Trolling Mottor Battery

Taking a chance on starting a fire fight.......

i am finishing the installation of a trolling motor in my Oasis. I am now thinking about how to install the battery/box. I am thinking about fastening down the box but only lightly bungying in the battery.

Reason: on the chance we flip the thing the battery is expendable, should fall out and wont be a 70# keel getting in the way of righting it.

Thoughts??

Thanks
Steve

sundancer:
If you are in salt water it can be dangerous to mix salt water and batteries (Chlorine gasses or something), so if in salt water you need to take good precautions to keep salt water away from the battery.
Bob

i am using a covered box but am thinking that i should not use the supplied web strap/bracket like you would in a boat.

i am thinking i should semi-permanently secure the case and weakly attach the top. this way if we turn turtle, the battery falls out free of the yak.. and we dont have to turn it over with the battery.

then paddle back..

???

You could also mount some foam or pool noodle type stuff around the battery box so that if it fell overboard or you lost it in a flip, it'd stay upright and float, allowing you to retrieve it if you wished. Batteries are heavy, but it wouldn't take much closed cell foam to float one.

actually.....

thats not a bad idea. i have to either attach a couple of web brackets for the tightdowns or stuff something between the boat and the box.

looks like its another trip to Dick's... they are the only ones right now that still have the noodles out..

(then a side trip to the fishing stuff department....... how'd this project get so expensive????)

thanks
Steve

Most marine batteries will weigh 50-70+#'s.

If you are putting it up front, put in the cassette and put the cushion on top and secure the battery case on top of a boat cushion. Then, rig it, so the battery is secured to the cushion and semi secured to the yak. (Semi means that you are using 10-12# test cord, mono to secure the battery in an upright position.) That way, if you tip over the battery will break loose and then float in its own pfd, the boat cushion.

If you are half way skilled with a saw, cut a 3/4' piece of marine plywood to fit over the cassette's top, put a protective foam of plastic on the bottom and around the edges of the wood to protect your Oasis. Then, you could permanently secure a battery box to the top of the plywood. Before you launch, you could set your battery into the box, and strap the box top shut and put a life preserver or cushion around the battery. When you get back to shore, remove the battery and then the box/wood base.

If the battery will be on the rear deck, make sure that its weight, your weight and the motor's weight don't exceed Hobie's suggested weight limit in the rear of the Oasis.



"Weight Capacities for Tandem Model Kayaks

By Hobie Cat Support | Posted: June 7th, 2010


Published maximum weight capacities assume an equally distributed load. If there is a significant weight discrepancy between the two occupants, the maximum capacity is decreased because the center of gravity and center of buoyancy are no longer in the same position. This will cause submersion of the stern. For example: with two occupants, the maximum weight of the rear occupant is 300 pounds for the Outfitter and 350 for the Oasis, regardless of the weight of the front occupant, as long as the total weight is less than the maximum capacity.

With one occupant in the kayak, the maximum capacity is further decreased, since the weight of the front occupant is zero. For single occupancy, maximum capacity for the Outfitter and the Oasis are 200 and 220 pounds respectively. When either boat is pedaled with a single occupant, the rear of the kayak will have a tendency to sit lower in the water, increasing the chance of submerging the stern and rudder cables. With this dynamic, it is important to load all gear as far forward as possible to balance the weight in the boat."


Stephen at Bass Yaks probably has a electric kit for the Oasis and could sell you the kit and help you with the battery support.

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2009 Oasis
2012 Freedom Hawk Pathfinder

Wonder what amount of floation is needed to float 70 pounds. I know I weigh "x" amount out of the water and when I am in the water I weight "y" amount or less. 70 pound battery will still weight 70 pounds in the water due to density.

Maybe a long bunge cord that would allow you to filp the yak back over and then pull up the battery six or seven feet. That six or seven feet of rope would give a little more movement in turning over the yak.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

Hi Thinwaterskinner,

A cubic foot of sealed airspace supports 65# of weight if that's any help to your question.

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Roger
2010 Oasis
Lucie Belle

Thanks, that is less airspace then I thought it would take...