Can you just ground a battery to an aluminum boat

[lawnboy]

Can you just ground a battery to an aluminum boat then ground all the electrons right at their location? Or am I risking burning a hole through the boat?

[ESOX]

NO. I have seen many hulls with pitting from the hull being used as a ground.

[Jason Adam]

I have to agree with ESOX, don't do it...

[TONGA]

No no no no no,,don't do it,,,also I once read somewhere that the electrical aoura put out by your boat will drive fish away
I have only read that once and I can't vouch for the scientific facts,
But why take a chance,,,but for sure you do not want to do,,like ESOX said your boat will pit,,,
Go to the cavitation plate on your outboard and have a look at the zink anode,,,ok see all the pits in it,,,now do you want your boat hull to look like that ?

[Banditto]

Not only that if the battery is only marginally made it will go BOOM! and splatter battery acid all over--not a fun thing to have happen. I didn't it accidentally at work one time, but with a fuel line. long story.

[TONGA]

Banditto,,I have time ! lets hear the long story ?

[Shakespeare]

Ok. From now on the reason I didn't catch any fish was because my electrical aura was too strong.:D

[Banditto]

Ok. Probably shouldn't tell the story, but here goes (purposefully shorter than it could be).

I work in a test lab that test car powertrains in a simulator. So we have all accessories like alternators, a/c, etc. Setting up a new installation, and had to do something abnormal by using a vehicle battery harnes rather than our special custom jobs. This entailed putting the battery closer to the engine than in it's normal battery box. And rather than use a battery box it was on the floor. So I move a steel fuel line to get to something. In a minute or so I here a strange noise, a sort of gurgling noise? strange me thinks, but what could it be? I look down and not only is the fuel line bright orange (oh and by the way this is a never ending fuel source under high pressure) but the battery is sputtering acid out and starting to smell like sulpher. I quickly kicked the fuel line off and dove for cover. Luckily it didn't burst, but later it was discolored like it went through a heat treat. but the battery had melted down and in the process blew out one of the cells. Acid was everywhere. and of course I didn't tell anybody... just quietly vented the fumes and cleaned it up. (and changed my shorts)

[Bassmastergm]

Does anyone know if you can purchase a zinc plate to attach to the boat and if so where and how should this be done?

[TONGA]

I think you can order them from BPS,,but I am not sure?

[ESOX]

West Marine, or you could just get one for an outboard. Not really neccessary on a small aluminum boat in fresh water if its wired properly.