Prepping Your Boat For Spring Launch

Posted on May 13, 2012 by trollman

Ready … Set … Go Boating

Ice and snow recedes and Spring returns to the “northerner” boating areas of the U. S. If you are a Michigan or Great Lakes boater, you are anxious to get the next boating season started. As you look forward to that first fine weekend at the dock or on the lake, spend some time on pre-season preventative maintenance that can help make your entire summer more enjoyable.

A big key to your spring maintenance is determined by how the boat was stowed away for the winter. If you tucked your boat away dry, indoors or with a good cover, properly winterized, clean and uncluttered with batteries disconnected, systems drained and fluids changed, then you’ll have less to conquer in the Spring. Let’s pretend you did all the right things in the Fall and focus on some extra ideas that could help get your season off on the right foot. You may want to get together with the Service Manager at your local full service marina for his advice and to schedule needed work before the shop’s schedule fills up.

How did you cover your boat? If you are outdoors and shrink-wrapped, please be sure to work with your boat yard or local recycling center for environmentally-friendly disposal of your shrink-wrap. This plastic is indeed recyclable and you can do your part by keeping it out of the landfill – don’t throw it in the dumpster. Many boat yards and shoreline communities have recycling programs.

Now that the cover is off, perform your own inspection of deck and underwater hardware and the hull, bottom and deck conditions. Check bow rail stanchions that may have worked loose under the cover and re-bed those if needed, properly sealed to prevent moisture intrusion. Check all other deck fittings – cleats, chocks, drains and more – to make sure they are properly caulked. Spend extra time on areas at or below the waterline, such as trim tab and swim platform mounts, transducer and pump thru-hulls, raw-water pick-ups and other areas that should be inspected yearly for proper seal. Long-term weeping of moisture past those seals can soak coring materials in your transom or hull, causing larger problems later. When in doubt, caulk it.

How does your bottom look? A fresh coat of paint makes fall grime removal easier and improves running efficiency during the season. Sand flaked areas and apply a thin coat of fresh bottom paint before launch. If the bottom has excessive build-up or unmanageable flaking, you should consult your boat yard about a strip and repaint job. If you take it down to bare gelcoat, be sure to properly prepare the surface before re-applying your barrier coat and bottom paint.

Think back to last season for a mental review of some of your boat’s components.

How old are your batteries? If you can’t remember when they were last changed, check the labeled date or your receipt file. Don’t put last year’s trouble-maker back in the boat. Replace it. A dead battery at the launch ramp or pulling anchor off the beach can be a day-spoiler.

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TYPES OF MARINE BATTERIES: EXPLAINED

Trolling Motor Battery Selection

Posted on May 13, 2012 by trollman

LIFELINE MARINE BATTERY A very high quality deep cycle marine battery, the Lifeline battery is produced by the Concorde Battery Corporation. Utilizing the same manufacturing practices as the aerospace grade line of batteries, but specially designed for Maine use. The absorbent glass mat design provides superior performance and extended life compared to old style lead acid type batteries and also to gel type batteries.

The Lifeline deep cycle marine battery is hand assembled and is engineered to be one of the very best marine batteries available. The sealed construction is completely spill proof, and the battery can be mounted in any desired position. With great charge retention, shock and vibration resistance, and it’s maintenance free design, the Lifeline marine battery will be your battery of choice. When selecting the size of your battery, it is recommended that you purchase a battery that has twice the capacity that your application requires. This will greatly reduce charge times and extend overall battery life. Proper ventilation is required during charging.

Minn Kota MK-105P A leader in electric trolling motors for over 75 years, Minn Kota offers the MK-105P Portable Battery Charger. It is easily carried using the molded in handle and is designed to charge your deep cycle battery on the water or on route to your favorite boating spot. With protection from reversed polarity, short circuits, over charging and under charging.

The MK-105P is one of the latest advancements in deep cycle marine battery chargers. The built in LED warning lights make your battery charging chore both safe and convenient. The charger is only 8.7″ x 8.1″ x 6.9″ and weighs only 4.2 pounds.

OPTIMA Battery Amazingly unique in both outward appearance and functionality, the OPTIMA battery outperforms the wet type lead acid battery design of old. Instead of hanging lead plates in pools of electrolytic fluid, the technologically superior design of the OPTIMA Battery houses spirally wound cells made of long thin layers of lead.

