Pontoon Boat Battery questions (motor, electric, buy, Tahoe)

[wit-nit]

I have a 16 ft Tahoe Pontoon Boat that needs 3 batteries. The batteries are now dead after 5 years. We live on a small private lake and are only allowed to go 5 mph. We only use the boat 4-5 times a year for an hour or so.

It has only one electric motor. The current (dead) batteries are Marine NC-27's with 525 CCA's, we use a Minn Kota charger. Whether we use the boat or not they get charged up every 30 days or right after the boat has been out and back. Charging time is usually 24 hours as directed by the dealer.

I'm looking for recommendations as to which is a best buy of replacement batteries to buy. Where I bought the original boat and batteries they are out of business.

I've had suggestions to just buy automotive batteries such as AutoZone Gold Duralast, Sears Diehard, Walmart's Everstart or Ever Maxx, then also Interstate Marine Battery, Cabella's Marine, Batteries Plus Marine, Sam's club batteries, Ace Hardware Marine Batteries and Optima Marine Batteries.

Do I really need an expensive marine battery for this light duty trolling. What about Sealed Batteries vs water added batteries.

Any suggestions or recommendations is greatly appreciated. Thankyou.

[KoobleKar]

Since you use the boat only rarely and you want it to start when you do (without pre-charging), I would highly recommend marine batteries.

They are "deep cycle" and hold up to the moist environment that saps batteries better than a standard car battery.

Unless you transport the batteries to and from the boat and keep them on a trickle charger at home when not using the boat.