Advice requested on Battery Bank size & charging for our new boat.

Re: Advice requested on Battery Bank size & charging for our new b

Hello James, /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

The worst for us was going into Port Ligat, Cadaques, where we used to spend a lot of time, even a whole summer for the kids holiday one year.

Salvador Dali used to give us water from a tap outside his house and he strolled about with his ocelot on a lead, he even asked one of my hippy friends to pose for a new portrait of Christ on the Cross, but he demanded to be paid so Dali said to 'get lost'.

We went back there in 2004 to find that the anchorage was full of new mooring buoys and when we picked one up a guy came out in a motor boat to say it is all private now so go away. No way could you get water there now, or round the corner in Cadaques.

Because we knew the anchorage so well we went inside the moorings and anchored, but we suffered constant harrassment and demands to leave.
 
Re: Advice requested on Battery Bank size & charging for our new b

Hello James, I'm David, actually, not James. I thought you were a different James /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif I met Dali's brother once...strange fellow.

Yes, things do change not just in the Med but everywhere there are people. I could tell you stories about staying all summer on the Riviera in the late 60s, back in the days of £50 per annum currency restrictions, being turfed off one of the (now very chic) beaches off St Tropez where I was sleeping because we couldn't even afford a camp site. When Cogolin was a sleepy village almost unknown to tourists and the wine festival consisted of the village fountain turned over to wine and where you paid 1FF for a plastic cup that entitled you to unlimited wine all night. It was different, things change, but dozy life continues elsewhere, though not in Cogolin!

I could trade many other fond memories with you of San Remo before Portosole, of Ischia when all the yachts were alongside the harbour wall. But where does it get us? Things change and we have to move on.

As for water, we have our own watermaker - as far as I am concerned that is the key to anchoring in the western Med. If you can't make your own water they have you where they want you. We can and do lie to anchor for weeks at a time, without watering and with a powerful RIB we can usually find somewhere to nip ashore.
 
Re: Advice requested on Battery Bank size & charging for our new b

Jim, I haven't done Greece at all so don't have a view about its third-worldliness. It is a lot cooler in winter than southern Spain according to the Met stats.
 
Re: Advice requested on Battery Bank size & charging for our new b

David sorry I misunderstood. I used to love Tahiti beach, I'll bet that was the one!

We were in Grimaud for a while and sold our Centaur there, we also did day charter and a few weeks with the Moody Cavalier there, you probably recognise Grimaud church in the picture.

One day in Grimaud someone offered us his mooring in Cogolin for the winter, so we moved there. What he never did was give us his name, address or phone number and the marina refused to give us his details. We couldn't even thank him.

Of course everything changes and we shouldn't have had so much time away so as we notice the difference.

Going from Malta to Falmouth, we called in everywhere and never had to pay anywhere, although we did see a uniformed figure hailing our boat moored to the outer wall in St Trop when we were some distance away.

I do enjoy all the memories though.
 
Re: Advice requested on Battery Bank size & charging for our new boat.

I think the " O P" is going to have a serious problem with space, and/or sinking if a lot of the suggestions are adopted, whats wrong with simple for what they are proposing to do with a Sadler 29. I do hope you enjoy your new boat, keep it simple. Bill.
 
Re: Advice requested on Battery Bank size & charging for our new boat.

Exactly my thoughts too and I know how difficult it is to fit things into a relatively big boat let alone a 29 foot one.

But no doubt our comments will be analysed right down to the pickiest meaningless detail so that one comes to wonder if life is worth living for some /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif.
 
Re: Advice requested on Battery Bank size & charging for our new boat.

Nice to know there are some of us "simple souls" left! Cheers, Bill.
 
Re: Advice requested on Battery Bank size & charging for our new b

[ QUOTE ]
It is a lot cooler in winter than southern Spain according to the Met stats.

[/ QUOTE ] Depends on the place. Yes, Costa del Sol is the sunniest and driest place in the Med. Southern areas of Greece are very close; Rhodes, Crete, SW Peloponese, similar to the more southern and northern costas.
 