Boasting reduced internal resistance and increased output in at extreme temperatures, these power packs can be completely recharged in just over an hour. That’s half the time it takes to recharge conventional batteries. These batteries also use an absorbent glass mat material that maintains contact between the electrolyte and the lead cells. This new design can almost double the life expectancy of your deep cycle marine battery.

Odyssey 34M-PC1500ST Boasting over 778 Cold Cranking Amps, the Odyssey 34M-PC1500ST TROLLING Thunder Marine Dual Purpose Battery is vibration resistant and also protects against shock damage. It’s longer shelf life allows it to be kept in storage for almost 2 years before needing another charge.

The recharging efficiency of this battery is superior to many other deep cycle marine batteries on the market. The batter is completely maintenance free and never needs water. Neither gases or fluids can escape from the sealed housing making this an absolutely spill proof battery.

Trolling Motor Accessories

Posted on May 13, 2012 by trollman

Canoe Motor Mount Take a break from all that canoe paddling by mounting this innovative and versatile motor mount that is made of solid Red Oak wood. With pictured instructions, the mount is easy to install using the clips provided. The clips are secured to the gunwale of your canoe and the mount is adjustable so that it can fit most canoe models.

Engineered for mounting on either side of the canoe, this handy transom mount allows you to affix either a small gas or electric motor. The transom mount measures over 28 inches in length and keeps the propeller a safe distance from the side of the canoe.

Rod Saver Flat Foot Recessed Tray Constructed of 1/8″ thick aluminum plate, this durable recessed tray will house and secure your trolling motor foot control pedal, keeping your boat less cluttered and safer to operate. Easily installed in any brand of boat, all necessary mounting hardware and cutting templates are included.

The Rod Saver Flat Foot Recessed Tray helps to reduce fatigue and back pain, allowing you to spend more time on the water. The tray is protected with a baked-on powder coat finish and weighs only 5.4 pounds. Although most foot pedal controllers will fit in this housing, some Minn Kota trolling motor models manufactured between 1980 and 1994 that are over 14 inches in length will not fit.

MotorGuide® Replacement Propellers Designed for extreme power and thrust, the highly efficient MotorGuide propeller is an essential addition to your electric motor. All kits come complete with a new propeller pin and nut. Choose the correct blade configuration for your operating conditions. The Machete 3 Blade Propeller is engineered for increased power and intense weed chopping action, and for open water conditions where heavy currents and large waves are the norm, the 2 Blade Power Prop is better suited. The Safari 2 Blade propeller will efficiently but quietly move you through the weeds.

Foot Operated Control Pedal Using any transom-mounted trolling motor, this control pedal kit is a low-cost way to enjoy the benefits of a bow mounted remote control motor only using a lesser priced tiller equipped model. The Teflon coated control cable is 6 feet long which allows you to position the foot operated control pedals precisely where you want them.

The kit can be mounted on either a bow or stern transom, and permits hands free steering of your boat. The control features a 3 position slide type selector switch for stopped, intermittent, or continuous operation. Components are constructed a fiberglass-reinforced nylon material making it nearly indestructible.

Handheld Portable Battery Gauge Instantly see the condition of your deep cycle marine battery or any standard 12 Volt lead-acid battery. Its small size allows it to be carried in your tool box or your tackle box, and with its internal illumination you can use it day or night. Easily mounted using the step-by-step instructions. A 2 inch diameter hole is required for in-dash mounting of the single gauge. Also available for dual batteries or for a quad configuration.

Dual Pro XL With great features like auto shutoff, reverse polarity protection, and temperature compensation, the Dual Pro XL 12/24 Volt 12 Amp Deep Cycle Battery Charger is one of the most impressive chargers available. It offers 2 output banks of 12 Volt DC power and 6 Amps per bank.

Fully waterproof and fully automatic, this is a feature packed deep cycle battery charger that will provide you with years of trouble-free service. The built in LED Readout is micro-processor controlled and the charger provides overcharge protection circuitry. It can be used with either 12 Volt or 24 Volt systems and measures only 5″ x 8″ x 91/2″.

Deep Cycle Battery Charger Selection

Posted on May 13, 2012 by trollman

Minn Kota Power Center For small boats that don’t have a built-in battery compartment, the Minn Kota Power Center in a great choice. It not only securely contains your trolling motor battery, but it features easily accessible external terminal connectors. You can easily connect both your motor leads and your battery charger leads without ever having to open the container.

