The starting battery in my boat has gone bad. It is 5 years old and no longer holds a charge. I am severely short on funds right now and can't afford the $65 for a new Marine Starting Battery. Can I use an automotive starting battery for one or two fishing trips?

Yes, but be sure to recharge it before you put it back in your vehicle.

The starting battery in my boat has gone bad. It is 5 years old and no longer holds a charge. I am severely short on funds right now and can't afford the $65 for a new Marine Starting Battery. Can I use an automotive starting battery for one or two fishing trips?

Do you have an Interstate Batteries near you or another brand distributor? If so give them a call. ask them if they sell BLEM batteries. These are batteries that have a defect that come direct from the plant. The defect can be as simple as a dinged case or the post has a flaw in it etc. These batteries sell for half the price and can last you years. Will probably carry a 30 day warranty.. I would not hesitate to look into this.

ALSO bring your bad battery with you. These type places will tend to try and hit you with what they call a core charge. Basically they want a battery in return for every battery they sell.. Other places will even buy your bad battery from you...

Hope this helps

Is there any reason to buy a Marine Starting battery instead of a cheap automotive starting battery?

Marine starting batteries are designed to take more shock and vibration than their automotive counterparts. The offroad vehicles we see on TV normally run AGM or gell cell batteries for the same reasons, plus they can be turned upside down without damage. Marine batteries are just built to handle a little more abuse from rough water.......................Al

My cranking battery is a standard Walmart 24 Series automotive battery. It has served me well, but then I don't go screaming across the lake banging into the wave tops.