Rich,
For the sake of trim and stability, clearly the ideal is to locate the heaviest things in a boat as close to the center of gravity as possible. Your main battery location accomplishes that in spades. Still, virtually every decision on a boat is a compromise, a trade-off. While your battery weight is ideally placed, as you noted the batteries themselves are subject to submersion should the bilges flood. You also have relatively long cable runs to carry current to and from that location, which translates into an additional installation cost and a small drop in voltage each way. All in all, though, I think you chose well. (Silver Heels has her holding tank under there.)
My battery locations shorten the cable lengths to a minimum and keep the batteries out of the water until later in the process of sinking, but the weight is not as close to the center of gravity as yours (but a lot better than Pearson’s solution). Compromises & trade-offs. I wonder if large battery installations way aft, like those near the steering quadrant, will have a noticeable effect on the boat’s trim and tendency to hobbyhorse. On a boat as stout as our 424’s, I suspect it’ll be at least tolerable.
Aaron, no doubt you’re now more confused on this issue than ever. Choose your poison!
Tor
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Silver Heels, P-424 #17
http://www.SilverHeels.us
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