BATTERIES: DON'T OVERLOOK THEM!

I asked one of my experts in the yacht maintenance business what he thought was the most important item to be aware of and take care of on a yacht.  I was surprised when he told me and I asked him to write something so I could pass it on.

Rich Royer from A RR Marine Service gets all the credit.  Give him a call when you have a maintenance issue.  He is in Port St. Lucie, Florida at (772) 486-2843 or reach him by email at CaptRich18@aol.com

As boat owners, when we want to decompress from our daily lives, we want to do it with the least amount of trouble possible. The weekend comes and goes quickly and sometimes there is just not enough time to look at and check everything before we go boating.

One of the systems that should not be over looked is your batteries. We take them for granted because of our "AUTO"mobile ways. Who checks their battery level before a trip to the mall? It's "AUTO"matic that the car will start. If it doesn't, we just say, "Lets take the other car and drop this one at the mechanic."

Well, nothing is "AUTOMATIC" in the marine world and chances are there isn't a second boat to take while the one that doesn't start is at the shop getting fixed. It only takes a few minutes to check before you leave the dock.

The worst conditions for a battery are hot enviroments. The batteries on a boat are subject to high heat, vibration, and  constant battery load variations. Sometimes battery voltage can affect other systems like electronics, fire control systems, and other engine control systems. Today's boats are even more dependant on proper battery voltage due to complex engine computer systems. In a multiple battery system, the problem may even be harder to detect. 

Some boats run the generator with the battery charger on and this masks a voltage/charge issue if you just monitor the output of the generator with a panel meter.

So, in short, it really pays off to spend the time to actually get down and look at the batteries. Even if they are so called "maintenance" free. They still need to be checked for bloating and/or corrosion. The time it takes is well spent when we return safely from our travels and everyone has fun. Boating should be fun and that fun quickly goes away when you have to call SEA-TOW for a jump.

Thanks and happy boating from "A RR marine service"!