Dual Purpose battery or Crank and Deep Cycle?

[Loon]

Hi, guys...

Just bought my first electric start and I'm trying to decide between a dual purpose or have one of each battery.

I fish the Mississippi 95% of the time so weight is an issue.

I use two locaters and a trolling motor with lights coming on sparingly.

Should I save myself 60 lbs by going dual purpose?

Pros and cons of going each way would be appreciated.

Brandon

[Wanderer]

Personally I would keep your electronics and motor on one battery and your trolling motor on its own.

With a long day of fishing on the trolling motor you might run it too low to crank your motor.

[solbes]

Having two batteries can also save you in a pinch. I ran out of gas once far from shore on Pelican lake (bad gas gauge). My trolling motor battery was pretty weak after use all weekend. Luckily I had a dual purpose for motor/electronics and used that to get home.

[fishin58]

I tried hooking both up to one battery, troller and engine. This lasted about 4 hours and the battery didn't have enough ooomph to kick over the big motor. I had 2 angry fishing partners, but I had to try it and DON"T do it.

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

I did this for 20 years on my '85 Alumacraft Lunker 16SS. My motor would charge my battery when running and I never ran out of juice.

BUT, the trolling motor was a Minn Kota 765, not a huge power draw. I also installed a battery gauge and would keep my eye on it.

The biggest issue is how much are you going to using your trolling motor and how much juice does it draw?

- Wish

[fishin58]

That was my thought also about the recharging of the battery. But it didnt happen to mine, i have a 50lb minnkota and a 100hp 1989 Evinrude.

[overdalimit]

I have three batts one for starting and two for the trolling motor.