Blue Angel (Canados 70s) Rebuild thread

[BartW]

Are those solar panels that I see in your photo, P?

yes they are,
this is more like a try-out, just bcs its possible and not expensive, no essential need for them,

part of this rebuild was modifying the side overhang above de side deck's,
this would create even more roof space in that position,
so we started thinking about SP"s
if we could place 3 x SP's a bit aligned with the front windows it would not look too ugly
like yours this looks a bit like roof windows
we looked around for models and dimensions,
and found / placed 3 x Hyunday 430W peak panels, (fully black) = 1290Wmax peak
we kept an air gap of 3..5cm underneath the panels, for air flow, as they tend to get hot,
lowering them might improve for a better look. I"ll look at that later,

in reality
so far max production from them i've seen is 1150W around lunch time,
but in the morning the production is disappointing , approw 200W at 10h am
the SP's are directly connected to the house battery bank, via a Victron MPPT150, including a round Victron display..

but overall we achieved a nice result, in daytime its very rare that we have to run the genset,
stabilisers and dishwasher run on battery's / solar power in day time,
we need to run the genset, when we use the oven (cooking is on gas) or when the stabs have to work too hard,
in fact they are the biggest consumer,

probably for you the same; we don't like running the genset, bcs it stinks, and is noisy,
especially not when the kids are swimming behind the boat,
and in that respect we have a very good result. they love it !!!

but during the night we have to run the genset almost permanently, we use that to our benifit and run the airco at night
we never did this at anker in the past

I have to add that I placed LESS battery power than before
we used to have 2 banks of approx 600Ah@24V,
now we only have 2 x 360Ah@24V,
and made a automatic system that the batt banks switch in parallel unless they are charging from genset or shore power
(each bank gets the exact charging curent that it needs, each bank has a separate charger...)

there is enough safety build in that we can never drain the batts below 50% or below 23,5V

I will post more info and full report later,
with pics, or a diagram if someone is interested.

 

[Hurricane]

yes they are,
this is more like a try-out, just bcs its possible and not expensive, no essential need for them,

part of this rebuild was modifying the side overhang above de side deck's,
this would create even more roof space in that position,
so we started thinking about SP"s
if we could place 3 x SP's a bit aligned with the front windows it would not look too ugly
like yours this looks a bit like roof windows
we looked around for models and dimensions,
and found / placed 3 x Hyunday 430W peak panels, (fully black) = 1290Wmax peak
we kept an air gap of 3..5cm underneath the panels, for air flow, as they tend to get hot,
lowering them might improve for a better look. I"ll look at that later,

in reality
so far max production from them i've seen is 1150W around lunch time,
but in the morning the production is disappointing , approw 200W at 10h am
the SP's are directly connected to the house battery bank, via a Victron MPPT150, including a round Victron display..

but overall we achieved a nice result, in daytime its very rare that we have to run the genset,
stabilisers and dishwasher run on battery's / solar power in day time,
we need to run the genset, when we use the oven (cooking is on gas) or when the stabs have to work too hard,
in fact they are the biggest consumer,

probably for you the same; we don't like running the genset, bcs it stinks, and is noisy,
especially not when the kids are swimming behind the boat,
and in that respect we have a very good result. they love it !!!

but during the night we have to run the genset almost permanently, we use that to our benifit and run the airco at night
we never did this at anker in the past

I have to add that I placed LESS battery power than before
we used to have 2 banks of approx 600Ah@24V,
now we only have 2 x 360Ah@24V,
and made a automatic system that the batt banks switch in parallel unless they are charging from genset or shore power
(each bank gets the exact charging curent that it needs, each bank has a separate charger...)

there is enough safety build in that we can never drain the batts below 50% or below 23,5V

I will post more info and full report later,
with pics, or a diagram if someone is interested.

That sounds like a success.
For some reason, this year, our solar panels seem to have been working better than before.
My panels are the "stick on" type - not those cheap flexible ones - mine are pre-mounted on GRP panels then the GRP panels are stuck down to the boat's eyebrow.

I never intended that mine are an alternative to the generator.
The generator still "bangs in" power first thing in the morning when the batteries are most discharged and can take a larger current.
As the batteries charge, the current that the batteries can take, drops off.
So, thats where the solar panels come in - and keep the charging going at the lower current across the rest of the day after the generator has been switched off.

This year, it has been working really well and typically, in the middle of the day, providing enough current to cover the background load plus charge the batteries.
So, by mid to late afternoon, the batteries have been getting back to 100% charge - ready for the night.

These panels are about 5 years old now so I really pleased.
Your panels are better and more powerful than mine so your effect will probably be more noticeable.

 

[Hooligan]

yes they are,
this is more like a try-out, just bcs its possible and not expensive, no essential need for them,

part of this rebuild was modifying the side overhang above de side deck's,
this would create even more roof space in that position,
so we started thinking about SP"s
if we could place 3 x SP's a bit aligned with the front windows it would not look too ugly
like yours this looks a bit like roof windows
we looked around for models and dimensions,
and found / placed 3 x Hyunday 430W peak panels, (fully black) = 1290Wmax peak
we kept an air gap of 3..5cm underneath the panels, for air flow, as they tend to get hot,
lowering them might improve for a better look. I"ll look at that later,

in reality
so far max production from them i've seen is 1150W around lunch time,
but in the morning the production is disappointing , approw 200W at 10h am
the SP's are directly connected to the house battery bank, via a Victron MPPT150, including a round Victron display..

