What is Shore Power?

In a nutshell, it’s this: when you are out boating, whether it’s a small 13-footer or a 100-foot yacht, your vessel is not only running on its engine, but also batteries. Larger vessels, like the Aquila 54 that we were on in the video above, also use large generators. Shore power provides a local, grounded source of power coming from an external source.

Why is it Necessary?

Shore power is so important because when you return from your trip, you are able to switch off your generators. Now, with the electricity coming from shore power, you’ll be able to charge your batteries and also provide your vessel with power for all its electronics.

For those who are docked at a marina with shore power, they are able to live aboard their vessel and run all of its functions simply by shutting down the generators and plugging in to the available shore power source. Even if you are not planning on staying on your vessel, it enables your craft to run essential functions such as certain pumps and filters.

 

The Process

Once your shore power cable is plugged in and turned on from the pedestal on the dock, and your electric panel shows that shore power is available, simply switch your source selector from generator to shore and power down your generator from the generator panel.

Other Benefits of Shore Power

In addition to charging, shore power also cuts down on noise and can benefit the environment. Since you are not idling and burning fuel, there are no emissions from the burning of said fuel - your vessel is quite literally plugged in and running on electricity. 

If you have additional questions about shore power, check out one of our other videos about this topic. Alternatively, you can reach out to us directly or ask around at your local MarineMax store. We’ll see you out there.

 

NEED MORE BOATING NEWS? 

You can see or hear more episodes of Boating Tips and our sister podcast, From the Helm Boating Broadcast, on The MarineMax Blog, accessible on the website or via mobile phone through the MarineMax App. You can also access more episodes on Amazon, Spotify, Google Podcast, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast news. See you out on the water!