Sunday in Gaspe. We have spent a relaxing day in Gaspe, Quebec. After the last few days it felt good to take a day of rest. There was no Mormon Church in the area so we read our scriptures together on the boat and enjoyed the good Internet connection to talk with family and friends. Later in the day we took a long walk.
One of the challenges of staying at many different marinas while boating is the matter of electrical power to your boat. Marinas offer one or more kinds of power, 50 amp, 30 amp or 110 volts power.
Most boats with shore power hook-up capabilities take one of these forms of power. If you are running a.c. and/or central heating onboard you need 50 amp power. That is also often the case with your refrigerator and freezer, tv and other electronics on board.
So if the marina only has 30 amp power, not 50 amp, then you need to run two 30 amp lines from two different lines to a splitter box which brings the power together on your 50 amp line that then plugs into the boat.
If the shore power is not 30 amp but 110 volts then you need two 110 plug adapters to plug into the 110 and the other end plugs into your 30 amp wires and plugs.
What all this means is that traveling, as we are, requires 1 – 50 amp line, 2 – 30 amp lines, 2 – 110 plugs that then fit 30 amp plugs, and a 30 to 50 amp splitter box. If you don’t have them, you will spend a number of nights without shore power.
Don’t undertake a multi-marina trip without these power option cords, plugs and box. In the 35 days we have traveled we have found 50 amp power about 25% of the time. The rest was 30 amp or 110 volts.

This picture shows the 2 yellow 30 amp plugs going into the electrical power on the dock. The yellow box is the splitter box that is changing the two 30 amp power inputs to 50 amp power which is then going into the 50 amp white power cable that plugs into the boat.
So glad the weather provided calm waters as you crossed the St Lawrence. The newsy tid bits are fascinating. Would not have thought about the various electric voltages – interesting. Enjoyed reading about the Madonna on the Cliff the other day – and wondered if the newspapers interviewed you in the town holding the convention for underwater video surveillance equipment.
Hi Elizabeth and thanks for the contact. Glad you are enjoying following our fun trip. The newspapers in Rimouski did not show up…at least not that we could see so we headed out. SO glad Yan is back home safe. Please give our best to everyone.
Bruno
Very interesting entry on the shore power. I’d often wondered about it all, thanks for the tutorial! I’ve really been “enjoying your trip”, thanks!
Hi “wh” and thanks for the blog. Yes, the shore power is not that hard IF you know that there can be 3 diff. kinds and if you have the cords and adapters to fit all three then you are in very good shape. Otherwise, bring an ice cooler and keep buying ice along the way…boy, have we done that for years!!!
Happy boating.
iboats’ Captain,
Bruno
Loved reading your posts and seeing the pictures. It was so nice to talk to your through the internet and see you at the same time. Sure miss you but love that you are enjoying a trip of a life time that you have always dreamed of!! You deserve it.
Cayr
Thanks Cayr. It was great to see you as we talked to you. Our thoughts and prayers are with you today as you start your last chemo treatment. Your example of courage in the face of such monumental difficulty has given us all strength. Lots of love.
Dad