BigBendFishing.Net

I have a 18ft flats boat and have always carried a second battery in the console, as a backup....I don't use livewells or trolling motors. Other that starting the motor, there isn't much draw. The motor is a 2 stroke 115. Can I use a smaller starting battery as a backup to save weight?

Why not get a battery booster thing, it has jumper cables and a charge indicator a handle easy to carry and if your vehicle battery goes you can just jump it same as your boat, I use one for everything. tractor,lawnmower , truck, boat, etc. Cabela's has them so does west marine and even walmart. it's lighter than a battery and you already have jumper cables attached. and best of all it's portable. at Cabelas it's called marine battery starter-up $79.00 .

Sure you can, just be sure it is rated enough amps for the starter on your motor. I had a couple of those battery boosters a couple of years back and was not impressed when I needed them.

I have a small lawn tractor battery that will start my 30hp four stroke and my mud motor all day.
It makes a great back up.

I had a top notch booster and it was great I used it around the house in the lawnmower cars etc... I also would use it on the boat and in small ponds as a teolling motor battery.
I just didn't use it enough for the battery to be run down and charged up oftern enough and it worked a little less well as time passed by. If your gonna get one get a good one.