Fishing on the boat can be an all day adventure that keeps you away from all the on-shore conveniences you've grown to love. Music. Cold beverages. Quick access to a cell phone or tablet charger. Television. Etc, etc. Boat builders - in their infinite wisdom - have tried to ameliorate the depth of sacrifice by incorporating high quality stereos, USB charging ports, LCD screens, and more into their latest models.
The problem is, when you try to operate all the existing electric accessories on a boat - like trolling motors, live wells, radar, radios, etc. - and all the "other" gear that makes fishing a bit more fun (like portable refrigerators and LCD TVs), you run out of power. Many a boat owner has been stranded by a dead battery (or bank of batteries), and the conventional wisdom is to buy a battery booster for your boat.
But a battery boaster is just a portable battery box by another name, and we think the ArkPak is a much better option than some run of the mill battery booster. Here's why:
- The ArkPak is portable. You can charge it on shore and load it on the boat with the rest of your gear, and then have a completely independent power system for your refrigerator, electronics chargers, etc.
- The ArkPak is easy to charge with solar panels. Hooking panels up to your boat's built-in battery system can be a real pain in the neck. The ArkPak is easy-peasy.
- With a large group 31 deep-cycle battery, the ArkPak can power your devices for hours or even days, depending on what you're operating. A fully charged ArkPak can keep a typical 12VDC fridge running of the better part of a week. If you add on a radio, marine radar unit, and a portable boombox, you're probably looking at plenty of power for a long day (or two).
- With an ArkPak, you never need to worry about draining your boat’s power. Battery boosters are supposed to by an insurance policy, not a power source. If you don't tax your boat's electrical system, you don't have to worry about it. The ArkPak isn't going to leave you stranded if you completely drain it's power.
Last and certainly not least, you can use the ArkPak for camping, tailgating, and even as a backup power source during a home emergency. Marine battery boosters aren't nearly as flexible.
Why An ArkPak Is Better Than A Marine Battery Booster
- Easy set up
- Portable
- The ArkPak bundle includes a 12V DC-to-DC "bridge" that allows you to charge off your boat's engines OR use the ArkPak like a battery bank
- The ArkPak is useful on and off the boat
The ArkPak has sufficient power to run GPS units and chartplotters, fish finders, marine VHF radios, 4G broadband radar systems, live wells, and even trolling motors. Not to mention, you can use the ArkPak to power fun stuff like televisions, stereos, tablets and laptops, and portable fridges.
Don't Forget About Solar!
Hooking a large solar panel up to your boat's electrical system can be a major endeavor, but it's a simple matter with the ArkPak. Using either a folding solar panel (available from Ark in 30W and 60W configurations) or a monocrystalline panel (which is very affordable and easy to mount to any flat surface), you hook the panel up to a charge controller, and then the charge controller up to the ArkPak's side terminals. The electricity generated by your panel will supplement the power being drained from the ArkPak, and depending on how big your panel is and how much power you're using, a panel can even charge your battery while also providing power.
But the big news is that an ArkPak is more versatile than a battery booster. Unless you really want to invest in a battery system that can only be used on your boat, get an ArkPak.