Battery/water conductivity question?

[Gone Fishing]

As the water temps are nearing the 40’s and the gales of November approaching, I have a question. With all the hardware and accessories I have added to my boat, the discharge of my floor overboard scuppers are actually a little below the water line. If one of the hoses ever failed the boat would start to fill. My battery placement is very low in the rear of the boat and I question if I would know the boat is sinking before the water level covered the battery terminals. I have a good bilge pump and another back-up on board, but would these accessories function if the battery terminals are submerged? I know water conducts electricity, but is it a good enough conductor to short the battery? I would like to think that if the worst happened, I could still make a mayday call on my radio. Any thoughts?

[ESOX]

I think more of a concern would be the electrolite becoming diluted, which is hardly an the issue with modern sealed batteries. I have been on boats (twice) where the batteries were submerged and we had no loss of power, but as they say, Don't try this at home boys and girls!

[SARDog]

It is okay, but salt water is where you have to worry, the batteries will blow up.

[Gone Fishing]

Thanks guys. Hey Paul, glad to hear you had a positive experience with the submerged batteries. The reason I asked the question is because little Paul wanted to bring a friend fishing this weekend and the boy’s dad said he couldn’t go. I was thinking geez, why not let the kid go fishing, what could go wrong? I have 2 radios, 2 gps’s, 2 bilge pumps and self-inflating life jackets that the boys would be wearing. Anyway, the above scenario popped in my head and I wasn’t sure of the answer. Thanks for the replies!

[MSUICEMAN]

i do not believe that the batteries have a high enough current (amps) to bridge across a simple water connection with any real effect. but thats just me, experience will tell the truth.

steve

[Take Five]

WE made a boat from a truck tire tube in which the battery hung in a milk crate in the middle. The battery (sealed) was almost always submerged over the top and always worked just as long as it would not submerged in a regular boat. It powered a 12# thrust electric trolling motor.

I would make sure that both of those bilge pumps worked before each trip!!

Wayne