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Long Beach Marine Electric connects boat owners with licensed, insured marine electricians for boat rewiring: re-running failed circuits, replacing aging AC and DC panels, and bringing decades of add-on wiring back to one clean, labeled, documented system built to ABYC E-11. Rewiring is usually done in stages, starting with the circuits that matter most, so you can spread the work and cost over seasons.
What happens on the first visit
- A survey of the panels, main feeds and the circuits giving trouble, including cutting back a sample wire end to see how far corrosion runs inside the jacket.
- A list of every load on the boat and which circuit feeds it. On older boats this is often the first time anyone has written it down.
- Voltage-drop checks on critical circuits: navigation lights, bilge pumps and electronics.
- Review of overcurrent protection: is each wire protected by a fuse or breaker sized to the wire, close to its source?
- A staged plan with priorities and a fixed price for each stage.
Signs a boat needs rewiring, not another repair
- Black or green copper when a wire is cut back, especially on untinned automotive wire. Corrosion travels inside the insulation.
- Faults that move. Fixing one connection makes another circuit misbehave.
- A panel full of add-ons, with multiple accessories stacked on one breaker and unlabeled wires piggybacked on terminals.
- Survey findings such as unprotected circuits, non-marine wire or household components.
- Heat damage: discolored insulation, melted terminal blocks, or a breaker that runs warm.
What 'built to ABYC E-11' means in practice
ABYC E-11 is the U.S. standard for AC and DC electrical systems on boats. For a rewire, it means tinned, fine-stranded copper cable listed for marine use (UL 1426), conductors sized so voltage drop stays within 3% on critical circuits and 10% on non-critical ones, overcurrent protection sized to the wire and installed close to the power source, wire supported and protected from chafe, and ignition-protected components anywhere gasoline vapor can collect. It's also what surveyors check against, which matters when you sell or insure the boat.
Staging the work
A full rewire of a 35- to 40-foot boat is a large job, so most owners stage it. Usually that means the battery and main DC distribution first, then critical circuits (bilge, navigation lights, electronics), then the AC panel and shore-power path, then cabin circuits. Each stage leaves the boat safer and fully working. See the boat rewiring cost guide for how the work is priced.
Insurance, warranty and who pays
Rewiring is owner-paid. Insurers generally treat aging wiring as maintenance, though some require survey electrical findings fixed before renewing coverage. Each stage gets a fixed written price before work starts. Typical labor rates in Long Beach are $140–$200/hr.
What's included
- Wiring survey and load inventory
- Staged rewiring plan with priorities
- Tinned UL 1426 cable throughout
- New AC/DC distribution panels
- Overcurrent protection sized to wire
- Sealed, heat-shrunk connections
- Labeled circuits at both ends
- Updated wiring notes for the owner
DIY vs cheap fix vs proper rewiring
| Factor | DIY | Cheap operator | Proper marine work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wire | Household or automotive | Untinned stranded | Tinned UL 1426, sized for 3% / 10% drop |
| Connections | Twist-on, tape | Bare crimps | Ratcheted crimps, adhesive heat-shrink |
| Protection | Missing | Sized to the load | Sized to the wire, near the source |
| Routing | Loose, chafing | Zip-tied to hoses | Supported, grommeted, away from heat |
| Documentation | None | None | Labeled both ends, wiring notes |