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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Batteries Location

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Happy D
Admiral

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921 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/12/2004 : 21:26:47

My boat, 0029, has a place for two batteries. Of course I don't have any batteries just yet, but, I was wondering, those of you that have two batteries , where are they located?
I have a dinette interior and the location for the batteries is one fore, and one aft, of the fresh water tank. This seems like a lot of weight on the stbd side if the water tank is full.
Any thoughts?
I've removed the original fresh water tank and battery supports due to massive degradation and I'm wondering what direction to take as far as locating the batteries is concerned.
At this point I can go with anything. I will keep the fresh water tank in its original location, but what to do with the batteries?
I will eventually need two batteries, one for starting and one for load.
Thanks Everyone,
Dan

1977 SK/SR Dinette Hull #29
1979 ChrisCraft 251
1965 Chris Craft Cutalss

Edited by - on

Brooke Willson
Admiral

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USA
983 Posts

Response Posted - 06/13/2004 : 08:13:00

Dan, my 1985 dinette probably has a different water tank than yours -- it's forward under the starboard settee, and there's no way a battery could be forward of that. Both my batteries are aft of the tank.

I find that even with water in the tank, two batteries and outboard on starboard side, "Even Chance" doesn't particularly list to starboard. Unless I sit there, too!

Starting batteries are really for diesels: an outboard doesn't require lots of juice to start. I have two batteries because they give me lots of reserve. I set the switch to "Both" and leave it there for starting, charging, and pretty much everything else.

Brooke

Edited by - Brooke Willson on 06/13/2004 08:15:38

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 06/13/2004 : 10:26:11

"This seems like a lot of weight on the stbd side..."

Early (pre-83?) C25's like ours usually tend to list slightly to port, especially with any of the newer 4-stroke (read heavier) motors on the port transom... so some extra weight starboard doesn't hurt.

You'll also discover that early C25's tend to sit considerably bow down at the dock unless the swing keel is cranked up all the way. (btw having the keel up or down at mooring is a controversial issue)

For this reason, (fore-aft trim) I'm considering relocating my batteries to a starboard-aft configuration... somewhere at the back of the quarterberth cave.

For sailing performance, you typically want:

1) the boat as light as possible
2) what weight you do have centered and low in the boat.

Agree with Brooke that a dedicated starting battery usually isn't a big issue with a small outboard. If you were a 'big' cruiser with a diesel and located 1000 miles from nowhere, that special starting battery is pretty important.

Edited by - on

Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 06/13/2004 : 11:32:22

Dan,

I get the impression that the C-25 batteries moved around from year to year, as did the motor.

In my 1979 Catalina 25 with swing keel and dinette, I have configured my batteries and water storage as follows.

I removed the stock water tank, battery, and related supports from the stbd settee. I moved the thru-hull in that compartment as far forward as practical to make more room. I installed a new custom fitted 16gal water tank as far forward as possible under the stbd settee. That left just enough room to cram in two group-27 flooded cell deep cycle batteries at the aft end of that compartment. For engine cranking, I added a third battery (group-24) all the way aft in the port cockpit locker near the outboard motor mount. I also added a 16gal water bladder down low in the forward end of that same port cockpit locker (a.k.a. "the dumpster").

-- Leon Sisson

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 06/13/2004 : 22:38:15

Leon,
Isn't that much perrier expensive?

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Dave Laux
Captain

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318 Posts

Response Posted - 06/14/2004 : 07:50:21

We get along fine on one grp 24 deep cycle battery for 2 months at a time. With relatively little engine use as well. Typically we run about 5 to 7 gallons of fuel for the whole cruise. Dave

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deastburn
Captain

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USA
334 Posts

Response Posted - 06/14/2004 : 11:42:17

"Wood Duck" is an 81 trad. cabin layout, and I have one Group 27 battery under the port settee aft the holding tank, and another battery to starboard aft the fresh water tank, both wired through a switch. I use one battery for motoring out of port and the other for the return. That way, both remain topped up for the season.

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RichardG
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 06/14/2004 : 12:06:54

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I get the impression that the C-25 batteries moved around from year to year<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

...plus within each year. My boat also has a traditional layout and is just a few hulls newer than Dave's, but my battery locker holds two batteries (previously Group 27's; currently 6v golf cart batteries in series) and is located starboard aft of the fresh water tank. It's also interesting that the battery locker is part of the hull liner, thus differing locations means they used completely different molds.

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JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 06/14/2004 : 14:14:21

my batteries got moved by the PO to the storage compartment to the starboard of the ladder under the forward part of the quarter berth.

they were originally on the port side under the setee just forward of the galley.

the 78 lists to port anyway. The new location seems ideal. They are in battery boxes, sitting on insulating pads, covered, and lashed in place with straps. Gell batteries were used so no acid or spills - but only 55 amp-hours per, and they seem heavier than wet cells.

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mmac
Navigator

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USA
168 Posts

Response Posted - 06/14/2004 : 16:59:57

On my'79, one battery is located under the aft dinette seat, the other is under the starboard setee, as far aft as to be a nusiance to take the box cover on and off.

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ronrryan
Admiral

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USA
561 Posts

Response Posted - 06/14/2004 : 20:45:00

Orion is 1981, #2343, std layout. Two wet cell deep cycle #24's fit at aft end of the stbd settee,molded in locker, just aft of the water tank (which has not been used and would need work or replacement to be functional) The one-two-off switch is just on the aft face of the settee, next to the companionway, facing the galley acrost from it. There is an access hatch in the "flat" between the quarterberth and the settee, just above the switch. Vessel trims level in the slip, motor is to port, fuel tanks in a locker at aft end of port cockpit seat, closed to inside, molded in, opens from cockpit.Hope this is clear, sorry I dont know how to do pictures, ron srsk SW FL

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