Duke01 where did you mount your batteries? I also would like to mount mine forward but I not know where.

The recess in the cabin floor would seem like a good spot. I’d make a frame out of Ipe or some hardwood to keep them from sliding around and anchor them down. A few stainless screws through the frame into the sides of the recess should hold it down fine - with batteries in it, it’s not going to be very inclined to lift up.

There’s a drain hole to the bilge in case they leak (and you can rinse them off if needed). It’s as low as they can go so keeps the center of gravity low and I’d think you can drill a hole up high on the side of the recess and fish the cables along the side to the engine compartment in the stern (I’d pull a rod box and confirm that before doing any drilling). Before drilling, find a rubber grommet to protect the wires where they pass through the wall and drill the right sized hole for it.

Just thinking out loud but it’s what I’d be looking at doing.

Steplift20,

My 78' has one large access panel in the floor, roughly 2 x 5 ft. I placed the batteries under this hatch, forward of the gas tank on a piece of plywood which I coated with resin. I ended up using 5200 to secure the plywood. They are about even with the helm, pretty much mid-ship from a fore and aft prospective. I placed the batteries to the port side to off-set the weight of my 10 hp kicker which is on the starboard side of the transom. She goes in the water this weekend. I will follow-up and let you know how she sits in the water. Previously my splash well drains were 2" under water...not so good.

Hopefully that makes sense. I need to figure out how to add images.

Hey Duke,

Two things:
1) Is your V a cuddly - in my ‘85, the hatch is a lot smaller than yours?
2) When you figure out how to post pictures, would you post a tutorial or maybe repost one that you find here (I think Destroyer posted something on the subject a while back). I’d like to post pictures but I’m too buried with work to research it.

Thanks - Scott

Hah - well I should have read the next post about posting pictures:embarsed:

Yes, my 78' is a cuddy. I can try to put together a rough tutorial, but I am certainly no electrician - I too am busy as usual in this Spring.

Let's see how my first attempt to upload a file looks...

This is before final wiring with Blue Seas terminal strips.

I meant tutorial about posting pictures but there was one in another post the same day.

Your setup is different than mine. On my ‘85, my gas tank fills the space where your batteries are, I have a recess in the floor inside the caddy cabin that’s much smaller than your compartment but I think it would take a couple of batteries.

Okay...the image post through Imgur worked pretty good.

Regarding the battery relocation, I still have water in the splash well and the scuppers are still just below the water line. Moving the 2 batteries forward did not have the impact I was hoping for. The overall side profile looks good, so I guess I will just have to live with it and focus on moving other stored items forward.

The boat is still new to me. I will learn how she rides over the summer. Just a little concerned about trolling with a following sea. Lake Huron's Saginaw Bay is pretty shallow with short wave intervals.

Do the obvious things like moving the cooler and as much gear as possible forward? Put a 6 gal can of gas up front and leave that amount out of your main tank... or, just fill up 2 6 gal gas cans with water and put them up front for ballast. (That's 100 lbs right there) :head:

Yes, that is the plan Destroyer. It will work out fine...not sure why I was expecting that moving 90 lbs from the aft to mid-ship was going to make a huge difference. I am sure it helped some.