Canoe owners that use a trolling motor

[Andy Taylor]

How do you secure your trolling motor battery in your canoe? 

 

Thanks.

[jim49]

Had a canoe using a trolling motor and put the battery in the rear in a Milk cart and secured it with bungy cords on the cross bar.

[Andy Taylor]

Thanks. I guess it depends on the canoe. It seems like a lot of the canoes out there have no way to secure a battery.

[Further North]

Battery box lashed to underside of seat.

 

...but I haven't tried it on my current canoe.

[Goose52]

In a MK battery box in the bow - it's not strapped down - it just sits there:

 

 

 

[Andy Taylor]

Thanks guys. Here in Wisconsin a battery has to be secured properly.

[Goose52]

10 hours ago, Andy Taylor said:

Thanks guys. Here in Wisconsin a battery has to be secured properly.

 

Interesting.  Well, I'm a big believer in using a battery box so I'd still recommend that. As far as securing the box, not knowing what type of canoe you have, and where you want to keep the battery (aft, midships, forward), it's hard to come up with a recommendation.  The aforementioned bungee cords might be an option if Wisconsin considers that "secured properly." You could attach brackets to the battery box that would then attach to the seat structure, or brackets that extend laterally from the box and clamp to the thwarts, either of which would fairly well secure the battery. Or...

 

Whatever method you come up with, you have to give consideration to whether you need to remove the battery when transporting the boat or when at home charging the battery.  You don't want to make it too hard to remove it from the boat.

[fishnkamp]

Is that a state regulation and if so they should have some boating brochure with examples of what is acceptable.

[Andy Taylor]

Yes, it's a state regulation. I need to check into it further. I don't have a canoe, but I may get one in the future.

[Darren.]

Interesting if state mandated. I never did so when I

trolled with my canoe. Usually placed the battery in 

a mid-forward location to balance better. T M was 

mounted behind me on a 2x2 hollow aluminum square

my Dad got me from a local aluminum welder.

[Andy Taylor]

This is how the law reads:

 

"It is unlawful to operate a motorized vessel equipped with a storage battery unless the battery is secured against shifting. The battery must be equipped with nonconductive terminal shields to prevent accidental shorting. Both the positive and negative terminals must be covered. A covered battery box with a strap is best".

[J Francho]

26 minutes ago, Andy Taylor said:

A covered battery box with a strap is best

 

Sounds like there's your answer.

[Andy Taylor]

2 hours ago, J Francho said:

 

Sounds like there's your answer.

 

Partly. It still has to be "secured against shifting".

[Further North]

19 hours ago, Andy Taylor said:

Thanks guys. Here in Wisconsin a battery has to be secured properly.

 

Thought you were in NC.

 

As a fellow Wisconsinite...attach it to the seat...center is best, but front if you are fishing by yourself...

[Andy Taylor]

Thanks all

[fishnkamp]

You could easily use a battery box as suggested. Mount the battery box to a piece of wood using the straps so that the box can't slide side to side. The wood should just fit side to side on the canoe so nothing can move.   You could easily make a way to bungee the entire setup to a seat as well. Check this video out.

 

[Rob96]

My battery is in a battery box which is in a milk crate. I run the canoe backwards (rear is the front) . The milk crate is up front and can't shift. The wires run through a piece of 3/4" PVC to the trolling motor. 

[WestBranch]

On 6/23/2017 at 3:29 PM, Andy Taylor said:

This is how the law reads:

 

"It is unlawful to operate a motorized vessel equipped with a storage battery unless the battery is secured against shifting. The battery must be equipped with nonconductive terminal shields to prevent accidental shorting. Both the positive and negative terminals must be covered. A covered battery box with a strap is best".

 

 

Old town sells an mk battery box, that has all of that plus an in line fuse

 

[BrianSnat]

Here is a discussion of the same issue on he paddling.com website.  The consensus seems to be glued down D rings

https://forums.paddling.com/discussion/1686463/cargo-tie-down-in-the-canoe