leaving boat on shore power when gone

[Stu Jackson]

Are you suggesting that we install a separate dedicated float charger that we should leave on, and turn the bigger charger off while away from the boat?

This "keep your boat plugged in and/or the fridge on all the time" has been a recurring topic since this forum started and since Mainsheet started publishing tech notes. 

I don't want my boat to be destroyed because I was too lazy to pick up a cold six pack at 7-11 on the way to the boat.

Forget about smaller chargers, get a solar panel.  I did, and for a month before I left and for the month that I was away from the boat, it maintained the batteries just fine, fridge off.

Maine Sail has been recommending solar for boats on moorings for many years.  Just apply the same logic if you're in a slip.

Your boat, your choice.     I know what mine is.

[Fred Koehlmann]

Solar is a good way to keep your battery(s) topped up.

In our case howeer, when we were planning to do it, and because we wanted them not to be mounted to the dodger or bimini (looking at the separate arch over the bimini), the cost came in too expensive for our taste, and the work too intensive (would have robbed us of some sailing weekends at the start of the season). So we opted for a fuel cell, eFOY. It takes in methol alcohol, and outputs distilled water and CO2. The water a CO2 is warm coming out, so we vent it out of the locker. It's not a generator replacement, because its more of a trickler charger, but it runs silently and runs whether its cloudy or at night. It has run without issue for the last three seasons so far.

We also disconnect the boat from shore power when we are not there. Only the bilge pump fuse/switch is left on when we leave.

[Clay Greene]

I've read too many stories about electrical damage from remote lightning strikes in which the owner reports that the pathway into their boat was a plugged-in shore power cord.  Why take the risk of that when there is no benefit to me by leaving it plugged in?