Need input on two boat rigging issues

[Rich Stern]

First, the starter battery. It's inneficiently placed in the starboard rear storage area. Takes up most of the useful space. Given that I have a 400 pound motor hanging off the back of a 16' boat, I thought it would be worth moving the starting batter to the bow battery compartement, which is also inefficently used by the trolling battery. With a little rearangement of trays, both batteries should fit in there, and provide a bit more fore-aft weight balance to the boat.



I'm looking at running about 15 feet of cable to reach the starting battery. Would 4 gauge wire be enough? 2 gauge? It's a group 24 battery, starting a 90 four stroke.



Next, there are a bunch of places to put mounts for trolling rod holders. Top of gunnels, inside edge of gunnels, transom. Some of the positions would require screws because reaching the backside for bolts and nuts would be very difficult. I don't love that idea.



Any comments on whose rod holders you like, and how you have them mounted? I'm leaning toward the drop in, plastic style holders like Scotty's or Attwood.

 

[Ken Neeley]

Rod holder's......use JACK-NUTS!!! :lol::lol:

 

[Greg Meyer]

If you can mount them as fluch mounts inn the guynwale that works out the best... RAM 2000 are my favorites...

 

[Bruce Freeman]

Rich you all ready know more is better. Go with the 2 gauge and you will never be sorry.



BF

 

[Ken Neeley]

220, 221....whatever it takes!!!

 

[TOMMY RICH]

I love my Quickdraw rod holders and plan on two more mounts...for a total of 6 QD holders and 4 screw in type. Never can have too many

 

[Rich Stern]

220, 221....whatever it takes!!!

[flips down goggles, pulls starter on chainsaw]

 

[Major Mark]

I did exactly as Greg Meyer mentioned, mounted 6 flush mount Ram 2000's in the gunwales. On my Targa I mounted 2 forward of the consoles, 2 just behind the main seats, & 2 more about the middle of the rear deck. Of course that would be 3 on each side. The rear 4 are perfect for 8 1/2 trolling rods w/planer boards. But you bass guys my not know what that type of fishing is.......LOL

 

[Greg Meyer]

Mark,



They have yet to grow up and become real fishermen... Mark do you fish any of the tournamnet circuits?

 

[Mark Jordan]

Rich-

There is a way to judge thickness of the wire required mathematically!



Most handy manuals written for electricians have a chart called "Voltage Drop vs. Wire Size" in them. You might see one on the counter over at the hardware store called "Pocket Ref".



By crossreferencing amp draw of the starting motor and the voltage (which we know is 12), I think you will find 4 guage wire to be more than enough.

 

[Major Mark]

Greg,

Nope, I just dream of having time for that. I was up on Winnie last spring for a 5 day trip & found a PWT "eye" event there for a 1 day event...now that was tempting considering we had 4 of pre-fishing already in, but my fishing bud was chicken...LOL. As it turned out, we boated more that day then the pros did...LOL Mostly I fish Castle Rock or Lake Redstone if we're at our vacation place, otherwise a day off will find me on Lake Delavan, Okauchee, or somewhere within an hour of Milwaukee. I usually try for a day or two up on the Wolf/Poygan/Winnie for the spawn run. The wife & I just bought the place on the Wisc River where we've been going for the last 5 years, 7 miles down river from the Castle Rock Dam, but the river is too shallow for my Targa the last 3-4 years.

My tourney days are in the future though hopefully not too far away!



Maj

 

[Rich Stern]

roadhog, thanks for the suggestion. I found several tables online, along with some reference articles for the popular topic of moving car batteries to the trunk. Turns out that good quality 4 gauge, when installed in non-engine spaces, is rated for 160 amps of currenty draw, which is reasonably oversized for a 100 cu. inch EFI motor. The voltage drop difference between 4 gauge and 2 gauge was less than 2% for the distance involved. Apparently, the most common place for problems to develop is the connections, so I am being careful to crimp and solder good quality ends on the cable, and I am using a heavy duty junction block link the extension to the motor's starter cables.



I've already moved the battery, and the difference in space available after the move is remarkable. It freed up an entire compartment.