Bravo BTP12 Pump - Suitable battery

[Fenlander]

Last week on our holidays it would have been a big advantage to have a small battery for my Bravo pump to make it independent of the car. I was thinking about a small motorcycle battery that might fit in the unused side pocket of the pump bag.

Bravo do a battery/charger kit which is a rather stiff £90 but I don't need the charger so it seems a 12v battery for about £20-£30 might do the job.

Anyone done this?

[lightning]

Yuasa 7Ah battery will do the job (About a tenner) A cheap trickle charger will recharge it, available for about the same again.

Here's mine. The battery will fully inflate/deflate my 2.85m SIB three times before it needs a recharge.

[IanH]

A 12v 7Ah sealed lead acid gel battery similar to that linked above is exactly as fitted internally to the battery models of the older BST versions.

[Fenlander]

Thanks guys, that small Yuasa looks fine. I assume it fits in the side pocket.

I always carry a bellows pump for topping up or emergencies but it isn't the easiest thing to use standing in the boat at sea or on mud/sand so I wondered about making the Bravo self contained and carrying that instead.

After this years hols I'm having a big change round in what I carry and will save enough weight to offset the Bravo + battery.

[Max...]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

After this years hols I'm having a big change round in what I carry and will save enough weight to offset the Bravo + battery.

What have you got planned?

[willk]

Originally Posted by Max...

What have you got planned?

He's leaving the missus at home

[Fenlander]

>>> He's leaving the missus at home

Don't joke... when I felt the edge was off the performance a couple of weeks ago she said "Just drop me off at the pontoon, that'll cure it".

We are due to lose eldest teen daughter to Uni soon... she's only a lightweight as far as it goes but that will make the outfit more lively.

Well what I've done Max is to go through the kit and remove all the dead weight.

Been carrying the removeable transom wheels in a bag for a while to see if it assists at places we visit... they never got used so out they go.

Far too much rope more suited to a 20ft clinker launch & 4 small fenders we never used. Spare prop, spanners and wooden block to do swap. Decided not needed in the boat.

My old set of last year dated flares carried to use in addition to in-date new ones. Over the top so they're out.

Second 10l tank of fuel with hose & primer. Started to carry this second tank when I had the Tohatsu 9.8 with a 10l tank and wanted a decent amount spare. Really over the top now my Mariner has a 22l tank so I've ditched it. Will take a nearly full 5l can pre-mixed in its place.

My tools and boat spares/fittings kit was handed down from a GRP boat with more locker space. Contained far too many tools and spares like a thermostat, impellor, 3 in-line fuel filters etc etc. Cut this from 2 sealed boxes to 1.

I gal of fresh water carried in case of shipwreck reduced to 4x 500ml bottles.

And of course the Honwave footpump and hose not needed if using the Bravo so out they go.

All in all removed 63lbs of kit. The gain for the Bravo pump with battery, 5l spare fuel and 4x 500ml water is 21lbs so a worthwhile 42lbs saved.