How to Choose a Marine Electrician - Ask Seven Questions

How to Choose a Marine Electrician. Choosing a marine electrician requires more than comparing prices or accepting a trade description. Establish the contractor’s electrical qualifications, practical boat experience, insurance and knowledge of the standards applicable to your vessel. Their work can affect fire safety, protection against electric shock, engine starting, navigation and communications.

Some people enter marine electrical work because they see boat owners as a source of high fees, rather than because they have the training and experience the work demands. This can lead to inflated charges, unnecessary equipment replacement and upgrades sold without a sound diagnosis. A boat is not a cash cow, and the description “marine electrician” is not proof of competence or integrity.]

Boat owners can be exposed to unnecessary work, charges for parts they do not need and repairs undertaken without approval. The marine industry itself acknowledges these practices. An owner who cannot assess an electrical diagnosis is dependent on the contractor’s competence and honesty, and that dependence can be exploited to sell unnecessary replacement equipment or expand the job. Require evidence of the fault, an explanation of the proposed repair and approval before additional expenditure.

How to Choose a Marine Electrician - Selection Process

The questions below provide a marine electrician selection process for yacht owners commissioning fault diagnosis, repairs, equipment installation or rewiring. Use them to establish who will perform the work, what they are competent to undertake and how the job will be documented and tested. Agree the scope, charges and completion requirements before work begins.

There are several questions to ask before engaging a marine electrical contractor to work on your boat. Your safety may depend on their competence and the quality of their work. Check their background, qualifications and experience, particularly where there is no formal marine electrical accreditation or training structure. Read more about marine electrical services.

Question One. What is Your Marine Background?

Ask about their training and employment history. Did they work in the merchant marine, navy, shipyards, yacht manufacturers, industrial electrical installations, domestic and commercial electrical work, automotive electrical systems or marine electronics?

Establish how much experience they have with sailing yachts or boats in general and the systems involved in your proposed work scope. Ask for examples of comparable work and references from recent previous customers. A general electrical background does not establish marine electrical competence.

Question Two. Are You qualified and Licensed to Perform AC Electrical Work?

Ask to see their electrical qualifications and current licence where licensing applies. Check that the licence covers the work being commissioned. Even when engaging someone for DC electrical work, ask whether they hold an electrical qualification. This provides evidence of formal electrical training. Establish their marine experience separately, because an electrical qualification alone does not demonstrate an understanding of boat systems.

Question Three. Do You Have Insurance Covering Work on Boats?

Ask to see a current insurance certificate of currency. Confirm that the insured business is the contractor you are engaging and that the cover includes work aboard boats. Check that the proposed work falls within the insured activities. Where the certificate does not establish this, ask for confirmation of the relevant cover and exclusions. It is often worth checking with your insurer on what are their requirements are to remain policy compliant. Shoreside electrical insurance limitations do not automatically apply to marine installations.

Question Four. Do You Own a Boat or Sail?

Ask about their experience operating, maintaining and working aboard boats. This helps establish whether they understand boat systems and the conditions in which those systems operate. Someone with limited familiarity with boats may not understand the interactions between charging systems, batteries, shore power, engines, machinery and navigation equipment, or the consequences of failure at sea. General electrical experience alone is insufficient evidence of marine competence. 

Question Five. Do You Have Marine Equipment Manufacturer Accreditation?

Ask whether they hold current manufacturer training, accreditation or service-agent status for the equipment involved. Establish whether this covers installation, commissioning, fault diagnosis, repairs or warranty work. Ask to see the credential where accreditation is claimed. Training for one product range does not establish familiarity with every product from that manufacturer.

Question Six. What Marine Electrical and Electronics Standards Will Your Work Comply With?

The proposed marine electrical contractor needs to identify the standards applicable to your boat and the proposed work. If they cannot answer, or give only a vague response, do not proceed until their competence has been established. I have over the years done many surveys and call outs to boats where the installation has been allegedly installed by a professional contractor, and the problems found are from improper installation. How to Choose a Marine Electrician involves asking questions and not accepting someoen at face value.

