Finding my way around my Hunter 260 (question #2: cranking battery through-hull)

[symont]

My newly acquired Hunter 260 has a battery selector on the false bulkhead at the back of the aft bunk. Circuit #1 goes to the house battery sitting just beside the selector, no problem there. Circuit #2 goes to a cranking battery mounted in the gas lazarette, beside the gas tank.

I see two problems with this installation. First, the steering wires coming from the pedestal rub on the cranking battery box cover. Second, the power cables from this cranking battery go loosely into two 2’’ open holes through the lazarette/aft bunk wall. This gets me worried. If a big wave hit the stern, water could freely enter the cabin. And I can only imagine what would happen if these holes ever get underwater…

Is this a stock configuration? Am I right thinking this is a hazard?

For now, I see three solutions:

1) Close the holes and isolate the cranking battery. Oh, and modify the cover in some way.

2) Close the holes and install a pair of Blue Sea Terminal Feed Through (https://www.marineoutfitters.ca/index.cfm?category=10002|10498&product=50253201&code=632085022037).

3) Close the holes and relocate the battery inside the cabin.

The third option made me wonder, on a stock boat with a single battery, what is the normal path (and water ingress protection) of the power cable going to the outboard motor?

And any other suggestions?

Thank you for your help and happy sailing

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

@Kermit
Do you have any photos of your 2 battery system on your 260 that you can post here?

Will be glad to address next week as we have out of town guests coming shortly. Use to be a dealer.
Hopefully others will chime in with their two battery systems on either the hunter 26 or 260
Dave

How about photos what you have

 

[rgranger]

From your description it sounds like your second battery is near GAS! Yes, I would call that a problem

 

[Kermit]

I don’t have pictures. One battery is behind the bulkhead, just below the engine mount. The other is in the cabinet pretty much under the stove.

 

[GBGraham]

From your description it sounds like your second battery is near GAS! Yes, I would call that a problem

A very sensible concern and I can only agree.

 

[symont]

Thank you all for your answers. I was so concern with the holes that I missed the obvious. Potential sparks and gas!

This is a picture of the lazarette on day 1:

IMG_20190704_162707949

• symont
• Jul 5, 2019

Gas lazarette

The choice is easy now. I will move the battery inside, grind a wedge and fiberglass the holes and buy some "Terminal Feed Through" for the motor. And gain a bigger locker in the process.

 

[symont]

Hi again,

These are pictures of the mast resting naturally on the pulpit and the support crutch (with the mast struts in place). As you can see, I had to put 5 layers of high density foam over the roller in order for the crutch and the roller guard to clear the stays. This is surly not working as intended.

IMG_20190704_162222873

• symont
• Jul 5, 2019

IMG_20190704_162244144

• symont
• Jul 5, 2019

IMG_20190704_162304576

• symont
• Jul 5, 2019

IMG_20190704_162820358

• symont
• Jul 5, 2019

I first thought that the crutch was reversed, bending fore instead of aft. If rotating it 180 degrees will help in “storage mode”, the problem will still be there when I slide the mast aft at raising time. What is the problem with this set-up?

I could bend the crutch even more fore to clear the stays (unequipped for this). Or I could cut the tip of the crutch and the roller guard, again to clear the stays (seems reasonable, but I shouldn't have to). As of now, my only option is to unscrew the mast struts in order to move the mast a bit aft. But I don’t like this option. Any suggestion?

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Remove battery immediately from gas locker.
Sent private message

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Sent private message and after we talk next week, I will ask that you respond back here on what was discussed and your plans so everyone knows. I am busy helping church and Boy Scouts
Crazy Dave

 

[twalker H260]

A fairly standard mod that earlier owners did was to drill new bolt holes in the mast crutch and add a larger diameter roller to get the shrouds away from the crutch. I’ll send photos in a bit.

 

[rgranger]

1:

IMG_20190704_162707949

• symont
• Jul 5, 2019

Gas lazarette

.

OMG!

Take the tank out before you start working on the battery issues.

 

[rgranger]

shift the mast forward about 8 "

 

[symont]

Weird, my third post/question got merged with the second one!

The battery is gone now. Pfiou!

twalter, you are right, the shrouds, not stays! Thanks, I still have to learn the proper lingo in English . Your idea is interesting. Since the Hunter 260 raising system is so thougful, I am just surprise that we need to do such a fix to make it perfect. But if this is what it takes, I am glad that it is relatively easy to do.

shift the mast forward about 8 "

What do you mean by that rgranger? With the mast struts in place (screwed), the present position is the natural one. In order to move the mast forward, I would need to unscrew them. Surly possible for storage and transportation (although I like the fact that the mast can't rotate with the struts in place). The the problem will remain during the raising prep. What do you have in mind?

 

[twalker H260]

Here is a link to where I got my info from on the crutch modification and a lot of other great info. A former site member.

http://kobernus.com/hunter260/mast_crutch/mast_crutcht.html

The advantage with this is if you need to you can always lower again for lower bridge clearance.

On this same site you will find a bunch of other great ideas. For your battery items look under mods:electrical.

I connected my outboard wires using a trolling motor plug and socket so I could remove the outboard without affecting interior wiring or having to unbolt cables from the motor itself. I have a single bank of two batteries behind the aft port bulkhead - helps to counteract the outboard and cooler weight. Don’t have a 1/2/both. If I run the batteries down to the point I can’t start the motor I have a pull cord to manually start. (Hasn’t yet been an issue.)

Other wires passing through the bulkhead I used a waterproof gland.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

@symont
Got to boat information, select Hunter resources, select 260 and check the owner mods and downloads. Addl. info.
https://www.marlow-hunter.com/wp-content/export/
If you forget that website, go to hunter owners general site and there is a link under the first thread. Oh heck will say it now. I was aware of the info being assembled by Eddie and Jim Seamans who were very close friends of mine. Jim is deceased whom he bought 4 boats from me. The photo of the aft mast carrier above was done in my yard and I told Jim to make sure to tie that mast down which he followed closely. Forgot about that.
dave

 

[symont]

Great links twalker and Crazy Dave. I now have a clear plan.

Thank you!

Going on vacation for the rest of the week. The mods will have to wait. Darn