What battery?
 

I bought a 16.5 ft smokercraft a couple yrs ago from a guy that seemed like he did just enough to get by so the battery seems small. The motor is a 60 horse Johnson. The battery is toast and I'm wondering what I should replace it with. At this time I don't have or use a trolling motor and really basic sonar. School me please.

Seems like he was doing it right...lol...if it's just a battery for turning over a 60 HP, then you don't need much. Anything with over 500 Cranking Amps would be fine. I am sure a battery would be specified with the owners manual or measure the battery mounting tray and get one that fits that space. Larger batteries just provide power for longer and smaller batteries obviously less, but as you stated you do not have a draw when the motor is off other then a sonar unit...which does not use much. As long as the mounting lugs on the battery work with your cable configuration. So it's kinda an open book to what you want.

Agree with what Thorne said.

Having an owners manual is so important when it comes to upkeep.
Google would be your second best bet.

Just a caution. Check your owner's manual to see how big your alternator is.
Is your alternator putting out enough juice to replenish your battery? If you're not travelling far on the lake you may be slowly depleting your battery. ( even with a sonar that doesn't draw a lot of amps )
Safest bet is throw it on a charger after a trip.

As you now have a boat with one battery, and you are for sure itching to add a bow mount trolling motor, and lots of other stuff, it is now time to put in a battery switch and put in a second battery so you have a "house" and "reserve" battery set up. You can get a battery charge bank so you simply plug in and charge both batteries as the system sees fit, or just go old school and make sure you have a portable charger. House battery is never for running the trolling motor, it is only for the main engine.

Either way, you probably have a 2 stroke Johnson, and it probably delivers 10 amp HOURS charge. On Alberta lakes, you will never charge a battery in a 15 minute run and then stop to fish. Even on a 4 stroke with a 30 - 40 Amp alternator, the batteries sit for a week or more between charges, and short runs will not help to recover the batteries to full charge.

But anyway congrats on the new boat.

Buy a larger solar panel with an automatic charge shut off. Put it on the boat between uses when the boat is parked. Your batteries will be in alot better shape when you go to use the boat.

Drewski

I'm a real noob when it comes to boats. I sold my chopper to buy the boat as my kids came along, figured we would use the boat more. I used it the first season I bought it but not at all last yr or this yr yet. I grew up with a 12 ft tinner and a 10 horse tiller but am getting to old for that. I've always been an anchor and cast fisherman so really don't have a hankering for a troller. No owners manual with the boat so I'm in the dark on whats recommended. Found a chart that said 24F7 is what I need but not sure what that is. I think I understand the 24F but not the 7.

Thanks

I'll take a shot. Your battery is probably a group 24. It's a very common size for a starting battery. You'll want a marine starting battery which will have an 'M' designation. So what you're looking for is a 24M battery.

This is my starter battery for a 90 Merc. It'll be plenty for what you need.
Charge it after a trip and you shouldn't have to worry about running it down. An automatic charger or smart charger would be best.

Size 24M 800 CCA
https://www.interstatebatteries.com/...uctline=marine

Got it at Auto Value.

Remove it in the fall, store it someplace warm during winter and put it on the charger once a month to keep it in shape. I'm on year 4 with this battery.

You could probably get away with less battery (500 CCA), but without a lot of info I'd get the battery with the higher cranking amps. There's no harm in going bigger.

https://www.interstatebatteries.com/...eries/starting

Maybe someone else will chime in with another option.

Nothing wrong with Big Sky's advice at all. I have kids who have left the stereo on in the boat in the evening, and I have discovered a dead battery in the morning.

If you do not want to go the two battery route, at least go to Canadian Tire and pick up one of the Lithium Booster packs that are good for about 6 starts.

It is the size of a brick of cigarettes, IN THE CASE. I have started cars with this thing and carry it on my quad and my sleds when I go out.

It might not be you who appreciates the back up of a booster pack or a second battery in a boat. But I have towed more than a few boats with a dead battery for various reasons.

Drewski

X2! I always carry a booster pack on the water....and my truck for that matter....small price for HUGE RETURN When ya need it!

i have one these little kits goes in the glove box of boat in summer and skidoo glove box in the winter have boosted lots of trucks with dead batteries highly recommended

Thanks all. I'll be looking today.

Thanks again!

24F7 is the battery you need, go to Costco and pick one up, bring the old one with you so you don't have to pay the extra for the core.

This is exactly what I did. Assuming the 7 stands for 700CCA.
I did pick up one of the boosters at CT as well.

Thanks again for the advice

Keep it simple - get a cranking marine battery for the main engine and dedicate it to do only that - you don't need to worry about a thing. Just like your car - put it in and enjoy your boat.

For the electric trolling motor get a dedicated battery for that and charge it up as needed - your boat won't be able to charge it enough with the amps it outputs anyways - so run it, and charge it. That is what a deep cycle marine battery is for.

It also completely eliminates the possibility of running your cranking battery down and getting stuck.

2 batteries - one cranking, one deep cycle. Done.