Battery in bow

[Cevin c Taylor]

I was wondering if anyone has cut through the wood under the peak of a cp16 and mounted a battery there, on the inside. Right now I have my battery lashed down in that area, above the wood, and it takes up a lot of room.  I believe its just foam below the wood.  It seems like you could dig some of that out, and put a hinged trap door above it, freeing up that area for storage.  I recall seeing a post where someone did this on a 19 or 23.  Right now the boat is in storage,  but I'm thinking of doing some camping in the boat next summer,  and space is an issue.

[JTMeissner]

Wolverine, I have an MK-1 CP 16, and there is a cutout in front of the compression post where I place the battery.  I think it's an original feature, that may have been changed in later models, no foam at all.  If I remember some of the history, they may have filled that area with foam and covered it completely to deaden the sounds from the bow when crashing waves.  It's not a deep area, my battery sticks up above the shelf, but perhaps enough for what you need.  Don't think it'll hurt anything.

Looks something like this (image from SWEET LARAINE web page):


-Justin

[nies]

My 78 has a cut out as pictured for storage, I replaced the plywood cutout with a slatted grate for better air movement and if you do cut the deck for batt. storage I would make sure the area is vented as batt. release gases ......................I would leave batt. secured in the bow and use the added space for the storage of other items..........I am sure the little amount of floation that may be in the bow would not keep the boat afloat............of course this advice is worth just what you paid for it.....................nies

[MKBLK]

Wolverine,

On my '81 CP16 I didn't mount my battery "in" the floor, but in an "egg-crate" I constructed just forward of the compression post. The main deep cycle battery is mounted immediately behind the post in the middle. A backup car battery resides on the port side and my 5-in-1 do everything battery on the starboard side. Jumper cables run to the stern where I have a bilge pump, emergency electric cutoff and power terminals for the MinnKota.

I plan to construct a bulkhead just forward of the egg-crate where I plan to mount my "new for me" original ComPac fuse block (thanks, Bob23) and more nautical stuff.

As far as space goes, well, it is a 16! I compare it to a Gemini spacecraft! I do have a lot of stuff I drag along with me, but I only keep the anchor rode and extra line, extra pfd's, portable head (which I hope to never actually use), etc. all the way up in the bow. Yeah, the anchor rode resides IN the head (a 3 gallon bucket)!

Happy sailing!

Marty K.

P.S. I just checked the list of stuff I always bring along with me. OMG!... I can't believe it holds all that! No wonder the trailer groans... no less than "C" rated tires!

[lochinvar]

Yep I have. Put a hatch there just in front of the mast support: I had JUST posted a pic of that, but I will put it here too:



I carved out the foam and made a box right there. If you turn it sideways like your cutout, the front of the battery may not be low enough. But you would know when you go to fit it.

Hope that helps...

-Shawn F.

[MKBLK]

Shawn -

Really nice, clean job! Is that indoor/outdoor carpeting glued to the hull? I like!  Do you have a pattern for the bulkhead?

Marty K.

[skip1930]

The battery hatch in the bow could be made flush easily by gluing four 1/4" surround plywood pieces to the underside of the cutout. These stick out maybe 3/8"? Snap clamp them in place till it drys and shoot a few deck screws through the whole shooten match then wiggle off the pointy end with a vice grip and back the screw out a 1/4 turn or file the broken ends smooth. Paint it and drop in the hatch with a thumb hole. I did this for my CP-19 in front of the compression post.

The foam is in there for the slings [And Mac added fork lift supports] and to keep the hull from reverbing when beating into the wind. Nothing too structural if your not slinging. It's a long run on a CP-16 so double the gage on the wiring. What about outgassing of the battery? Remember The Hindenburg!

skip.





Foam in the bow of a CP-19. That's what it looks like all the way forward. It can be ground away with a 5 inch angle grinder and sucked out with the V/C. All those PFD's and blanket are on top of the foam pictured. Lots of room. A nice easy project. I only ground the foam out where the holes are for the ST-40 heads.

[MacGyver]

Skip,
From what Gerry told me is that the foam is there for forklift pickup ability, using a marine forklift, since drystacking is a common thing there. Slinging the boat is fine minus foam.
That foam is also for sound deadening so you are right there.
I was pondering digging some out for storage areas so I was pretty specific with my questions to him. The foam that does matter is what is under the cockpit. It actually does support weight when getting around in the boat up there.

Mac

[Cevin c Taylor]

Thanks for the input, and the pics. I can't wait to get started on projects in the spring.  Right now she's under a tarp.

[kickingbug1]

    first i love the battery install----thinking about that for my 16 as well. one question i have is how much gas can escape from a sealed battery? i had a buick that had the battery under the rear seat and i dont recall any special venting for that. also i am trying to find a deepcycle battery about the size of a lawn tractor battery if anyone knows of such a thing. i am only interested in powering navigation lights.

[nies]

I have a 12 volt lawn tractor style battery for running the nav./cabin lights and works great. sometimes mid season have to charge it up.................also there is a smaller version of a battery box you can get that fits the smaller sized battery.........looked into the sealed expensive ones but for the limited needs the lawn tractor 12 volt works great..........you can get a better lawn 12 volt and is what I have.....nies

[brackish]

    first i love the battery install----thinking about that for my 16 as well. one question i have is how much gas can escape from a sealed battery? i had a buick that had the battery under the rear seat and i dont recall any special venting for that. also i am trying to find a deepcycle battery about the size of a lawn tractor battery if anyone knows of such a thing. i am only interested in powering navigation lights.

Another option for small is to remove the battery from one of those booster paks used for jump starting.  I took this one out of a booster pak to replace it, but since those are so cheap to buy new, decided just to buy a new one.  12V 17AH, should be able to run Nav lights for a long time, particularly if you've switched to LED.  It is 7" wide, 6.5" high, and 3" deep, fully sealed and leak proof in any position.  You would have to rig the constant current charging plug to recharge it, but that would be easy, could probably mount that in the boat and just leave the battery in place, plug it in in the driveway.  Alternatively, the thing doesn't weigh anything, pull it out and charge it.

[nies]

Just went up to garage to check my battery, got at local farm & fleet,  DURA-START Lawn & garden U1-3, 300cca@0 F & 360cca@32 F, this has worked the best of all the batteries I have used over the years for holding charge and providing the power needed ...........................nies

[skip1930]

kickingbug1 asked,  " ...how much gas can escape from a sealed battery? "

Not every battery installed is a sealed unit. Some are, some are not. Just beware that hydrogen could escape from some batteries.
I can't assume that they all are sealed when I just spouting off in generalities to the group. I can't guess what all us sailors have for batteries.

I might of heard this wrong but an aeroplane mechanic said that airborne batteries have to power everything that is required by FAA for flight on the craft for 45 minutes with out an alternator input...it could be, lights, fans, instruments, communications, transponders, electric flaps [one setting?], gear, de-ice...that would be some battery indeed!

skip.

[Cevin c Taylor]

Oops, I forgot about the Minnkota battery case and the added space that requires.