Date: Feb-28-2001

Name: Rick Clunn B.A.S.S. Pro

About: Boat Batteries

Boat batteries were a long-time source of frustration for Rick Clunn.

Then, after years of experimentation, Clunn settled on a unique battery set-up for his Nitro that has completely lived up to his expectations. He switched from three 12-volt marine batteries to four 6-volt golf-cart batteries to power both his outboard and trolling motor.

“I was getting tired of running batteries down and I can run any trolling motor down, especially if it has an ounce of age on it,” explained the four-time BASS Masters Classic champion. “Most 12-volt systems that I’ve ever run hard are only good for a full day, even if they have a full charge. I don’t care what anybody says, they are good for one day and that’s all.

“And that’s assuming you get a full charge every night. So many times you get around these old marinas that have bad wiring and you share the electricity with 200 boats. By the third night, you will be getting a little less and less of a charge. You probably won’t notice it until you get into a bad situation.

“With this (golf-cart battery) set-up, I can run three days without charging — even with my trolling motor on high speed in extreme conditions that would limit most battery systems to one day. And I run a trolling motor harder than 99 percent of the people out there. So even if a storm came up half-way through the night and I only got a half charge, I still have a two-day back-up (supply) in my battery system.”

Clunn learned to appreciate that longevity while camping out on the rugged shores of Nevada’s Lake Mead (where there was no current for charging batteries) during the three-day practice period for a tournament. That was a true test because for Clunn, practice days are considerably longer than tournament hours. His practice sessions run from “dark to dark.”

The innovative Texan believes that the 6-volt golf-cart batteries are able to withstand daily re-charging and hold a charge far better than the traditional 12-volt batteries used by anglers. He rigs the batteries in series (positive to negative) to take full advantage of their power.

The golf-cart batteries are similar in size to deep-cycle marine batteries, only slightly taller. But they add some extra weight to the battery area where most fishermen utilize three 12-volt batteries. Like most batteries today, the golf-cart versions require little maintenance.

“There’s a little more weight and the extra battery takes up more room, but the advantages far out-weigh those disadvantages,” Clunn said. “Nothing comes close to the performance of this battery system. It enables me to fish as long and as hard as I want without worrying about running out of battery juice.”

By Tim Tucker