<< Subj: Gel Batteries
Date: 98-12-22 13:40:26 EST
From: haley@sgenaa.cc.geneseo.edu (John Haley)
To: wwpotter@tscnet.com
Greetings,
Mr. Boatsalesman is telling me that a gel battery is overkill for sailors
in the Northeast. His point is that any battery only has a life of 5 years
or so and the premium you pay for a gel battery is not justified with a 5
month sailing season.
I thought the whole gel idea was to prevent battery acid leaking out if the
battery (boat?!?) upended.
Your thoughts?
Regards,
John Haley
P15 #391 moving to Precision 18
Rochester NY
John Haley
Systems Manager
Administration and Finance
SUNY Geneseo
haley@sgenaa.cc.geneseo.edu
716.245.5548
>>
I have used regular 130 AMP/ 200 min reserve RV batteries on my boats for last
40 years... None has lasted more than 3 years... None has spilled any liquid
inside my boat... Not even after several knockdowns (laying on side with sails
in drink). If you are still worried you can get sealed liquid batteries...
Mr. Boatsalesman is out to maximize his profit on his sale... He is not out to
protect your wallet... In fray for almighty dollar truth often goes out back
window in a black plastic bag, at high speed...
A regular battery in a case will spill very little liquid, if none at all,
while sailing. Few batteries make it to year 3... Constant storage,
undercharged, for extended periods kills them quicker than any use... IMHO:
The most important characteristic is the Reserve capacity. More so than what
type it is...
Only way you would uppend a sailboat is if you fail to lower that keel befo
you raise sail... If you do upend battery will be submerged and subjected to
homicide (killed). If in saltwater it will be toast... You could suffer a
knockdown in winds over 50MPH. But she will right up if you let go of
sheets... Anyway, who goes out in that kinda weather? Not me! anymore...
A lot of people that sail in Bays, lakes and protected waterways prepare their
boats for long distance offshore cruising - total overkill. I have always
sailed ocean and the major catastrophes are running ashore on beach or just
plain getting wet. Running onto a reef/breakwater/inlet in heavy seas, at
night, during a rainstorm is my specialty... Nothing is going to prevent your
boat from wrecking if you run it onto a reef at night during a gale... Like
airplanes (landing/take off) the really dangerous parts of ocean sailing are
entrance and exit to inlets. (In Florida it's the boat ramp)
But then that is just my opinion... A lot of people are terrified needlessly
of the ocean from continuously reading books about ocean disasters... You
know... If you watch movies of sharks eating humans for awhile, after a time
you become terrified of them way out of proportion to reality... If you are
subjected to continuous shows on home invasion you go out and buy bigger
(hopefully) tougher locks or replace the wood door with a steel one on a steel
frame. You begin to feel naked without a gun... But then a gun in a drawer is
not much help during an invasion... What you gonna do? Ask them to wait
outside while you go dig out your old rusty unused gun? In any case, who
wants to walk around the house with a gun in his back pocket all the time? How
the heck did I get into this? Hmmm....
Wish you all Sunny days and beautifull nights, Cheers...
and happier thoughts and ideas...
Let's think positive...
Mewwy Cwistmas and Happy Nu yeah
Solar fry