The Minn Kota Power Center also is equipped with a built-in battery test meter that tells you at a glance the state of charge for the battery. The unit is designed to accommodate both Group 24 and Group 27 series batteries, and it protects your gear with two manual reset type circuit breakers. (A 60 Amp breaker to protect your trolling motor and a smaller 15 Amp breaker switch to protect the two onboard 12 Volt accessory plugs. The Power Center weighs only 4.2 pounds empty and measures 17″ x 14.1″ x 9.5″.

Schumacher SE-70MA Designed to fully charge both 12 Volt and 24 Volt deep cycle marine batteries, the Schumacher SE-70MA Fully Automatic Deep-Cycle Charger can charge a standard deep cycle battery in less than 11 hours. The fully automatic operation can be manually bypassed if needed. The 10 Amp output rate is automatically regulated and will never overcharge your batteries. Weighing a modest 19.7 pounds and measuring 5″ x 11″ x 10″.

Schumacher SSC-1500A Using a built in microprocessor that monitors both battery and charging system conditions, this amazing charger is absolutely versatile. It’s ability to automatically adjust the rate of charge, to self diagnose charging problems, and to automatically shut off makes it ideal for all types of battery charging duties.

Providing a 2 Amp Slow Charger, an both 10 and 15 Amp Fast Charging circuits, the Schumacher SSC-1500A Ship ‘N’ Shore Speed Charge Charger is useful as both an automotive and deep cycle battery charger. The weight of the unit is 7.2 pounds and measures 4″ x 12″ x 8″.

Dual Pro 6A 3 Bank Approved for both Absorbed Glass Mat and Wet Cell lead acid battery charging, the Dual Pro 6A 3 Bank Marine Battery Charger’s heavy duty construction is completely waterproof. It features three sets of output leads to maintain an entire bank of deep cycle batteries.

LED indicator lights reveal the state of charge for each battery and internal safety circuits provide reverse polarity protection. Although primarily designed for marine applications, this charger is suitable for use with maintaining golf carts, ATVs, and similar equipment.

The output cables are 5′ long and are the charger is available in 12 -36 Volt configurations. An impressive, multi-featured deep cycle battery charger for multi-battery configurations. The unit weighs 7 pounds and measures 10.25″ x 6.5″ x 3″.

Deep Cycle Marine Battery

Posted on May 13, 2012 by trollman

DieHard PM-2 Platinum Providing both starting power and deep cycle abilities, the PM-2 Platinum Marine Battery offers almost 140 minutes of reserve capacity and 880 CCA. It provides for multiple connections with both top post and stud mounting terminals. Fitted with its tin coated brass terminals it provides dependable starting power in all types of weather.

With its military grade construction, this deep cycle marine battery is both shock and vibration resistant. It is a completely modern battery using glass mat to contain the electrolytic fluid and is of non-spill design. Long service life and longer storage periods make this a battery of choice for quality conscious consumers. It weighs a hefty 53 pounds and measures under 8″ x 7″ x 11″.

Advanced Anglers Using a fibrous separator to keep the electrolyte in constant contact with the lead, this completely leak-proof model is the next generation of lead-acid deep cycle marine battery. The lead plates and separator material form a unique vibration dampening arrangement and the impact resistant molded housing protects the inner components of this power house.

The Advanced Angler deep cycle battery is totally maintenance free and can serve as both a cranking battery for starting your marine engine or as a reliable power source for your troller. The revolutionary design has withstood over 400 charge/discharge cycles. To prevent shortening the useful life of this battery, it is recommended that you not expose it to temperatures below 5 degrees F.

The case is susceptible to impact damage at lower temperatures. The battery is rated at 12 Volts and meets both EPA and OSHA marine requirements.

Odyssey PC680 If you need one battery that can do the job of two, then the Odyssey PC680 Dry Cell may be just what you are looking for. It can pump out 680 Cranking Amps for up to 5 seconds to start your engine, but also functions as a deep cycle battery. Explosion proof and corrosion proof, the PC680 construction also makes it highly resistant to vibration.

Being a Dry Cell, it performs in both hot and cold temperature extremes. The spill and leak proof design and 6 to 10 year expected service life makes the Odyssey PC680 more environmentally friendly. This battery can be installed at any angle so it can be mounted in any out-of-the-way spot on your boat. As with all lead battery products, proper disposal procedures apply.

The Power Center weighs only 4.2 pounds empty and measures 17″ x 14.1″ x 9.5″.