75 Evinrude 20hp.

Has a generator that puts out 12vAC, and 7 point something amps. (Can't
find the book right now)
It works, and powers the lights. But not when the motor's not running. ;-)
Looking at putting in a small battery.

My question...why does it put out 12v AC? Was it too expensive to gear it
up to pump out 12.6vDC and be able to charge a battery?

I'd like to use the generator to run my lights, but the majority of the time
I'd need the lights, the motor would be shut off, and I'd be anchored,
fishing. I'd need to leave the motor idling.

I'd like to get a small battery and run the lights and maybe a couple other
trinkets off it...small AM/FM radio, cig lighter...that's about it. My plan
was to use the generator to charge the battery, 'till I read the book and
saw the 12vAC thing.......

Thoughts? Simple Solutions? (read 'cheap' and 'easy')

I'l likely wire everything up so I can run the lights off the motor when
under way, and then unplug from the motor and have a female plug attached to
the battery and plug into that when I stop to fish. Ugh...that'll be a
pain, though...