Battery life

[kayaker]

Is there any reason not to trust a 10-year-old boat battery? The power cell I purchased in 1994 with a 40-horsepower Mercury has worked fine all these years. In anticipation of the coming season on the ocean, I administered an hours-long trickle charge, and the battery checks out fine. The boat is used every two or three days from mid-May to mid-October, and the battery's only draws are for starts, running lights, and automatic bilge pump (the boat is kept in the water). I don't want to replace a perfectly good battery, but am I pushing my luck?

[Mark Cahill]

But as long as you can pull start the engine, you're not in too much danger.

Personally, I'd replace it and keep this one as a spare. Lights and bilge pumps are generally nice things to have...

[tmillerzzz]

10 years old, you leave it in the water relying on the bilge pump? I'd replace it.

$60 Battery,.... or a sunk boat....hmmmm