In the United States, ask about the applicable ABYC standards, including E-11, AC and DC Electrical Systems on Boats. If they claim ABYC certification, ask which certification they hold and whether it is current. Following ABYC standards and holding ABYC technician certification are separate matters. Marine Electronics people may also have NMEA Certified Installer training and accreditation. NMEA 400 Installation Standard is the standard any electronics installer should be following.

In Australia and New Zealand, they need to identify AS/NZS 3004.2 — Electrical installations—Marinas and boats—Boat installations, together with the wiring rules and regulatory requirements applicable to the work. Commercial vessels may have additional requirements. NMEA 400 Installation Standard is the standard any electronics installer should be following.

In the United Kingdom, the principal small-craft AC and DC installation standard is BS EN ISO 13297:2021+A11:2023 — Small craft: Electrical systems—Alternating and direct current installations. NMEA 400 Installation Standard is the standard any electronics installer should be following.

In European Union countries, the Recreational Craft Directive 2013/53/EU establishes essential requirements. The supporting harmonised electrical installation standard is EN ISO 13297:2021, with amendments A1:2022 and A11:2023. The contractor needs to understand the distinction between the directive and the installation standard and quoting “RCD compliant” alone is insufficient. NMEA 400 Installation Standard is the standard any electronics installer should be following.

For a French, German, Danish or any other imported boats, establish the standard used for its original electrical installation. Subsequent work needs to as far as practicable preserve the installation’s safety and account for its existing design, documentation and equipment, while meeting the requirements applicable to the work. Ask the contractor to explain how any differences between the existing installation and the applicable requirements will be resolved. Obtain the installation and test records needed to document the completed work.

Question Seven. Will You Provide a Written Work Scope?

Obtain a written scope covering diagnosis, proposed work, parts and materials, labour, travel charges and testing. Establish whether the price is a quotation or just an estimate. Require approval before the contractor undertakes additional work or orders replacement equipment outside the agreed scope. Consider whether the contractor is recommending unnecessary work, or charging for parts that are not required. Make sure you understand any references to labor and parts escalation

Before accepting an estimate, check how labour and parts costs can increase. A low initial figure can rise substantially if the contractor has underestimated the hours, omitted parts or allowed for price increases. Ask for the hourly rate, estimated hours, included parts and any exclusions. If the estimate contains a price escalation clause, ask what triggers it and how the increase is calculated. Agree on a spending limit and require the contractor to explain any increase and obtain your written approval before exceeding it. How to Choose a Marine Electrician involves being thorough in setting out work scope.

Ask for a clear and unambiguous fault diagnosis and test results supporting any recommendation to replace equipment. Require an explanation of why repair is unsuitable or why an upgrade is necessary. Challenge replacement recommendations that are not supported by evidence. Monitor progress and keep track of time charged. Query unexplained delays and unrelated telephone calls that are getting merged into your account. Agree how chargeable time is recorded, including technical support, parts procurement and travel.

For a major installation or rewire, require a complete diagram showing the installation as finished. Include cable sizes, circuit identification, protective devices and equipment connections in the agreed documentation. Specify testing, commissioning, equipment settings and handover requirements before authorising the work.

Your Complete Onboard Marine Electrician

Why not get a copy of my book The Marine Electrical and Electronics Bible 4th Edition. For US, Canadian and Caribbean based boats can get the US Edition here or at Amazon. In Australia, New Zealand or Asia/Pacific order a copy through Boat Books, UK and European and Mediterranean based boats can Order Here. Marine systems are my profession so let me help you. 

How to Choose a Marine Electrician

How to Choose a Marine Electrician. Select a contractor with verifiable electrical training and direct and demonstrable experience of boats and their systems. Verify qualifications, licensing where applicable, insurance and any claimed manufacturer accreditation. Require the contractor to identify the applicable standards and support equipment replacement recommendations with diagnostic evidence. A marine electrician selection process needs to conclude with an agreed written scope, testing requirements and documentation of the completed work. How to Choose a Marine Electrician for all you need to know.