Small generator

[Dalton68]

ugghh

Guess I should explain more.

On busy weekends, where I go (lake havasu), it's a giant party. It's not a typical lake weekend. People park, drink and party. No kids. See the picture below, this is the old days which doesn't happen anymore but some places can get close.

Anyway, the generator wouldn't run the whole time. It would run just to get the batteries back up and I would use a battery charger which is much more efficient than the boat alternator and I don't want to run the boat at idle for a few reasons.

I want a generator for other uses that have nothing to do with a boat.

On an average weekend I wouldn't need it, we use the boat as everyone would. This is only for those few times a year.

So just to clarify, I'm not gonna tie up the boat and throw the gen in the bow for 10 hours while its running. It will be tucked away ONLY until I need it, if I need it. I guess I like to be prepared.

Also to clarify, I don't get stuck in the middle of this pic below. We usually find a beach that ends up getting packed and I could take the gen to the beach and run a blender, charge phones, run a portable stereo, etc etc. Don't get stuck on the idea that I will throw the gen in the bow and run it full blast all day while people are jumping in/out of the boat soaked in gasoline, smoking cigs, and playing with flame throwers.

[ryanbush]

I understand you Dalton, and the people here who aren't running big systems won't. I would guess that I get as much boarding/surfing time each week as anyone on this board, but during a saturday you are not going to ride on our lake. If i go tie up all day I will kill my batteries in 6-8 hours depending on how loud I play my system. I'm sorry but you're pathetic 100-120amp alternator is producing about 25amps and idle will do nothing close to the 80amp on board charger I have. Plus who wants to run their engine putting hours on it and wasting a ton of gas to get a measley 25amps of charge, not only that but I can't imagine the stress that trying to charge a 550amp hr battery back would have on the alternator.

I think you're going in the right direction if you have a big enough battery charger.

[shawndoggy]

This looks exactly like what I imagine hell looks like.

[Michigan boarder]

This looks exactly like what I imagine hell looks like.

Well, except there is plenty of booze and women........bro...

[shawndoggy]

Well, except there is plenty of booze and women........bro...

I'm sure there are some women in there, but I challenge you to pick one out. That looks like a claustrophobia inducing, miserably hot sausage fest to me.

[tvano]

if there are two other boats moving on the pond it's time for me to go home.

that pix will give me nightmares.

[Bill_AirJunky]

I'm sure there are some women in there, but I challenge you to pick one out. That looks like a claustrophobia inducing, miserably hot sausage fest to me.

Haha, a sausage fest watching any available strippers &/or attention whores do their thang!

We've been there a couple times. Certainly didn't last 8 hrs though!

Edited May 8, 2014 by Bill_AirJunky

[wakebrdr94]

This looks exactly like what I imagine hell looks like.

Ahh yes, I remember those days. I don't even recall it being much fun then.

Dalt, Please do not tell me you beach your boat on the channel. I just do not believe in beaching boats. Then again, I spend my time on the other side of the dam

[justgary]

Check your generator to see if you can turn the inverter off and just use the 12v output to charge the battery. You don't need the AC output except to run a blender.

Learn to drink on the rocks or straight and you don't even need the blender....

Edit: Sorry, I somehow missed about 10 posts between the post I replied to and the present.

Edited May 8, 2014 by justgary

[justgary]

...Certainly didn't last 8 hrs though!

Heh heh heh. Yup, you eventually get to that special age when your sausage fest just can't hang like it used to.

[wakebrdr94]

the only thing I can say is there must be a reason that honda and yamaha do not promote these or advertise for use on boats. This discussion has actually gone on for years, and yes, people do it. Because people do it does not make it safe. West marine does not sell portable generators, Probably because it is not the safest thing to do. Overtons does, but every picture of the generators they sell in on land.

If you are hell bent on doing it, have at it, but if you frequent Havasu a lot, you know already that your rules will not apply to the boats on either side of you having a water fight. Especially in the channel. I would really like to see people add a third battery for this vs the generator, but to each their own.

[Dalton68]

There's a time to wakeboard, surf, enjoy the glass, be with the family, and then there is the time to party.

We do it all. Been boating for 15+ years and know on these holiday weekends the water sucks, too choppy, so we enjoy the party and life. So it's either don't go or go have fun.

I don't get in the middle of crowds like that (anymore) but it's busy everywhere. We find a nice campground beach and share it with anyone who joins us. Setup horseshoes, bbq, music, etc etc. A generator will come in handy for sure.

wakebrd94 , yamaha does advertise these for boats. It's actually what caught my eye, i saw the first picture below on a yamaha website.

[Dalton68]

This looks exactly like what I imagine hell looks like.

Yep, it is hell. Maybe best to stay away

[wakebrdr94]

That's funny, if you look on honda's website, it says do not use in wet environments, near water or pools. Yamaha has picutres of theirs on boats and directly in the snow. If i spot you out there, would you mind me plugging a TV in?

[Kalamazoo]

I'm confused.

You buy great boats to park and listen to tunes in?

AC on the water is crazy IMO.

How about a 3rd batt, 2 for house, 1 for engine? Or 4, or 5? It's only ballast...and way safer.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dalton68]

I'm confused.

You buy great boats to park and listen to tunes in?

AC on the water is crazy IMO.

How about a 3rd batt, 2 for house, 1 for engine? Or 4, or 5? It's only ballast...and way safer.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

LOL We don't park and sit in the boat for 8 hours. Basically anchor it, turn the towers speakers facing us on the beach and crank it up with Sirius or an ipod. Running 12 speakers and a 12" sub cranked up tends to drain a battery.

I know this is beginning to be a long thread but I mentioned before that it's really a couple times per year, busy weekends only.

I'm still considering a 3rd battery, I'll see halfway thru this summer.

[wakebrdr94]

Dalt, keep this thread going! Let's see if we can break Afuns record

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[wheelman]

I had same problem but even further that my boat sits on a lift with no power so I couldn't even charge my batteries with an on board charger. Considered a generator to charge but decided against for all the reasons everyone's saying. I ended up running 4 batteries and a 250 amp alternator that puts out 175 amps at idle. I have super power hungry amps and i can run the stereo all day with just a couple runs of the motor for 10 minutes maybe twice over 8 Plus hours.

[ryanbush]

I had same problem but even further that my boat sits on a lift with no power so I couldn't even charge my batteries with an on board charger. Considered a generator to charge but decided against for all the reasons everyone's saying. I ended up running 4 batteries and a 250 amp alternator that puts out 175 amps at idle. I have super power hungry amps and i can run the stereo all day with just a couple runs of the motor for 10 minutes maybe twice over 8 Plus hours.

If you don't mind send me some info on your alternator, I'm running 5 batteries and last thing I want to do is add more. I hate carrying the weight around all the time as well as the storage room they take up.

[wheelman]

PM sent

[saidainc]

I run an extension cord from the house. Its nearly 6 miles but they had racks of them on sale at Home Depot.

[ryanbush]

That would suck trying to figure out which one came unplugged.

[saidainc]

That would suck trying to figure out which one came unplugged.

I post one of the kids with a snack by each connection.

[Dalton68]

If the generator doesn't work out I am converting to this.

Notice it's a single person boat cuz who needs friends!

[wakebrdr94]

^^^^^^ Genius! No worries about gas money, rude people not helping out, kids spilling or dropping crumbs, etc They say you need a LSV to get more people on board, I say let more people buy their own boat.