Reminder to turn off batteries

[Beyond A Wake]

I have now a few times forgotten to turn off the batteries when leaving boat for days/weeks etc. I have found out the hard way that it does drain the house battery fairly quickly and battery is on good shape when load testing it. I do have at least two cameras and all the Yamaha electronics running I assume when power is on. Radio (Fusion with amp) would be on but generally at low volume or even off, because that is how I forget to turn em off. My cue has always been to keep radio on with music so I know batteries are on and will turn them off before leaving.
Have tried a few stickers "turn off batteries" at helm and rear door, but that seems to go unnoticed. If I get on and turn batt on just for a while I leave the breaker door open so I'll see it before leaving. In that case it works, but coming in washing boat being exhausted and rushed to get home, that is when some timers strike.

Any good ideas on how to NOT forget to turn off batteries..

H

 

[Hookup1]

I have a 1/2" PVC cap on my engine key ring for my boat drain plug. Whenever I take it out I put it on my ring.

Maybe a C-cell battery on your engine key ring to remind you.

 

[Beyond A Wake]

Good idea in general but I just have a fob and it stays on the boat (rack stored).
The best probably still is to just have radio on higher volume and not try to spare batteries while washing and prepping boat for rack where it cannot stay on charger all the time.
Another thought I've had is to mount a bright light somewhere visible from transom when climbing down ladder after washing in wash rack, before boat is taken to wine rack indoors. But it should then always be on when power is ON?? Not practical. Like an underwater light always on? They again draw too much power to double as a reminder.
On this same note we always need to remember to turn off ignition not just stop motors because trimtabs if out will not retract unless ignition goes off, before turning all power off.................
Having the note on the car keys maybe??

 

[SkunkBoat]

I dock and it stays in water. When I walk the dock to the car I always look back to stare at my baby and then...mental checklist... motors up, curtains down, dock lines not pulled tight to dock, shit! turn off batteries!....and I have to get back on the boat and turn them off. Its somewhere in the 50% range walking back to fix something. But I always catch it.

So advice is " look back and stare at your baby"

 

[family affair]

I've wondered about this for years and finally decided to see if there is a tech solution that exists. One I'm considering is Naplarm. I think the original intent was to allow for people who travel by mas transit to nap until they reach a destination. However, it also looks like you can set alarms for other purposes. I'm thinking of using it to create an "exit" alarm for my typical boat launches to remind me to turn off my batteries. I think this might work for your rack application. When you arrive or leave the rack you will get an alarm for your batteries.

 

[Beyond A Wake]

Not really since when I am done, I walk away and the marina crew comes with forklift and takes it in. I do however bicycle by the boat every morning on my 6 mile exercise trip and I should go closer cause then I could see if the rear camera is on, a red light would be visible in the dim light "barn".

We will get there or not and always just blame ourselves, or someone else close by

 

[glacierbaze]

Small led at your exit point, almost no battery draw.

 

[Fishtales]

A reminder note on your electronics sun cover works.

 

[seasick]

Just before closing up the helm, I press the horn button. If it beeps, I forgot to turn off the batteries

 

[SkunkBoat]

just thought! Get a MOB alarm from Fell or ACR. Wear the fob. It will alarm if you get too far away from boat. That will remind you to turn of boat. Then yuo need a reminder to turn off fob.

 

[SkunkBoat]

Just before closing up the helm, I press the horn button. If it beeps, I forgot to turn off the batteries

not my horn .....

 

[Ekea]

for me, its just part of turning the motors off. as soon as i key off, i turn the batteries off.

if you really have trouble with it, mount a little box next to the battery switch that you put your car keys in when you get on the boat and turn the batteries on. then you cant drive home without getting your car keys that are right next to the battery switch. this would be cheap, reliable, and fool proof

 

[Beyond A Wake]

Car key trick might work, I've gone back for them a few times when put in drawer and I use them to remember to take other things with me.....
MOB is another idea but the ignition is off already then so it would not work anymore, I do have one available though.

I guess best bet is to get burned often enough then one would start remembering. That's how we learn to stay off the stove as well........

 

[Peter A]

Maybe a checklist on your phone, use it

 

[wspitler]

I leave my stereo on while closing up the boat. If I hear music I know the batteries are on

 

[Mustang65fbk]

I always start in the back and work my way forward with "closing up" the boat. I'll put the boat on the buoy, put the canvas cover on the outboard, tilt it up, lock it, turn off the batteries, pull the downriggers and store them in the cabin as well as any and all fishing gear, lock the cabin as well as the electronics compartment and then lastly I'll pull the keys. Right before I pull the keys, I'll hit the trim/tilt switch on the throttle to double check and make sure I turned off the batteries. If you hear it tilting up, you know they're still on. If you hear nothing, you know you turned them off and double checked that.

 

[drbatts]

Just established a routine. For me its shut off the breakers, lock the cabin, then the Last thing I do before stepping off the boat is shut off the batteries. The switches are on the side I get off so that helps. Have I walked back to the car and forgot if I turned them off and had to walk back, the answer is yes, but in most cases they are off. I guess its muscle memory. I have honestly forgotten my keys on the boat more times than I left the batteries on. My boat is in a slip on shore power so leaving the batteries on is also not a big deal.

 

[Coastboater]

Reminds me of my VHF antenna on my Seafarer 228 that I kept forgetting to lower before trailering. Shakespeare had me on their automatic monthly replacement program I contemplated putting a reminder sticker at the helm but after enough financial pain, lowering the antenna became part of my routine.

 

[Punchline Cap]

The last thing I do before getting off the boat is to put the cover over the helm. I hit the engine trim button to make sure the batteries are off before I button up the cover. I do like the reminder on the electronics cover. I have a label maker and will do that this year when the boat goes in. Thanks Fishtales!

 

[Hookup1]

Shore power on all the time on dock. I never turn them off. Probably have bait pumps running and refrigerator (although it's now 12VDC/120VAC). I do take the keys with me.