but overall we achieved a nice result, in daytime its very rare that we have to run the genset,
stabilisers and dishwasher run on battery's / solar power in day time,
we need to run the genset, when we use the oven (cooking is on gas) or when the stabs have to work too hard,
in fact they are the biggest consumer,

probably for you the same; we don't like running the genset, bcs it stinks, and is noisy,
especially not when the kids are swimming behind the boat,
and in that respect we have a very good result. they love it !!!

but during the night we have to run the genset almost permanently, we use that to our benifit and run the airco at night
we never did this at anker in the past

I have to add that I placed LESS battery power than before
we used to have 2 banks of approx 600Ah@24V,
now we only have 2 x 360Ah@24V,
and made a automatic system that the batt banks switch in parallel unless they are charging from genset or shore power
(each bank gets the exact charging curent that it needs, each bank has a separate charger...)

there is enough safety build in that we can never drain the batts below 50% or below 23,5V

I will post more info and full report later,
with pics, or a diagram if someone is interested.

Slightly away from subject but whoever designs boats seems to completely ignore the practicality of fixing things that go wrong. The master shower in our S65 was emptying into the bilges not the sump pump small tank. When I eventually found where to look basically the pipe had separated. That’s when the problems started. First it was clear that the pipe was simply not long enough so had eventually just pulled off. Secondly the gap that allowed access simply didn’t allow you to put your hand in and simultaneously see what you were doing. It also requires lying face down on the floor with left arm feeling around trying to reattach fittings. In the end I found a local chandlers, jimmy rigged some fittings together and sealed with a ton of Sikaflex. This is just about doing the job. SWMBO can now shower in blissful knowledge that the suds are not now in the bilges! But it is just ludicrous that a simple job is nigh on impossible to do without ripping the boat apart. Whinge over!!

 

[Bouba]

Slightly away from subject but whoever designs boats seems to completely ignore the practicality of fixing things that go wrong. The master shower in our S65 was emptying into the bilges not the sump pump small tank. When I eventually found where to look basically the pipe had separated. That’s when the problems started. First it was clear that the pipe was simply not long enough so had eventually just pulled off. Secondly the gap that allowed access simply didn’t allow you to put your hand in and simultaneously see what you were doing. It also requires lying face down on the floor with left arm feeling around trying to reattach fittings. In the end I found a local chandlers, jimmy rigged some fittings together and sealed with a ton of Sikaflex. This is just about doing the job. SWMBO can now shower in blissful knowledge that the suds are not now in the bilges! But it is just ludicrous that a simple job is nigh on impossible to do without ripping the boat apart. Whinge over!!

Try replacing a fuel tank if you want sympathy from me

 

[vas]

Try replacing a fuel tank if you want sympathy from me

no sympathy to mr. Bouba,
still waiting detailed photos of the passarelle installation from 2yrs ago

 

[Bouba]

no sympathy to mr. Bouba,
still waiting detailed photos of the passarelle installation from 2yrs ago

It’s too hot today to go in the lazaret…but I will oblige soon

 

[Hurricane]

It’s too hot today to go in the lazaret…but I will oblige soon

Oh - poor you
Its raining and cold here in the UK

 

[Bouba]

Oh - poor you
Its raining and cold here in the UK

Today is ridiculously hot…I even went swimming

 

[RoiDagobert]

Meeting with Blue Angel in Ajaccio (Corsica) at fuel dock: thanks to BartW and his lovely wife for letting me on board and visit this masterpiece!

 

[Bajansailor]

It’s too hot today to go in the lazaret…but I will oblige soon

Vas (and all the rest of us) are still waiting on these photos old chap......
(or did you post them on a separate passerelle thread?)

 

[Bouba]

Vas (and all the rest of us) are still waiting on these photos old chap......
(or did you post them on a separate passerelle thread?)

I am going on holiday in 45 minutes.....by electric car

 

[Bouba]

Spent all day in traffic but here we are the largest natural fresh water lake in France

 

[BartW]

Meeting with Blue Angel in Ajaccio (Corsica) at fuel dock: thanks to BartW and his lovely wife for letting me on board and visit this masterpiece!

Hi RoiDagobert,

I'm a bit late in answering your post,
Thanks for the nice words, and the pleasant meeting in Ajaccio,
I was pleasantly surpirsed hearing someone shouting ' Hi Blue Angel" from another boat in Ajaccio,
We were indeed in the middle of our summer holiday's; this year travelling from south sardegna to north Corsica and back,
and this season ones again, we had a terrific time onboard.

you guy's motivate me to continue this blog about the rebuilding of Blue Angel,
and I realise that there is still a lot to post about the upgrades we dit in winter 22-23 and 23-24,
last week, after 7 weeks onboard, we dropped the boat in the yard, (we don't use her off season) again for a few small upgrades coming winter

hopefully I will find motivation and time to continue this blog in the coming weeks
just for now, a small teaser from this summer :

 

[Mr Googler]

Would absolutely love you to do more updates Bart!

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Boat looks superb Bart! Be good to read about this winter’s upgrades!

 

[roa312]

Another quick upvote from me to please continue on with the 'blog' if you have time! This is surely one of the gold threads of the forum along with your engine rebuild etc. I really enjoyed reading through it all and much appreciate your postings.

 

[jfm]

100% agree. Keep posting Bart.

Nice to catch up in August and thank you (publicly) for the music system/ we had many many hours of fun with that!

Did you look closely at WhiteHaven in Ajaccio that day after we passed each other at sea? Rather nice. Blue Angel and WhiteHaven are surely the best kept Canados yachts in the whole Med