Aft Bilge

[Texastailboard]

Hey since we have been doing so much lately on our 52c. I have been kicking around ideas on the aft bilge area. It is a huge area on our boat, lots of storage space that could be used for so much. I have considered moving my batteries there or something that would free up space elsewhere. What have you guys put there? Open for ideas?

[jim rosenthal]

If you are going to move tyhe batteries back there, see if you can find cases like the ones Blue Seas Systems used to make. They are very sturdy; unfortunately, I haven't seen them in a while. But someone else may be building a knock off of the product.

If you move the batteries aft, leave the Hatteras battery cases in place. They are very hard to get out of there, and they make great storage bins in the engine room.

[jim rosenthal]

Also, I don't know if you spend any time on the hook, but if you anchor out, you might think about having the battery system changed and updated so that both engines start from one starting bank, and so you have a separate house bank. I had this done a few years ago and it has worked out very well.

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

On Aslan, I made removable bridges between the stringers. I store my spare wheels under the center bridge. On top, I store extra pales of oil, five gallon buckets and misc gear in a big tote. Smaller gear is stored on outboard bridges. Works well for me.

[SKYCHENEY]

Also, I don't know if you spend any time on the hook, but if you anchor out, you might think about having the battery system changed and updated so that both engines start from one starting bank, and so you have a separate house bank. I had this done a few years ago and it has worked out very well.

Jim,
What is the purpose of starting both off of the same bank? With the parallel switch you already have that option. I see no point in doing this. Am I missing something?

[rfontanet]

Hi , in 52c I have spare oil , my scuba gear, anchors, etc. Although I am planning to install a 2nd gen set. I need to learn how to get my boat pics on this site, so I can share them. I own a 1986 52c.

[rfontanet]

Hi , in 52c I have spare oil , my scuba gear, anchors, etc. Although I am planning to install a 2nd gen set. I need to learn how to get my boat pics on this site, so I can share them. I own a 1986 52c.

[jim rosenthal]

Sky, we changed the battery setup on my boat at the same time as we made some other changes, specifically:
-dedicated starting bank
-dedicated house bank (deep cycle batteries and much larger)
-dedicated starting battery for generator set
-smart regulators operating alternators, both regulators made by Balmar
-we kept the paralleling switch in the system
-smart high-freq charger (a StatPower, although if I were doing it now, I would get a Victron based on Scott's experience with them)

The original system had two 8Ds, one ahead of each engine, and split up the house loads between them. The marine electrician who did the work pointed out that having the house loads split up increased the chances of running both batteries down to the point where they couldn't start the engines (which had indeed happened, although I don't recall the circumstances) We ended up with two Group 24s in parallel as the starting bank, one Group 24 as the generator set starting battery, and two 4Ds as the dedicated house bank.

This has worked out well. The original starting batteries, the two Gr 24s, lasted eleven years- about two or three times what I expected. I have thought about adding an inverter, to run off the house bank, but unless and until I start anchoring out, which I don't do right now, I probably will not buy one.

Some of the changes I made were in anticipation of uses which turned out not to happen (I may not be the only one here who's done that) What I CAN tell you is that (fingers crossed) I have not had to confront a no-start situation since we made all these updates, and I am happy with them. I wondered whether two Gr 24s in parallel would be a large enough starting bank, but they have done fine.

I forgot to add that each engine's alternator charges one bank- the smarter of the two regulators is on the house bank.

I suppose the underlying theory here is that starting batteries and deep-cycle batteries differ enough that the tasks should be separated, if that makes sense.

The one thing I am sorry about is that I took the Hatteras battery case out of the stbd side of the engine room. I should have left it in there. I had to destroy it to remove it, and it was stupid to do so. If I could find another one, I'd put it back in, for storage. They are very well made.

[Boatsb]

I just modified a sail/power cat .

2 each engine start batteries ( 1 for each engine)
1 each generator start batter.(isolated with a crossover for emergencies)
1 large house bank with inverter and lots of management.

The engine batteries can be paralleled, can charge the house bank once the engine battery is charged. The house bank runs all house loads ac and dc.

4 solar panels keep up with basic needs and charge the house bank. Both engine alternators have balmar regulators to control charging. The generator can charge all batteries (4 chargers total ) and run the ac systems.

The parallel switch on the engines is an acr and normally open so one cant drain the other. They travel all over and would never have accepted a single start bank for both engines.

My 41c has an 8d for start. Another for start/house and a grp 31 for the genny.

If I spend more time on the hook I'll add another 8d to the start/house side it I dont see a need.