B 411 - improved house battery installation

[Gunni]

I currently have two 4D lead acid batteries in my house system. One is in the OEM location - before the engine. The other is in the starboard lazarette, where is shares space with a 5.5 kw generator. Too much weight on the starboard, the boat lists. I am poised to replace the OEM Hitachi 80 A alternator with a 120 A aftermarket alternator.

Looking for innovative solutions to placing the house battery where it belongs - low and centered. Has anyone been able to squeeze a workable house battery into the original location. House load currently runs around 120 Ah in a sailing day, 130 Ah with night sailing. So a 250 Ah house may do it just fine.

 

[gord331victoria]

I had the exact same problem on my 331, portside lazarette contaned a single 4d lead acid, and I had about a 20 deg list to port when I loaded the boat with food. To fix this I installed 3 new house AGM batteries under the starboard aft mattress, and a new AGM in front of the yanmar as the starting battery - all good now!'

 

[Gunni]

Thanks for that info. I'm also dealing with the boat floating aft-low and not on her lines - barnacles growing on the boot stripe. If I can't get her back on her lines, I may have to raise the lines. The boat points better if you can keep the bow down where it belongs.

The 411 has a water tank on the opposite side aft (port side). AGMs give me more location flexibility, likely go with them.

 

[Deadhead]

If you don't have it an all chain anchor rode might settle her bow down a bit.

 

[Gunni]

If you don't have it an all chain anchor rode might settle her bow down a bit.

Oh yeah. Plenty of iron on the bow.

150 ft. 3/8" BBB chain w/60# Manson Supreme

200 ft. 3/4 8 braid, 30ft. 5/16 hi tensile chain w/35# CQR

 

[Deadhead]

Chain Rode & Manson Supreme

Gotta love a 60# Manson Supreme!

In Still Pond last Friday a t-storm kicked up right at dusk. 3 sailboats (not including us) and a single, 35 - 40 foot motor yacht were anchored just inside point on the western shore. It got pitch black in an instant, the rain was unleashed and the lightning strikes came within 2/10 of a mile (one thousand one, one thousand CRASH).

I had solidly set 100' of 3/8" chain and another 25 of 3/4" 3 strand nylon when we dropped the hook that afternoon. (The forecast had called for severe storms.) At any rate, I was sitting at the helm in foulies when the storm struck. My GF came up from below and looked around just as the anchor let go on the motor yacht. Kathy screamed 'Oh My God!' and we watched as the yacht came sliding downwind sideways about 50' off our starboard side. I had my engine going and was ready to maneuver but when she was just about past us they started the engine, switched on their spotlight and got her under control. They motored around until the storm passed and then re-anchored on the east/west shore just around the point.

Our Manson Supreme held firmly throughout. The expense of the Mason and the chain rode has more than paid off in many restful nights on the hook.

 

[Gunni]

How come we can eject a driver from the public roadways for not having brakes, but we don't cite a boater for inadequate ground tackle?