Marine Electronics - Wiring - Boat Detailing - Service Offering

[AKRISONER]

Hey guys, 

just throwing this out there as spring arrives, I got into car stereo wiring in highschool and as my fishing passion took off I’ve now completely overhauled 3 boat’s marine electronics wiring systems including trolling motors, Humminbird and Garmin systems, networking and forward facing sonar amongst other projects helping friends with wiring their boats etc and have spent countless hours studying the perfect way to wire electronics for maximum output and clarity.

im a boat electronics junky and I’m beginning to realize that this skill set is somewhat specialized, especially these days in as the car stereo industry has all but vanished. 
 

I’ve had some members inquire about wiring their own electronics and I’ve noticed that any companies working in this space making marine wiring harnesses such as sea clear power to me are 1. Extremely overpriced and 2 American based making it not the most accessible for Canadians.

In simple terms, im offering a 100% plug and play wiring system customized for your boat that will allow your electronics to work perfectly once the harness is strung through your boat to wherever you plan on having your screens.

So I’m throwing this out there to anyone listening, I could use a little extra cash at the moment to pay an expensive vet bill! I’ve been toying with the idea of making these wiring systems, even considering doing a little wiring as a side gig if there was any interest. So if anyone out there is interested or has considered upgrading their electronics but are intimidated by the idea of rewiring their boat please comment here or reach out, I’d love to have a chat about your application. Shoot me a message or comment here!

 

*Edit - I never thought of this until now either, I’ve done a bit of car detailing on the side and can definitely offer that for boats as well! I can even high speed polish and re-surface fibreglass boats. 
 

from exterior cleaning, to interior, carpet cleaning and fibre glass treatments, shoot me a message, I’d love to talk about what you’d like your boat to look like! 
 

if you saw my 98 skeeter, you’d know what I’m talking about!

im located in Georgetown and carling and can travel if needed.

Edited March 31, 2022 by AKRISONER

[Rizzo]

I don't need any wiring, but maybe if you list where you are located that might help. My apologies if that is already on here somewhere...my computer skills are lacking

[misfish]

Good luck Scott.

I have all mine set up just fine for now. Amazing what a few tie,s and a milk crate can do for my float boat. 😂

[HTHM]

I could use a hand with my bilge pump wiring, can't get it to shut off. I have a nice heated shop for you to work in as well. 

[AKRISONER]

2 hours ago, misfish said:

Good luck Scott.

I have all mine set up just fine for now. Amazing what a few tie,s and a milk crate can do for my float boat. 😂

Even that can be cleaned up, just cause the lengths aren’t long! No job would be to small, even kayaks etc there’s a proper way to do things and make sure corrosion is kept at bay and clean imaging is ensured!

[AKRISONER]

1 hour ago, HTHM said:

I could use a hand with my bilge pump wiring, can't get it to shut off. I have a nice heated shop for you to work in as well. 

Honest question, would you consider totally replacing the pump if need be? They aren’t expensive. I’m assuming the switch is simply no longer working. 
 

We can chat via PM and get more details

[HTHM]

The switch works fine, I put a switch in the ground to isolate the pump from power and prevent it from draining the battery.  

[BillM]

Replace the pump.

[AKRISONER]

2 hours ago, HTHM said:

The switch works fine, I put a switch in the ground to isolate the pump from power and prevent it from draining the battery.  

Yup, me thinks the float is buggered, they are quite cheap to replace! But can be a total PITA if your boats bilge doesn’t have great access I.e. my last boats bilge was tucked under the gas tank lol

[AKRISONER]

Bump to add that I’m also offering mobile or drop off boat detailing. See original post for details!

