Starter battery size

For MacGregor/Venture owners in Australia and discussions about country-specific sailing-related topics.
Post Reply
User avatar
Nautek
First Officer
Posts: 253
Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2008 2:55 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Tingoora, Queensland, Australia ~ "MacSea"

Starter battery size

Post by Nautek »

I need to replace the starter battery for my 50 hp Suzuki
What size do others use?
Eg CCA?

Allan
User avatar
sunshinecoasting
First Officer
Posts: 371
Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2013 5:00 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Sunshine Coast Queensland Australia - "Entropy" Nissan 50 CDI Furling Jib

Re: Starter battery size

Post by sunshinecoasting »

Hi Allen,
I have a 50hp Nissan (Tohatsu) and use a 550CCA battery, never lets me down and seems to have more than enough power to crank the motor when needed. What CCA value is your old battery? Just buy the same if it was working well.

P.S. Have you ever sailed on lake Barambah? It is on my to do list but would like to know if it is worthwhile doing or not?

Cheers, Dennis.
User avatar
Nautek
First Officer
Posts: 253
Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2008 2:55 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Tingoora, Queensland, Australia ~ "MacSea"

Re: Starter battery size

Post by Nautek »

Dennis
Not sure of the CCA of the old battery it is not on it hence the inquiry

No haven't sailed on Boondooma Dam but will do one day
I have sailed on BP Dam but not with the Mac

Allan
User avatar
Mac26Mpaul
Admiral
Posts: 1066
Joined: Mon Jun 14, 2010 2:36 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Gold Coast, Australia 26M "Little Annie" Etec 50

Re: Starter battery size

Post by Mac26Mpaul »

I just go without one :) I have two duel purpose 105a/h batteries in parallel that fit perfectly in the battery compartment and handle starting and house duties, works just fine (with my 120 panel for a bit of charging). I usually take my cheap little generator as a backup charging supply when we go away.

I confess I dont get on the forums much,,, but I seem to remember you bought a trawler a few years back and were getting rid of your Mac Allen :?
User avatar
Nautek
First Officer
Posts: 253
Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2008 2:55 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Tingoora, Queensland, Australia ~ "MacSea"

Re: Starter battery size

Post by Nautek »

You have a good memory that was a few years ago
Yes i did buy a trawler and have sold it now
Couldn't bring myself to sell the mac
Just getting it ready for some coastal trips next year
With your solar panel where do you mount it?
I am trying to decide what to do with mine

Allan
User avatar
Mac26Mpaul
Admiral
Posts: 1066
Joined: Mon Jun 14, 2010 2:36 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Gold Coast, Australia 26M "Little Annie" Etec 50

Re: Starter battery size

Post by Mac26Mpaul »

Ahh :) yeah i confess I pretty much had our boat sold a few years back, had a decent enough offer and all, the plan was to buy a different trailer sailer, but then I chickened out... I was thinking an RL28 might be the way to go, sails a little better, and better outside, but just too dam heavy on the trailer, and much more hassle to launch and retrieve. The Mac is surely one of the easiest to launch and retrieve (in good conditions) trailer sailers there is and since I do it mostly by myself, thats a big plus about this boat.

People kept asking me about my solar setup, so I put up a video of it. Its a great spot for the panel I find, but a bit harder to sort on the X of course.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzdVypTGmk0

What Coastal passages are you looking at doing? I'd really love to do Gold Coast to the Whitsundays, but I know my family would not enjoy that, and I just dont have that sort of time to play with....
User avatar
Nautek
First Officer
Posts: 253
Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2008 2:55 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Tingoora, Queensland, Australia ~ "MacSea"

Re: Starter battery size

Post by Nautek »

I was thinking Bundaberg ( mainly because i have a place to leave car and trailer) to Great Keppel for starters and all places in between
Then possibly father afield if all goes well as i would be single handed

Allan
User avatar
Mac26Mpaul
Admiral
Posts: 1066
Joined: Mon Jun 14, 2010 2:36 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Gold Coast, Australia 26M "Little Annie" Etec 50

Re: Starter battery size

Post by Mac26Mpaul »

Now that sounds like a great trip, stopping in at Heron etc on the way.

I sure wish some of you blokes that do these great trips would post some videos of your adventures :)
User avatar
Nautek
First Officer
Posts: 253
Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2008 2:55 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Tingoora, Queensland, Australia ~ "MacSea"

Re: Starter battery size

Post by Nautek »

It is unfortunate that the myth around the world is that Macs can't make coastal passages
People are missing out on the fact that this type of vessel is great for gunkholeing
I think this thought comes from unskilled sailors that get frightened by an event early in their sailing days
They don't know what they are missing

Allan
User avatar
Mac26Mpaul
Admiral
Posts: 1066
Joined: Mon Jun 14, 2010 2:36 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Gold Coast, Australia 26M "Little Annie" Etec 50

Re: Starter battery size

Post by Mac26Mpaul »

I have no doubt that with a keen weather eye, the Mac could coastal hop the East Coast of Oz. It would be nowhere near as comfy as a nice 6 ton keeler out there, and will possibly drive you batty with a following sea for too long, but certainly doable (with a good autohelm...) I'd say.
Blokes have done it in less seaworthy boats, starting with old Mathew Flinders who did Wreck Reef to Sydney in an 29 foot open wooden boat in 1803..
Boblee
Admiral
Posts: 1702
Joined: Thu Aug 10, 2006 5:08 am
Location: Berrigan, Riverina Australia boatless at present

Re: Starter battery size

Post by Boblee »

G'day all who read this.
Good to see a few familiar faces on here, pop in every now and then, today because I recommended the Mac on another forum discussing this http://boatahome.com.au

Will have a browse round and fix my profile now as our internet address has changed, the best thing we did was buy the Mac and no other combination in the world could do what we did with it but the above does look better than earlier models.
User avatar
Nautek
First Officer
Posts: 253
Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2008 2:55 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Tingoora, Queensland, Australia ~ "MacSea"

Re: Starter battery size

Post by Nautek »

There used to be an eldery couple who sailed the Qld coast in a Careel 18
Haven't heard of them for years

Allan
Post Reply