I'm new to the long tail family and was wondering what type of battery I should use on my 35 Backwater. Im running a 42" LED light bar, Lowrance HDS 12, running lights and bilge pump. Wasn't sure if I could get away with a smaller battery or not. Thank in advance.

I know BW suggests you can use a small tractor type battery to reduce weight but if you are using those devices, get you the best battery and most CCA's you can get. It has been suggested here, and something I will eventually do, is to have tandem batteries with a perko type switch to be sure you don't get stranded. I also have a trickle charger to keep it juiced, was glad I looked at mine, the water level was way low. I know I get a new battery every two years, they simply don't last longer in the heat/humidity down here. Another option is to have a main battery and one of those re-chargeable jump packs.
I have had good results with AC Delco, Interstate, wish I could afford an Optima.

Thank you. Im familiar with Perko as I have them in my bass boat. Thanks for your wisdom.

Have had good luck over the years with the big exide cranking battery, couple different blue top optimas, an interstate (group 31 marine cranking), and a dual purpose neverstart (wal mart special). Keep it charged, and it'll last a long time. I don't use anything with less than 750 mca. Used these on a 24 honda longtail, a 27hp kawasaki sd, a stock 35 sd, and a heavily modded 35 sd. I've had starter issues on my current motor (the last 3 have shit the bed for various reasons), but seeing as how that's been on 3 different model batteries, I'd have to say the batteries weren't the problem.

What made me forget about the tractor batteries, although maybe I would have one as an accessory-backup, is that I put my battery up under the bow storage area of my 16 foot hull, mainly because there was not enough space for both the gas tank and battery in the back. I also benefitted from more weight up front, but I found out I had to use larger gauge wire on that long run, thus necessitating more amps on startup meaning a larger battery was a must.

After being stranded a couple times with a dead battery, I now run a dual battery set up with a selector switch. Haven't had an issue since. I run multiple accessories on my rig as well and do not have the CDI motor with the 50 amp charging system. So I periodically run the trickle charger on both batteries just to be sure. Carrying the extra 25-30 lbs. battery is worth not being stranded 10 miles from the ramp. I never notice the extra weight but i'm running a modded sd. so......

Good info from all. I do appreciate it.

The starter doesn't know how far the battery is away from it. It doesn't just decide to increase it's current draw because it's further from the battery. Current draw would only increase because of a voltage drop. Voltage drop happens because the wire is too small. You don't need a bigger battery because the load is further away, you need larger wire. If the battery is sufficient to power the load from 6 inches away, it's still sufficient to power the same load from 20 feet away.

Yes, I was agreeing with you. Just went a little more in depth on the physics lesson.

I have swamp light 23 so our rigs are different but I took Jakes advice and went small battery. I'm running 12" light bar, running lights, bilge and interior lights. Not a problem so far. But like Jake told me, if your battery goes down just rope start it.

No rope start on the 35 Back Water

I run 2 small garden tractor batteries separately in my big boat. One for lights, speaker, and depthfinder I've only been able to find small plastic battery boxes from Amazon.
I have been thinking of getting a deep cycle for the accessories and stick with the little battery for cranking. I've never run the cranking battery down as it has a stator, but the other one gets pretty weak after a long night of catfishing.
The added weight of multiple batteries is peace of mind when nobody knows where I am, including me.

Thank you gents, I stand corrected! What I meant to say was the larger higher CCA battery was my choice for the stated reasons of accessories, and I am not about to chance one small tractor battery alone. As others have said, a few more pounds of battery is worth not being stranded. That tractor battery might get the job done with the long wire run but why take the chance? I am sure some of your weight savings are offset by the beer cooler or that rotund friend of yours!

Yea, that's not even remotely what you said or what you were trying to say.

Glad there is some logical outcome to all this bullshit.

This statement is interesting "that tractor battery might get the job done with the long wire run but why take the chance". If the wire is sized appropriately for the run length, the battery being small doesn't matter. It will get the job done. Not "might". If the wire isn't sized large enough, then battery size is irrelevant and only provides the juice for melted shit. What chance are you taking with a smaller battery and a long wire run? I typically have a group 31 size battery, so I'm not using a small one, but the physics of current, voltage, etc prove it doesn't matter. If the battery has the amps to crank the engine, it has them.

Optima blue top or interstate 27 series or bigger..... 900 CCA is better for the cold weather.... I have the older 29hp Briggs, which only is a 20amp charging system at half throttle.... so I trickle charge me batteries before I go out.... one battery stays hooked up and the other is in the bow as a spare... I need to hook up a perko but haven't got around to it


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