PAT | FRANKIE · video

What this video covers

The crew of a cruising sailboat in Santa Cruz de La Palma, Spain, prepares for the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) by performing extensive maintenance and upgrading their electrical system.1:47 Routine tasks include servicing manual winches every six months and attempting to inspect the water heater’s heating element and anode, which had not been checked in 13 years.5:42 To meet ARC safety requirements, the crew labels emergency equipment, including seacock plugs, and organizes checklists.13:54 The primary project involves replacing an aging, unreliable generator and an AGM battery bank with a new lithium-based energy system.2:04 The decision to switch to lithium followed a failed attempt to source a 4,000-euro replacement part for the existing generator and the realization that modern replacement generators would require sacrificing significant storage space to accommodate their larger footprints.19:38 The new system aims to support increased power demands from a watermaker, Starlink, and air conditioning.20:56

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