[Big Cliff]

I don't need anything done right now but I think you have a great idea and could easily turn this into a very profitable business. Good luck with it 🤗

[DanD]

Not to put a downer on your idea of helping (for money or not) with people's boat electrical installs/issues. Like Cliff said it could turn into something good, but I would strongly suggest you look into liability insurance; before you touch a "stranger's" boat. You could be in for a world of hurt if you burn a boat down or let the smoke out of an expensive piece of equipment; due to your installation/repair. You may be thinking it'll never happen, I'm careful, but things can go wrong that you had no idea that it just had.  I understand your intent and I think it's a great idea; just cover your ass!!!!!!!!! Another thing is, that you'll likely find it hard to get insurance, due to you are not a registered business; it's a pretty vicious circle. Sorry but I'm talking from over 40 years of experience in the automotive repair business. I'd hate to see a young person get knocked on their ass for trying to move forward in their lives.  

Dan...   

[AKRISONER]

9 hours ago, DanD said:

Not to put a downer on your idea of helping (for money or not) with people's boat electrical installs/issues. Like Cliff said it could turn into something good, but I would strongly suggest you look into liability insurance; before you touch a "stranger's" boat. You could be in for a world of hurt if you burn a boat down or let the smoke out of an expensive piece of equipment; due to your installation/repair. You may be thinking it'll never happen, I'm careful, but things can go wrong that you had no idea that it just had.  I understand your intent and I think it's a great idea; just cover your ass!!!!!!!!! Another thing is, that you'll likely find it hard to get insurance, due to you are not a registered business; it's a pretty vicious circle. Sorry but I'm talking from over 40 years of experience in the automotive repair business. I'd hate to see a young person get knocked on their ass for trying to move forward in their lives.  

Dan...   

absolutely Dan, this is not me attempting to start a full time business doing this either, moreso a helping hand to a fellow board member that is maybe intimidated by the prospect of upgrading their electronics or as I have already been reached out to about, one guy having issues with his trolling motor and not feeling the confidence to attempt to tackle it himself. 
 

in no ways am I putting myself out to the “public” but If a long time board member needs their boat cleaned or a trolling motor rewired and obviously cannot afford to take it to a shop and spend thousands I can probably help them out.

primarily though I see a lot of companies now selling these plug and play harnesses out of the states and the pricing is absolutely astronomical, surely I can at minimum assemble a harness for someone for less than half of that cost. I looked up yesterday a harness for my boat for example these American companies are charging $700+ which to me is no different than a lot of things in the marine industry, overpriced just for the sake of it.

i really appreciate your heads up, I believe you can appreciate what I am getting at. This is in no way a full time gig, I’ve got a good job, I just could use a bit of money to pay for my pets surgery last week and maybe someone around here needed a hand. 

Edited April 3, 2022 by AKRISONER

[DanD]

My best wishes to you.

Sincerely.

Dan... 

[OMCDinosaur]

How much an hour for wiring jobs ?  Any certification?

[Hack_Fisherman]

Awesome. I’m doing 100% rewire on mine. If I run into trouble I might give you a call

[AKRISONER]

On 4/5/2022 at 7:59 AM, OMCDinosaur said:

How much an hour for wiring jobs ?  Any certification?

Would totally be dependent on the specifics of the job/do you also need materials included and to what extent you want to go with your installation. Even I havent gone to the "full extent" simply because of budget reasons in my own boat.

I have no certifications just a decent amount of experience doing DC wiring since I was 17 years old? (I am 34 now) Started with stereo equipment in cars and then moved specifically into wiring boat electronics which is a very Niche thing that if you hired an electrician/mechanic to do the job, they probably will get it to work but not optimize the application.

If this is something you are going to need an invoice for I am definitely not your guy you will want a pro (not sure there are any in Ontario at the moment? There are definitely a few shops in the southern states.). I'm not so certain there are any actual electricians working in this field at all at the moment? 

Seeking Proof of concept, I can show you my boat which I also just rewired.

If you are looking engine work/controls, I am not your guy for sure.

Feel free to send me a DM or reply here with what you are considering doing/need done and I would be more than happy to talk through everything with you at no cost, I love to talk about this stuff anyways. Ill tell you everything that should be done for free and you can tell  someone certified exactly what you want done if it gives you peace of mind. I love to help fellow members out in the same manner that they have helped me!

