"They've even got 'smart' cables that protect against someone reversing the polarity or shorting the circuit," Quoss says. "The manufacturers have pretty much made them idiot proof. They are great insurance for any boater, especially those who have a hunch that their main batteries are dicey."

Lead acid batteries have a lifespan of between 5 to 10 years, depending on how long they have been allowed to remain in a partially discharged state, whether they have been deep discharged often, if they have been overcharged and other variables. A weak battery may fail due to anything from corrosion on terminal connections that prevents good charging to someone who forgets to turn off a switch on a light.

"When someone is buying a lithium jump starter, he or she can't go wrong if they consider features, functionality, portability, ease of use, durability and safety," Quoss says. Van's Sport recommends two models made by SeaChoice for a wide variety of boats: the 50-15081 Lithium Ion Jumpstarter for larger boats and the #50-15091 Mini Lithium Ion Jumpstarter for smaller boats.

The #50-15081 model jump starts most gas-powered engines up to a V10 and diesel engines up to 4.0L. It comes with a built-in LED flashlight with emergency flashing capability, 8-gauge Smart Cables, 4-in-1 mobile adapter, car charger, laptop adapters, AC power adapter and hard plastic case. The #50-15081 is available at Van's for $249.94.

The #50-15091 model jump starts most gas-powered engines up to 6L V8 and gives a fast charge for electronic devices. It comes with all the same accessories as the #50-15081, and is available at Van's for $159.94.

"We recommend Seachoice products because they've earned a reputation for selling quality products for marine applications for more than 25 years," Quoss says.