"Jim" wrote in message
...


However, based on that
limited experience noted above, in addition to the required life
jackets for the passenger or two, there WILL also be a life jacket
attached to the battery itself, just in case. :^)


If you are expecting the life jacket to save the battery in case of an upset
then you better strap a couple of them on!

I would assume that you would be trying to save an optima battery, as any
lead acid would become worthless once it was dunked or turned over.

An Optima D34 weighs about 44 pounds. It is pretty dense, measuring in at
10 x 6.8 x 7.8 (ignoring all the contours that would reduce its flotation)
it will displace 530 cu inches of water when it gets dunked. The 530 cu-in
would displace 530 cu-in/231 cu-in per gallon = 2.29 gallons of water, which
would weigh 2.29* 8.3 lbs per gallon = 19 pounds.

44 pounds dry - 19 pounds displacement and you still have 25 pounds you need
to float.

The regulation for a type II or III life jacket is that they have a minimum
of 15.5 pounds of floatation. It will take at least two life jackets to
support the battery.

Of course, the battery should be strapped down to the boat so its the boat
you need to keep from sinking.


Rod