Once again, thanks to you all for all your advice. As has been mentioned , our Sadler 290 is only a 29footer ! For all that she is relatively heavy & carries her beam pretty well back to the transom, but we don't want to spoil her performance more than necessary for reasonable comfort. Our current conclusions are:
Batteries: 400AH maximum (AGM attractive but what a cost!)
Alternator: Start with the std 60A but add a 4 stage smart controllor. Eventual replacement a Balmar 100a .
Charger: Either a Dolphin 40A with PF correction (or equiv) which is the max which can be powered by a Honda EU10i genny or maybe a 1000w/50A inverter charger which would give those extra luxuries (max wld be a hairdryer/curler)
Extras: Sensibly a Rutland 913 rather than a solar panel. Maybe also a Honda genny but we also want to take our 2 folding bikes in that generous but limited locker
Good Sailing, Richard.
ps Look out in 2008 for our Sadler 290 called "Cariad" ,w green hull & yellow canvas !
 
You have a very similar list of equipment to mine on a Sadler 34, except that your domestic battery capacity is bigger than mine by 50%. We can exist at anchor in the Med for 2 or 3 days without running the engine, dependent upon the month/daylight hours. Since we are usually ready to move on by then we rarely charge at anchor.

The main change I would make would be to increase solar panel size. We began with a 40 watt panel on deck under the boom, this was helpful but often unavoidably shaded. We then added a 32 watt Unisolar flexible panel which is excellent but is a hassle to tie down when sailing and needs to be moved at anchor. We are now in the process of replacing one or both with fixed panels on a goalpost, probably 100 - 120 watts. This should make us completely self-sufficient in power.
 
Re: Advice requested on Battery Bank size & charging for our new boat.

Hiya Bill.
Don't confuse "simple" as in basic, with "simple" as in lack of understanding.. simple does not mean better, it most certainly CAN do, but often means purely a lack of understanding and inexperience in these matters.
the actual issue of Sailing the boat is SIMPLE, and is often the case, but again CAN be difficult.. but unlikely.. those that quote "electrickery" for example, are just often luddites in the great scheme of things.
A balanced system to cope with all needs is not rocket science, sailing is in its purest sense the most simple thing of all, a three year old deaf and dumb siamease one legged acrobat could do that... but to make the most of what you have in a sensible cost effective way is different.. and new to many.. a new skill to learn.
Some cannot get away from a Joshua Slocum type of mere existence.. yes, its fun, but not readily maintainable.
/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

One has to adopt, adapt, overcome and learn.. otherwise one becomes stuck in the past.. no problems with that really, its actually a great way to live, but a denial of better things.

Lets all sell the engine, or make a mooring out of it, and go engine less... lets make sails out of cotton with cellulose dope applied..... great fun... not...

or as the case may be.. really GOOD fun...

You decide. At the end of that day, its what rocks yer boat.....

but, things have moved on, and generally for the better.....

I KNOW you like the simple, and be gads that's good, I really mean that. !.

BUT, A FEW EXTRA BATTERIES to make use of a GOOD charging regime are NOT overkill, they are NORMAL.... a modern (read the last 30 years) sailor is NOT a cotton or dacron flying merchant with nerves of barb wire, simply one who adapts to changing circumstances and utilises it to the best (MEANING ... FOR them .. THE BEST) ADVANTAGE..

some LIVE IN A THERMIONIC VALVE WORLD WHEN THE TRANSISTOR replaced it years ago... but cling to it as the "Norm".. so did the dinosaurs... and they died out rapidly...

Now, you have tried to play the game of alpha male... good stuff, tried to convey your "experience", good, but dont get into the rights n wrongs please, cos it wont be pretty. I spent a good six months with you over here, you were and ARE a great guy, away from the forums.. I DO appreciate your input, but with reserves. but, you need to get away from the old world and embrace hte new... you enjoy your sailing, so do I, but there is far more to sailing / cruising than living on sprouted beans and rice with limited (due to knowledge) power, AND no excuse for one who is savvy....

Enjoy... often the best plans end up being stuck in one place for many years, but it DOES not remove the pleasure of just being, and doing, and existing in your context of life and happiness. You can stay in LC for two years, or up a river for 5.. whatever turns you on at the time.. horses for courses.... hmmmmm /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Joe n Jayne
 
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