt2-w
Carlingtech PBB-BB-24-630-5BA-EG 30A two-pole ELCI
- https://www.mouser.ca/datasheet/2/240/PB_Series_091013-3050214.pdf
] Chapters
0:00 - This Is A Different Video
0:17 - Standard Circuit Breaker Function
0:45 - GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) Function
2:03 - What Could Cause a Delta?
3:14 - How Can a Current Leak Kill You?
3:40 - How Does a GFCI Save Your Life?
4:02 - ELCI (Equipment Leakage Circuit Interrupter) Function
5:38 - Caveat; I Am NOT An Expert
6:14 - Current Takes All Paths to Its Source
7:57 - It Doesnt Take Much to Kill You
8:42 - How Current Can Kill You
10:41 - Fresh Water vs Salt Water
11:36 - Voltage Gradient And The Human Conductor
12:53 - ESD; Electric Shock Drowning
14:07 - Retrofitting Older Boats This Can Save Your Life; ELCI/RCBO RCDs - Ep. 113](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/asAsDWECjKs/mqdefault.jpg)
![The PCBs Are Here! Who Made Them? - Ep. 119
The boards are here! This is a short video to show the initial impressions, and it covers why I chose JLCPCB, and why I chose S1000H fiberglass as the substrate.
] Patreon:
- https://www.patreon.com/c/TheDigitalMermaid
] Channels that have Helped Me;
* @ProjectBrupeg
* @OffGridGarageAustralia
* @AcornToArabella
* @BillCarlson
] References;
KiCAD Discord and IRC;
- https://www.kicad.org/community/chat/
@RobertFeranec - Walking Through a Big PCB Factory in China | PCB Manufacturing | JLCPCB
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTBOSob5MLg
S1000H TG-155 Spec Sheet
- https://pcbwayfile.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/web/231212/Shengyi_S1000H.pdf
FR-4 (Laminated Plastics) Spec Sheet
- https://laminatedplastics.com/fr-4.pdf
ENIG (Electroless nickel immersion gold)
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electroless_nickel_immersion_go
Big Clives Youtube Channel (@bigclivedotcom)
- https://www.youtube.com/user/bigclivedotcom
] Chapters
0:00 - The PCBs And Parts Are Here
0:28 - Three Options; NextPCB, PCBWay, and JLCPCB
1:33 - PCB Substrate Options; FR4 vs S1000H
2:17 - ENIG; Electroless Nickel Immersion Gold
3:22 - The NextPCBs Experience Was ... A Thing
4:10 - PCBWay; Great Checks, But Expensive
5:24 - Why I Chose JLCPCB
5:53 - Unboxing the PCBs
7:21 - First Look At The Battery Display Board / Silkscreen Quality
10:00 - First Look At The Relay Board
11:55 - First Look At The Compass Rose / Helm Cabinet Plans
13:31 - First Look At The MCU Board / Space Efficiency
15:02 - Trials Of Reworking Through-Hole Parts
16:46 - Whats Next? The PCBs Are Here! Who Made Them? - Ep. 119](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/cKswo6h_wWA/mqdefault.jpg)
![Ep. 100 - First Off-Shore Passage; Halifax to St. Johns
I was invited to crew for an old friend from Halifax to St. Johns (Conception Bay) earlier this summer. It was a much needed, extremely lovely trip, and I knew I wanted to save it for episode 100.
This is my personal favourite video so far. I know its not a technical video, but its the trip that breathed fresh life back into me. ^_^
] Patreon:
- https://www.patreon.com/TheDigitalMermaid
] Channels that have Helped Me;
* @ProjectBrupeg
* @OffGridGarageAustralia
* @AcornToArabella
* @BillCarlson
Rebuilding SY Zora Playlist ( @SailingYachtZora )
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2M7TdOWw2M&list=PL1mBzAAYmvFT56PY6Wv2U2GtjjmT60eK_
Rebuilding SY Athena Playlist ( @SailLife )
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjZdTv2KMSE&list=PLQyv5OlNbA-o6qnrrBVRHDH816FozYm5y
Linnea Sailing ( @linneasailing )
- https://www.youtube.com/@linneasailing
Parks Canada; St. Peters Canal history
- https://parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/ns/stpeters/decouvrir-discover
Travelling On, The Decemberists
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DaXgga0KXE
] Chapters
0:00 - Arrival in Halifax
0:06 - One Hundred Episodes!
3:47 - SY Zora and Mermaids Rest
7:07 - Day 2; Head of Jeddore to Stachans Cove
8:37 - Day 3; St. Peters Canal (lock)
11:50 - Day 4; Strachans Cove to Johnstown Harbour
13:54 - Day 5; Exploring Maskells Harbour
16:43 - Day 6; Exploring Big Harbour
17:30 - Day 7; The Crossing! Day 1
20:30 - Day 8; The Crossing! Day 2
27:49 - Day 10; The Crossing! Day 4
29:34 - What its Like Resting on Passage30:58 - Dolphins and Whales!
33:32 - First Visit to Newfoundland
34:53 - Visiting Signal Hill
36:13 - Visiting Cape Spear
38:40 - La Manche Trail
] Music Attribution
Landras Dream by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Artist: http://audionautix.com/
Back To The Wood by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Artist: http://audionautix.com/ Ep. 100 - First Off-Shore Passage; Halifax to St. Johns](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ck92gQWUJkg/mqdefault.jpg)