Question: On my Hallberg-Rassy sailboat, located under one of the settees in the main cabin area, there are several electrical items and the large coil of wire shown in this photo.

Extra lengths of wire can take up a lot of space. Often it can be eliminated with no problem, but some systems have specific cabling runs that should not be cut.

Extra lengths of wire can take up a lot of space. Often it can be eliminated with no problem, but some systems have specific cabling runs that should not be cut.



The ends of the wiring in the picture go to the terminal strips shown on the bulkhead. I’m trying to create as much storage space on board as possible and am also worried about any electrical problems cropping up as a result of these extra-long cables. But I’m equally worried about what might happen if I decide to cut the cables shown down to a more correct length to provide me with just a little more storage capability where the bundle is now located. Can you give me any advice here?

Answer: Based on what I can see in the photo you should not have any issues when you decide to cut those cables down to a more appropriate length to tidy things up in that compartment. That said, this recommendation is not universal. There are some cable sets found in marine applications that have specific, engineered lengths that need to stay as they are. A good example would be the cable connecting a depthsounder transducer to the display head. Another would be some GPS antenna cables. Cables connecting radar antennae to their displays are in specified lengths as well. So, don’t just randomly start cutting wires and cables. Determine what they do first, and when in doubt consult the manufacturer of the equipment they're connected to.

Written by: Ed Sherman
Ed Sherman is a regular contributor to boats.com, as well as to Professional Boatbuilder and Cruising World, where he previously was electronics editor. He also is the curriculum director for the American Boat and Yacht Council. Previously, Ed was chairman of the Marine Technology Department at the New England Institute of Technology. Ed’s blog posts appear courtesy of his website, EdsBoatTips.