 

 

Edited April 6, 2022 by AKRISONER

[AKRISONER]

11 hours ago, Hack_Fisherman said:

Awesome. I’m doing 100% rewire on mine. If I run into trouble I might give you a call

are you rewiring your controls and console as well? Or just the electronics?

[AKRISONER]

I just saw this youtube video where they go over an electronics install in the guys new caymas.

This is exactly the kind of attention of detail and proper wiring I am describing. You can go from this level all of the way down to simply getting things to work but making sure that you wont have issues with corrosion, bad wire, overheating and resistance ever.

I am also capable of assembling wiring harnesses that will allow you to DYI the installation yourself but will allow for you to essentially plug and play your boats electronics by stringing the wire through your boat! No electrical tape jobs here!

 

Heres photos of my total re-do, Garmin Force trolling motor, two garmin sv's, panoptix livescope and all networked to through a GMS 10.

 

 

Edited April 6, 2022 by AKRISONER

[DanD]

You're digging a deeper hole here man, hopefully, it's one you can climb out of? Advertising on an open message board of an under-the-table service is very foolish. 

3 hours ago, AKRISONER said:

If this is something you are going to need an invoice for I am definitely not your guy

Sorry, I felt obliged to post; it will also be my last on this thread.

Again: Sincerely.

Dan...

[AKRISONER]

1 hour ago, DanD said:

You're digging a deeper hole here man, hopefully, it's one you can climb out of? Advertising on an open message board of an under-the-table service is very foolish. 

Sorry, I felt obliged to post; it will also be my last on this thread.

Again: Sincerely.

Dan...

Merely directing this gentleman OMC to a professional. His job seems far more serious. 
 

i will add once again, please do not take this as anything more than I’m presenting it as. You need a hand, shoot me a DM. If you are looking for a business, that is not something I am running I already am employed full time.

Edited April 6, 2022 by AKRISONER

[Big Cliff]

Perhaps a bit of wiring, I have a switch not working the way it should in my motor coach but the main job would be detailing a 30' motor home (inside only) + a RAV 4, And I might have some other work if you are interested. It would have to be done in Lindsay but I would provide room and board (free) for as long as it takes and I am quite willing to pay for all work and materials required. If this is something you would be interested in let me know.

[misfish]

2 hours ago, DanD said:

You're digging a deeper hole here man, hopefully, it's one you can climb out of? Advertising on an open message board of an under-the-table service is very foolish. 

Sorry, I felt obliged to post; it will also be my last on this thread.

Again: Sincerely.

Dan...

All he has to do is make them sign a waiver. Like all my customers do when they buy my fly,s and bugs. If you hook yourself,not my problem. I use quality hooks. LOL

Good luck Scott.

[Hack_Fisherman]

On 4/6/2022 at 10:25 AM, AKRISONER said:

are you rewiring your controls and console as well? Or just the electronics?

Not the controls. (Assuming you were referring to throttle control. I’m just using the standard OMC controls from the 90s)

everything else is getting rewired. Lighting, switches, power supply, trolling system. The works

[AKRISONER]

1 hour ago, Hack_Fisherman said:

Not the controls. (Assuming you were referring to throttle control. I’m just using the standard OMC controls from the 90s)

everything else is getting rewired. Lighting, switches, power supply, trolling system. The works

Yup, let me know if you need even any advice, I just finished a crisp install myself. If you want some really good ideas, watch that video I posted above with the caymas. In hindsight there’s even a couple of nice little details that I wish I did in my own. Maybe for another day though. 
 

a lot of the stuff can be done relatively cheap too, it’s just the wiring that costs money. The idea of using a grounding bar to clean up the terminals for the electronics is a sweet idea that I hadn’t thought of. I also really like how they handled the in line fuses at the shut off. I opted to go the distribution block route myself but that idea is so clean how could you not like it. 

Edited April 9, 2022 by AKRISONER