Battery boxes from West Marine and Tempo do the job, but the two trays from West and Gil (center) hold batteries more securely and don't block access to the terminals. The T & H tray in the foreground secures its battery with a single strap.

Batteries boxes are often overlooked, yet are an essential and integral part of a vessel's electrical system. A wet-cell battery not held firmly in place cannot perform its intended function, does not comply with Coast Guard regulations, and in rough seas can be dangerous. One option for securing the big, heavy batteries commonly found in larger auxiliary sailboats (like 4D, 8D, and GC2 golf cart batteries) is a plastic battery box. We look at two. Smaller boats, carrying size 24 to 31 batteries, often don't have the room for big battery boxes. For that crowd we examined two smaller battery boxes and three tray-style hold-downs.…