Battery...

[fiddlebick]

I ran last year on one battery, but I was uncomfortable with it, thats why I added a second battery and switch. I like the idea of at least having a second battery stored somewhere and kept charged up. Its all what you are comfortable with, but just sit with your eyes closed for a minute and think of being on the water, in the wind, with a storm approaching, or sunset falling, dead battery, and nobody near to help. It may seem like an unlikely scenerio, but that is what I try to prevent when on the water...anything that might even remotely go wrong.

[ROLAND]

Good morning All.
"ROLAND", may I ask where you bought your battery and if you carry a jump pack? I was considering getting a jump pack... Any suggestions or recommendations for one?

Sincerely,
Rich

Hey Rich... no problem, I bought my battery at ABC Auto parts. The battery itself is a Continental Marine / Rv Starting battery. Model # M27-1000 It has 800CCA / 1000CA / Reserve capacity minimum is 180 min. Got it for 99.99 with core trade in. I went with this battery simply because it was what came in my boat and served me well for nearly 5 years and I think it was only charged one time.. As for a jump pack, you bet I carry one on board, even a brand new battery can fail... I bought a Clore JNC 660 last year. If memory serves me it was around $130 bucks / bought it on Amazon.

[Cowracer]

If you can find Deka brand batteries in your area, they are also a good choice in boat batts.

here is some info:
http://www.easternmarine.com/deka-12v-m ... ng-battery

+1 on the Deka. One of the best batteries out there.

Tim

[bobalong]

I think you are very lucky to have gotten the service life you have. I put mine on a battery tender over the winter and I'm happy if I get 4-5 years on one. Every time I try to push the envelope, the envelope collapses just when we have company down for the weekend!

That is about the same for me, if I get 5 years out of a battery, I am happy. For a 100 bucks or so every 5 years I don't take a chance on having a battery crater while I am on the water.

[ROLAND]

If you can find Deka brand batteries in your area, they are also a good choice in boat batts.

here is some info:
http://www.easternmarine.com/deka-12v-m ... ng-battery

I had read a lot of wonderful reviews on the Deka battery so I set out to buy one... only problem was nobody within 65 miles of here sells them... finally found a dealer about 75 miles from my home that sells them... when I called and asked if they had the model I was looking for in stock, he told me no but that he could get it with no problem... when he realized that I was over an hour away he tells me " look I don't want to lose a sale but......." then he goes on to tell me that some of the batteries that are sold at bass pro shops are the exact same battery as the deka... I told him you know you're kinda talking yourself out of a sale and he told me he was just trying to save me from having a 150 mile round trip just for a battery... very nice of him.. when I asked how I would know which were "deka made" batteries, he told me that the specs on the bass pro battery should be the same as on the deka battery and that somewhere on the battery it should say it was manufactured by east penn.... Just something to take a look at next time you're in your local bass pro.

[Bamby]

To each their own, but I don't replace batteries until they fail myself. I've had some last a long, long time and a few fail after a few short months so it's somewhat the luck of the draw. My engine came with a pull rope for getting her going and I'm pretty confident I could get her going if I had to. But on another note on another forum I frequent there is an extensive thread on a new technology battery pack jumper that sounds real interesting, handy and useful to boot and they say it works well. Thread here: MicroStart battery jumpstarter?