Hey John, Congratulations on your new Monty. I'm sure you will love it. I'm going to throw my two cents in the hat for what its worth. When we purchased our boat it came with an outboard with an alternator. Didn't seem like a big deal. But, after taking our first trip top the coast and using the autopilot for the first time, I was really glad we had it. Although on that trip we didn't have to do much motoring, it's nice to know that if you have a 5 or 6 hour motor trip ahead of you that you don't have to worry about power consumption of the autopilot. Just set it and go. When you get where you are going your battery is full to the top and ready for the next leg of the trip. Make sure to send Bill at the MSOG Photo site pics of your new baby!!! Sean M23 Dauntless www.havasumontogmerys.funtigo.com