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Attitude and resources are everything, as this creative and resiliant couple learned, while navigating the rocks and shoals of refitting their Marine Trader 47.

Kahlenberg Air Horns Come Down In Size There is an informal tradition at boat shows, where at the close of the last day of the show, when it’s time to break down the exhibits and untie the boats, everyone blows their boats’ horns. It is a fun thing we all enjoy after days of talking to people walking the docks. At the fall Newport show some years back, my former trawler, Growler, was on hand representing the latest example of the Zimmerman 36. Steve Zimmerman was on board to show the boat and explain its value to potential buyers intrigued by the idea of a Downeast-style cruising boat. At the close of the show when the noisy bellow of horns began, Steve went to the helm and pushed the horn button. Nothing. The horn just clicked. Over the course of owning Growler I replaced that horn three times, finally removing it altogether, and I relied on a handheld air horn I kept at the helm. Lobster boats can be wet when the conditions are just so, and I guess it wasn’t a horn-friendly platform.

In Part I of this two-part series, we discussed four key factors to consider in preparing for plugging into international power: line frequency, nominal voltage, voltage fluctuations, and physical connection requirements. In Part II, we'll look at three approaches to preparing your boat for connecting to international shorepower, and we'll outline the advantages and disadvantages of each. The first approach to preparing your boat for connecting to shorepower overseas is finding "power-tolerant" equipment. If you're careful and selective, it is possible to locate equipment that will run on most international power. Be sure to check the specifications for frequency range as well as voltage. Many of the small plug-in transformers that we use to power our laptop computers, digital cameras, and cell phones, for example, will run on just about any power from about 100 to 250 volts and 50 or 60Hz. Check the labels carefully.