Thread: Boat Wiring

I have a 15 ft duracraft, and was wondering what is the best thing to wire the boat with? I have been looking through boat projects on here and am really liking all of the ideas.

In my opinion 8 gauge would be plenty to fully wire you boat!!
Lance

What exactly are you wiring?

Sorry, shoulda been more specific. I have a battery in the back of my boat and want to run wires from the front for my trolling motor and fish finder, I also have a 25 merc hooked up on the batter, and I hook running lights up in the dark. Too much for one battery? I have never crappie fished in the dark, I either am checking trot lines or running jugs. I have think I have some 12/2 in romax?? Would that work? Also I am thinking about moving battery to the front but that seems like a long way to run my boat battery, I dont think the factory wires would be long enough. Could I splice my rear running light and my electric start together? The wire on the running lights is extremely small what is the best way to wire them up? I currently have everything run on old extension cord, it works but I know there has got to be a better way.

You can use 16 gauge wire for lights with no problem. Trolling motors have to be handled different to be safe due to the high amperage they pull. Romex is defiantly not a good choice. It is solid wire and will not last long in a marine environment. Tell me what size TM you have and how far away the battery is and I can compute the safest size wire you can use.

IBNFSHN thx for the help and congrats, you had me walk out to the boat in the dark. lol. The TM is a minn kota 33lb thrust. Depending on how I wire up the battery could be almost under the TM or could be in the back of the boat, which would be ball park of 13 ft or pretty close its foot controlled. If not romex then what should I use and were can I get it? Also what should I connect with or does it matter. I have about six foot of factory wire with my motor if I put the battery up front, what should I use to run the additional wire?

Why not put a battery in the front and one in the rear.The front battery runs everything up front,then the rear battery starts the gas motor and runs the stearn light.

If you put the battery in the back of the boat use #8 stranded wire. This will cover you should you ever decide to upgrade your TM to a 55lb motor. If you are positive you will never upgrade, #10 will work. Don't forget to put a 40 amp fuse or circuit breaker ay the pos side of the battery. While marine grade wire is by far the best the stuff they sell at Lowe's or Home Depot will work just fine.

Thx again. I have thought about two batteries but it almost seems like a waste of a battery to have it hooked just to the motor, I don't get to fish a lot and I especially don't use my running lights very much. The motor pull cranks fine but the owners manual said it needed to always be hooked to a battery. If I can afford two batteries I may do that. Would not have done the fuse without the suggestion but I will now.

One other thing. Get some dielectric grease.



You can find it in two areas of your local auto parts. One is in the automotive light bulb section and the other is in the spark plug section. The stuff with the spark plugs is usually cheaper. Use this on your connectors and connections and you'll be corrosion free.