New Com-pac 23 owner/electronics

[canoecreek]

I recently purchased an 85 23 located in Dunedin Marina. 
I really like the boat so far and have learned a lot about it from the posts on this forum.  I met Richard at the Com-Pac factory where I purchased the manual for the boat ... very welcoming and helpful.
One question I have is about the chain plates:  I have never replaced chainplate hardware ... but want to inspect the bolts ... I saw on Captain Matt's Hideaway video that his bolts were really bad.  I'm thinking I can take out the shroud bolts at the dock with the mast up individually.  For the forestay and backstay Maybe use the jib halyard as an additional stay and inspect and replace one bolt at a time.  I am guessing it would be good to loosen the tension before inspecting the bolts ... also ... would it be a good idea to just go ahead and put new bolts in. 
Electronics:  I have read a few posts about the electrical system and electrical work in general and wanted to post a few thoughts. 
I am learning about how to do marine electronics the right way.  Still have a lot to learn but I am definitely handling 12 volt wiring better than I did.  Resources that are helpful.  Don Casey's book Sailboat electronics Simplified.  A great internet resource is Jeff Cote You tube videos of his electronics course.  google pacific yacht systems.  One of his big points is don't accept less than perfect ... ie ... in the past ... maybe didn't have all the tinned wire I needed so would look at the copper wire I had on hand and use it for the install.  Brief summary of learning:  Use appropriate diameter wire:  fuse every positive wire going from ... or going to the positive post of the battery!
I read a magazine article about a couple with a sailboat in Greece. .. they watched from a taverna a mile away as their boat caught on fire.  The solar charger wires to the battery chafed and the positive and negative touched ... causing a dead short and a fire.  So I now fuse the solar charger positive going to the battery. 
Use of tinned wire and heat shrink connectors.  I used to use wire nuts for a one in and two out situation like rewiring the bow and stern nav lights.  Recently learned about using a terminal strip with a bridge which is much cleaner and I guess safer option since Casey says never to use wire nuts on a boat. 

[Bristol14]

Congrats on your new-to-you 23. I have owned my '87 23 MK 2 for about 4 years and upgraded my electrics last year when I repowered to an electric start, power tilt outboard. This included adding a starter battery so I moved the now two batteries to the vberth to better balance the added weight of the second battery and heavier outboard. Also, I found excellent prices on tinned wire, terminals, lugs, etc. by shopping the internet.

[Bob23]

Hi Mr. Creek!!
  I also have a 1982 23, #321. Maybe our boats are sisters!
  I've also rewired my 23 and Don Casey's book was an invaluable help. Everything you write is perfect and correct. in addition, I use a small dab of petroleum jelly (Vaseline or an el cheapo brand in a small squeeze tube) on all electrical connections before crimping. It conducts electricity and prevents corrosion too. I use in also on the turnbuckles. And even on anything that is battery operated too. Prevents the batteries from corroding. I sail in salt water- southern NJ, Barnegat Bay.
  Enjoy your 23- they are remarkable little yachts!!
Bob23 and Koinonia. 1985 23/2 #321

[canoecreek]

Hi Captain Bob,

Thanks for the Vaseline tip ... I have some in a toolbox on the boat I was going to use to test the position of a depth finder position.  I ended up not using it and just attaching the transducer with slow curing silicon ... I attached it to starboard of the deep bilge behind the storage area under the steps ... works at the dock and hopefully underway ...  will use the Vaseline as you suggest on next wiring project.

Gus
Compac 23

[HeaveToo]

Wow, I wrote a reply to this one yesterday but I guess since the forum changed it didn't come over to here.

I am a former owner of a Compac 23 I named Saga.

Saga had a complete rewire.  I second what Bob said about the book.  It is a good reference and it isn't too technical. 

When I had Saga the old wire was showing some age.  I re-wired everything, including the mast.  I also ran a VHF cable in the mast and added a masthead VHF antenna. 

The completed project was done to ABYC standards.  Saga had marine wire running all through her.  She also got a big battery upgrade where I added to Golf Cart batteries to get 235 amp hours.  I also added 100 watts of solar panel from a flexible solar panel on the bimini.  I added a Genasun GV-10 charge controller.  I also had to add a second fuse panel to accommodate all of the electronics I was running. Saga had a VHF with AIS receive that was networked into the GPS so AIS targets were displayed on the GPS.  I really liked that feature since I was sailing the Chesapeake Bay area and there was commercial traffic.  All the extra power was because I tend to run the tiller pilot a lot.

The Compac 23 was a very surprising boat to me.  She sailed well and actually a lot quicker than I expected.  She also took a beating well as I had her out off of Stingray Point in the Chesapeake Bay in 5 foot waves and pretty strong winds. 

I miss Saga now but when I sold her it was because I knew my wife and I were having a kid and I couldn't devote the proper amount of time to Saga.  I also was suffering from big boat itus since I had downsized from a Catalina 30 and I was use to those accommodations.  I tended to sail longer cruises and found the compac was closing in on me after a while.  Standing head room is a big thing and a separate enclosed head is another big thing. 

Here is a video of my last cruise. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqDQ1VHNwVM&t=475s