Marine Batteries

• Marine batteries are not too different from automotive batteries. The difference however is important. Marine batteries tend to be made to minimize the chance of battery failure. To this end they are made with premium and heavy duty parts.
  
  

Cranking Batteries

• The main job of a cranking battery is to provide electrical power to an engine's starter. A cranking battery also provides temporary electrical power to the electrical system when the engine is not running. Once an engine is started, the alternator provides power to run the engine and the rest of the electrical system.
  
  

Trolling

• In regard to boat fishing, trolling is a method in which the fisherman moves his boat slowly through the water while towing bait. The bait is meant to look like a small fish swimming. To prevent the game fish from scaring, secondary electrical motors are preferred.
  
  

Trolling Batteries

• Since a trolling battery is meant to power an electrical motor for long periods of time, it is much different than a cranking battery. It is physically larger, weighing several times what a cranking battery weighs. It also has significantly higher amperage.
  
  

Review

• While both types of battery provide 12 volts, the strength of the current, measured in amperage or amps, is much higher in a trolling battery. This is because a cranking battery is only designed to power a starter for 30 seconds at a time, while a trolling battery is designed to provide electrical current for hours.