I am always amazed at how many knowledge-
able skippers can sort their way through a 200-page instruction manual for the latest electronic gadget, but, have never heard of ferrules. Simply said, ferrules are connectors that crimp onto wire ends to provide a com- bination of mechanical and electrical stability wherever the wire goes under a clamp, clip or screw.

That’s nice, I can hear you saying, but why not just twist the wire end and shove it in like everyone else does? For one thing, ferrules make a more efficient

connection, making a big difference on connections that vibrate, even a little. But the real reason is slightly more compli- cated. Copper is soft, so if you tighten a screw against it, what feels nice and solid today will be lose tomorrow. And, if you keep tightening, that screw will eventually cut through the copper.

On Vega, I use ferrules on every connection, from light switches to power cables to data wires, that screws or
clips down and have noticed a distinct reduction in the number of intermittent connection failures. And here is another tip: the best ferrules come with a glue laden heat shrink sleeve. You crimp them on with a simple ferrule crimping tool – different from the usual crimp connector tool - then heat the sleeve to get a solid waterproof connection.