Yacht electrics.
Diagnosed remotely,
fixed on board.
Salt & Wire · Electrics, navigation and automation for yachts · Anywhere in Europe
Salt & Wire is the practice of a marine electrical engineer who has worked with yachts since 2018, first in the shipyards of Sunreef Yachts, Hanse Group, YYachts and Exquisite Yachts, now in the field. The work covers complete onboard electrical systems, navigation electronics (NMEA 2000, AIS, autopilots, chartplotters), DC and AC power with LiFePO4 and AGM battery banks, pre-purchase surveys and refit coordination. Diagnosis is done remotely, then the engineer flies to the boat, anywhere in Europe.
I started in the Sunreef service bay. Now I go where the boat is.
Naval architect by training, marine electrical engineer by trade. With yachts since 2018: first the Sunreef service bay, then Hanse, YYachts and Exquisite.
At Sunreef Yachts I was a service technician, and whenever the service bay was quiet I worked on boats still being built. In the next yards I worked on site, with the odd job elsewhere that meant a flight. For several years now, flying around the world to help yacht owners has been my everyday work.
I start remotely: documentation, photos, measurements, a short video. I fly to the boat when hands are needed there: to the marina, the boatyard or straight on board.
I work with equipment from proven brands that I have installed and serviced for years. I do not fit cheap substitutes, because they fail at the worst possible moment.
Services: from a fault at sea to a full refit.
An 8-metre Albin Vega or a 20-metre Sunreef: diagnosis first, then the plan and the work.
Electrical schematics
Complete electrical documentation for 12 V, 24 V and 230 V systems, drawn to ABYC and ISO 13297 and checked against the boat. An as-built drawing that matches the boat saves the next electrician, or you, hours of searching.
Your hands, my head.
For simpler jobs you get ready electrical schematics and, as paid consultancy, remote coaching through the installation: video calls, photos and answers while you work. You pay for the knowledge and do the work yourself.
with an engineer
When a project needs joinery, GRP lamination, hydraulics or mechanics as well, I work with partner companies I know. You have one point of contact instead of chasing several trades yourself.
How a job runs: description, assessment, work, documentation.
Before every job you get an assessment and a clear scope. If I cannot help, I say so and point you to someone who can.
Through the form or by email, with photos, a short video and a description in your own words. It does not have to be technical. The more you send, the faster the assessment.
Within 24 hours I reply with two things: whether I can help, and whether remotely or on site. No obligation.
Remotely or on board. For simpler jobs there is the DIY coaching option, and for large projects the partner firms join in.
DIY optionA PDF report or the schematics, depending on the job.
Calculators and the boat app.
A wire size calculator that counts the way I do on a job, and the Salt & Wire Companion app for the boat. More tools are in preparation.
Wire size calculator
Works out the copper cross-section for a DC or AC circuit on board from the voltage drop and the ampacity, with the result in mm² and AWG. The same numbers as the calculator in the Companion app.
Salt & Wire Companion - the boat app
On Google Play. Salt & Wire Companion is an Android app for skippers and boat owners: anchor alarm, offline navigation with charts, AIS and marine VHF from an RTL-SDR dongle, position without GPS, ship's log, service record and crew mode.
Read about the app →Questions I get before the first job.
Short answers. The longer ones come after you describe the boat and the problem.
Can you help remotely, or do you have to come to the boat?
Most jobs start remotely: I work from your documentation, photos, measurements and video, and we talk on a video call when needed. For the rest I fly to the boat: to the marina, the boatyard or on board, anywhere in Europe. For eight years that has been my job.
What should I send in the first message?
Photos of the panel, the batteries and the fault, a short video if something behaves oddly, and a description in your own words. Within 24 working hours you get an answer: whether I can help, and whether remotely or on site.
Do you work on small boats or only on large yachts?
Both. An 8-metre Albin Vega and a 20-metre Sunreef get the same order of work: a diagnosis, a plan, then the work.
Can I do the installation myself with your guidance?
Yes, for simpler projects. You get ready electrical schematics and, as paid consultancy, remote coaching through the installation: video calls, photos and answers while you work. You pay for the knowledge and do the work yourself.
Which brands do you install and configure?
Victron Energy, BEP Marine, Garmin, Raymarine, Furuno, Simrad and Mastervolt: equipment I have installed in shipyards and trust at sea and on my own boat. I do not fit cheap substitutes.
Do you do pre-purchase surveys of the electrics?
Yes. Before you buy, I inspect the electrical installation and the onboard systems and deliver a report: what works, what needs repair and what needs replacing. You know what you are buying.
What is Salt & Wire Companion?
Salt & Wire Companion is our Android app for skippers and boat owners: anchor alarm, offline navigation with charts, AIS and marine VHF from an RTL-SDR dongle, position without GPS, ship's log and crew mode. It is on Google Play, and the app page describes it in detail.
Describe the problem. You get an answer within 24 hours.
Every enquiry is read by me. Describe the problem in your own words, and I will tell you what I can do and how we can arrange it.