20' Seafari: The Resurrection

[Bushwacker]

Originally Posted by SailorChlud

. . . I was wondering where you decided to place your batteries and battery switch. Also, did you install a charging relay too?

John,

On my '72 4-stringer hull, I dug out the foam between the 2 stringers under stbd seat, and found enough room for a large battery box and a group 27 battery. A strip of 1/2" PVC board under one edge of the box raised it up enough to sit about level in the boat. I have a smaller battery in the stock location out at the chine. There is still enough room between the batteries for 100' of line and my stern anchor.

Some later boats may have a layer of glass over the area between the stringers but a sawzall would easily remove that. Don't think I'd want to do that on a '73 and later hull with the 2 box stringers however!

I put battery switch right in front of stbd seat as shown in first pic. It's easy to reach there when boat is on trailer, makes for short wiring runs, plus I did not want a battery switch under a hatch - had a friend who lost a 36' Viking because his switch was under a hatch! He had an electrical fire in engine room which set off his automatic Halon system which put out the fire, but when he lifted the hatch to turn off the switch, the fire reignited and boat burnt to the waterline and sank just a couple miles out of Palm Beach inlet! I have not installed an automatic charging relay because if I have a battery going bad, I want to know that. I'm afraid an automatic system might disguise a problem!