Weak Battery Problems

[Thornback]

I'll start off by saying in the future I'll start replacing both my trolling battery and cranking battery every three years. Why do I use a battery until it goes dead? Because I'm dumb. Took me a long time to come to that conclusion about batteries. I'm running a 2005 Bass Tracker 17.5 with Merc 60 HP 4-stroke. Just this week me and a fishing buddy drove 50 miles to the St John's River for a morning of bass fishing. I had just charged both batteries a week ago -- but the cranking battery was over 5 years old (i'll bend over and you can kick me). When preparing to launch at the ramp I was at the bow disconnecting the winch and my buddy was at the stern removing the transom saver. I thought the tilt motor sounded weak but thought it might be because I was at the bow. Once in the water and I turned on the ignition key I heard the starter grunt. I tried it again and got another grunt. So I'm looking in a compartment for my jumper cables and my buddy tries to start the motor. Same grunt, then he tells me the starter is still grunting even tho the key is turned off. I tell him to remove the ignition key, he does, still the starter is grunting. I had to disconnect the battery cables to stop the current to the starter. The weak battery and the last attempt to start the motor had stuck the starter solenoid in the closed position. After disconnecting the battery cables I inspect the starter and see the bendix is still engaged in the flywheel teeth. The bendix appears well lubricated. I had to rock the flywheel while tapping down on the bendix to disengage. OK, now for the jumper cables. I found out the jumper cables from the trolling battery to the starter cables were losing so much voltage that the motor wouldn't turn over. I swapped places with the trolling battery and the cranking battery and connected the starter cables to the trolling battery. That fired up the motor. I learned my lesson and I hope my experience will help others.