Shoreline
Cheetah 6.5
Boat type
Catamaran
Standards followed
ISO 13297, Workboat Code 3
Location
Chichester Marina
Overview
Full electrical overhaul
Work completed
July 2026
I worked alongside boat builder SF Marine as the marine electrician responsible for completing a full electrical rewire and system upgrade on a 6.5-metre Cheetah catamaran for Shoreline Surveys. Shoreline Surveys provide professional marine surveying and inspection services, supporting clients with detailed vessel assessments and technical expertise. The vessel required a complete overhaul of its marine electrics to bring the installation in line with YDSA requirements and the latest Workboat Code 3 standards.
A Victron Energy MultiPlus-II charger/inverter was installed to manage charging of the services battery bank, provide a controlled float charge to the starter battery, and allow seamless switching of 240V onboard appliances between shore power and inverter supply from the batteries.
The charging system was also redesigned to maximise efficiency while operating offshore, with the vessel’s twin alternators configured to prioritise the starter battery before supplying the services battery bank through a Victron Energy Orion DC-DC 50A charger. This provided a reliable and controlled charging solution for the vessel’s onboard electrical demands.
Bringing the vessel’s marine electrics up to commercial standards also required the installation of automatic bilge pumps with alarms, correct cable sizing throughout, comprehensive fuse protection, and appropriate circuit isolation breakers. The complete rewire and electrical upgrade took over three weeks to complete, resulting in a safe, reliable, and fully compliant system.
