So many battery choices nowdays, LiPo, sealed lead acid, NiMh, . Any recommendations out there for large scale boats such as Dauntless, American Beauty with twin engines? I am looking for long run times and reliability. I see a lot of LiPos being advertised but am worried about the safety warnings and special chargers. Graupner sealed lead acid batteries are a lot cheaper than the Dumas batteries....

...just how does one know......help please!!!!!

For large boats you can use one good sized gel cell. The weight is good for ballast.
Need more ballast for the large boat, more batteries equals longer run times.

Lipos in a large scale boat are a waste.
Say eight lipos for runtime, and 10lbs of lead for ballast.
Better to have more battery for the weight.

Thanks, is a gel cel better than a lead acid battery?

Gel cell is a lead acid battery, but it can be positioned left ways, right ways back ways upsidedown ways... Because the acid is in impegnated fibers or "gel".

Regular lead acid batteries you have to deal with the liquid hydrochloric acid, and a spill is never fun.

It's sulfuric, not hydrochloric. HAH - finally something Umi wasn't 100% right on!

Shark1,
It was probably intentional to see who was paying attention.
- 'Doc

[Is that flattery? Of course it is! I sure as @#$$ don't want her mad at me! ]

having an acid spill in your boat is definately bad news, as the acid in a battery would probably have the capability to corrode a hole in the model!

way to go is Ni-cd/ni-mh or sealed lead gel type.

when charging a Lead-gel type, make sure that if you charge in the boat, leave the top of the boat off off or the hatches above it

If using lead acid, always make sure its a sealed type. Motor bike types vent acid fumes that disperse in a bike environment, but having nowhere to go, just chew anything metal in a model boat, especially noticable on all that nice thin wire in the expensive electronic bits.

Sealed lead acid is the way to go.

And if you are not used to SLA batteries, dont forget to get a proper dedicated SLA charger. This type of charger will pay for itself by cutting down the bill for replacement batteries.