storing your boat inbetween trips

[sweetwater]

Our boat is stored in the basement. It's never used from November through February. About every week of so we'll turn the engine over for about 5 seconds with the kill cord pulled, then we'll top the batteries off. We'll also run a heavier than usual dose of Sta bil Marine through the fuel system during the last trip of the year. It's always good to go the first time out.

[air1lch]

Waterdog,
Curious about #9. "Never use a portable heater or auto battery charger in bilge."
Why not leave charger comected during winter months? I leave my 3 bank charger connected (Dec-Feb). 2 banks to the trolling batteries and 1 bank to the starting. I was told this will help prevent build up on the plates and keep them fully-charged without affecting life of battery?
Am I wrong? Am I better off to pull and store in garage, basement, etc...?

[waterdog101]

Waterdog,
Curious about #9. "Never use a portable heater or auto battery charger in bilge."
Why not leave charger comected during winter months? I leave my 3 bank charger connected (Dec-Feb). 2 banks to the trolling batteries and 1 bank to the starting. I was told this will help prevent build up on the plates and keep them fully-charged without affecting life of battery?
Am I wrong? Am I better off to pull and store in garage, basement, etc...?

my friend, I have no idea what #9 is about, I copied and posted the list of 10 tips to winterize a boat. trying to help the guy that asked what to do to winterize a boat. I use my boat every chance I get, sometimes it will sit for a month or more, what I do after i get back home from a fishing trip is, back it in the garage and plug up the battery chargers and leave them plugged in, they kick on and off as needed. I run fuel stabilizer in my boat year round, change oil in the lower unit once a year. and the boat is always ready when I am.

[GeoFisher]

Waterdog,
Curious about #9. "Never use a portable heater or auto battery charger in bilge."
Why not leave charger comected during winter months? I leave my 3 bank charger connected (Dec-Feb). 2 banks to the trolling batteries and 1 bank to the starting. I was told this will help prevent build up on the plates and keep them fully-charged without affecting life of battery?
Am I wrong? Am I better off to pull and store in garage, basement, etc...?

I usually leave it connected too. I think they are worried about an enclosed spaces and the buildup of Hydrogen gas, which is a byproduct of charging lead acid batteries.

A heat source in the bilge area, if it is enclosed, while charging is a good way to blow things up..

And leaving an old, poor charger hooked up all the time is a good way to destroy a battery.

That said, I always plug my boat in when I get home, and usually unplug it after it is fully charged. Then, when I'm ready to go, I usually plug it in the night before to top off or whatever, and head down the road. When charging, I always crack the lid to vent any gasses that are created by charging.

Later,

Geo