The excitement and anticipation of a day’s fishing can make it difficult to sleep at night. You know the feeling. It is the early hours of the morning, you’ve given up on counting sheep and you’re running through your equipment checklist. All your rods are rigged, and you have every bait from a topwater frog to a Texas-rigged Senko tied on. Every bit of your terminal tackle is stowed perfectly, and you’ve even prepared your lunch. Then it hits you. You forgot to charge your trolling motor batteries. Disaster.
Fortunately, you recently replaced those old lead-acid batteries with a fast-charging lithium alternative. Hop out of bed now, stick them on charge, and they’ll be ready to go by the time you leave. Trip saved.
Best marine lithium batteries for your bass boat
On your bass boat, every component needs to deliver excellent performance and work together seamlessly for you to get the most from your time on the water. Inferior equipment can quickly turn a perfect day on the lake into an absolute nightmare. Most anglers invest a significant amount in fish-finding technology and other accessories to improve the odds of landing an elusive giant. However, many also overlook the importance of the power solutions that keep those electronics running. Reliable, high-performance batteries are one of the most crucial components you can invest in as a bass boat owner. Lithium models are the battery of choice when it comes to power performance, longevity, and cost-efficiency.
Understanding the different types of lithium-ion batteries for fishing boats
Dependable batteries are essential as they are responsible for both starting and running your fishing system. However, not all batteries serve the same purpose. Starting batteries are designed to produce cranking power to get your engine going and discharge a large amount of energy over a short period. Deep-cycle marine batteries discharge small amounts of energy over an extended period and are used for running your trolling motor and fish finder. Dual-purpose batteries are a middle ground and can perform both functions.
Why choose lithium batteries for your bass boat?
Charge time is one of the most important performance indicators for bass boat batteries. All anglers want a battery that will charge fast and minimize time spent tied to shore power. And Lithium batteries charge significantly quicker than lead acid. Plain and simple. RELiON lithium marine batteries can be fully charged in as little as an hour, though we typically recommend using a charge rate that completes somewhere between two and five hours.
Fast charging means you don’t have to worry about whether you charged your batteries way ahead of time, so you can be confident you’ll be ready to fish when the morning comes. Crucially, lithium batteries can be left in a state of partial charge without damaging performance or overall longevity. Unlike lead-acid chemistries, which shouldn’t be left in a partial state of charge under any circumstances, lithium batteries are partial charge tolerant, making them perfect for the always-busy or slightly forgetful angler.
Affordable lithium batteries for bass boats
Many anglers see that lead-acid batteries have a cheaper up-front cost than lithium batteries and mistakenly think this translates into a lower overall cost of ownership. In fact, lithium bass boat batteries last up to 10 times longer than their lead-acid counterparts. Whereas lead-acid batteries are generally good for around 300-350 cycles, lithium batteries will last upwards of 3000 cycles. That extra longevity means lithium will cost you far less in the long run.
Benefits of lightweight lithium batteries in fishing boats
Anyone who has had to install or remove a lead-acid battery knows just how heavy they are. Of course, this weight has an enormous impact on your fuel economy and, by extension, how much time you can spend on the water. Every pound you add to the boat makes you draft a little deeper and will ultimately affect the ride and performance. Lithium batteries weigh 50-60% less than lead-acid batteries and, in some cases, the weight saved by switching to lithium batteries can exceed 100 pounds. Such significant weight savings have a huge effect on both your range and wide-open throttle numbers for those days when you want to put the hammer down.
Lithium gives you more hours of power
Sometimes, the fish fight from dawn to dusk. Sometimes, you spend all day waiting for a single bite to make the trip worth your while. Either way, you need a power system built to get you through it all. And, without a doubt, lithium batteries deliver more hours of power. They provide more usable capacity than lead-acid, with 25-50% higher capacity and full power throughout discharge. They also eliminate the voltage sag that is all too common with lead acid.
Lithium’s superior power performance means all your fishing accessories will work completely uninterrupted, so you can focus on maxing out your five-fish limit. As the sun begins to drop after a full day on the water, you won’t have to worry about anything except coming up with a believable excuse as to why you couldn’t make it home for the family dinner on time.
Lithium batteries take less time to charge
As an angler, your time on the water is your most valued asset. With RELiON lithium batteries, you enjoy shorter charge times and more usable capacity without any late-day voltage sag. So you can spend more time chasing that fish of a lifetime and less time tied to shore power. But you don’t have to take our word for it. Here’s Pro Angler Matt Arey to explain why he prefers RELiON lithium batteries.
"My job depends on everything working properly for long periods of time. I'm out there on the water for 13 to 14 hours on practice days and anywhere from 8 to 9 hours on tournament days. And I run a lot of equipment off those batteries. I run the power poles, my big engine, I run my trolling motor, I run all my graphs. So, being able to go out there on the water and have peace of mind to where I don't have to worry about battery failure to get my job done is extremely critical in having a successful career as a professional angler. I've been using them for several seasons on the Bassmaster Elite Series now, without any failures whatsoever." – Matt Arey, Bassmaster Pro Angler.
Which LiFePO4 batteries are right for your bass boat?
The RELiON lithium marine battery range includes models for every type of bass boat, angler, and application. This quick guide should help you identify the right model for your needs.
Deep-cycle lithium marine batteries
RB36V40: Fish all day with 36V lithium power! The RB36V40 is a durable, long-lasting 36V lithium iron phosphate power source designed specifically for marine use. The parallel design guarantees a simple set-up and more capacity, keeping you out on the water for longer.
RB52: The RB52 is a 12V 52Ah battery and provides abundant power in a small footprint. It’s a versatile model that can be used in various marine applications, including smaller boats with lower battery requirements, boats that need two of the same batteries, and boats with electrical systems designed for just one battery.
RB75: This 12V 75 Ah lithium iron phosphate battery is often used when you need more amp-hours than an RB50, but not as much as the RB100 battery.
RB80: This 12V 80 Ah lithium iron phosphate battery weighs just 25 lbs. Less than half the weight of a lead-acid equivalent, it boasts an 80 Ah capacity and can provide a full day of power for mid-sized trolling motors.
RB100: One of our most popular units and the perfect choice for the avid angler. This 12V 100Ah deep cycle lithium battery is the ideal replacement for a group 31 AGM, GEL, or lead-acid Battery. At only 30 lbs, it’s a lightweight option with sufficient capacity for nearly every marine application.
High-performance Dual Purpose lithium batteries
RB100-HP: The RB100-HP is a dual-purpose 12V, 100 Ah lithium battery with increased peak amps compared to our standard batteries. Higher peak amps ensure you can use it to start even the most demanding outboard motors. After starting, the battery can then double as a house battery.
The RB100-HP is also the first dual-purpose battery to be evaluated and approved for use with approved Mercury outboards.
If you were looking to use the RB100-HP to power your bass boat, a typical setup might include:
- 3 RB100 batteries for your trolling motor
- 1 RB100-HP battery for engine starts as well as running onboard accessories
However, this is just one possibility. If you want to check out other combinations and find the right battery setup for your boat, take a look at our Lithium Battery Selector. By utilizing our easy, accurate, and reliable tool, you can save time when searching for the perfect battery.
Switching your bass boat from lead-acid to lithium can seem like a big move. But lithium’s performance benefits definitely justify the transition and the process is relatively quick and easy. So what are you waiting for? Make the switch today, stop worrying about your batteries, and enjoy more time out on the water.
If you have any questions concerning our Lithium batteries, please feel free to contact the RELiON team directly.