blackbeard
Active member
Just for the record ... I have a (British) Hunter 245 which is roughly the same size as a Contessa 26 (shorter but beamier), when I bought it, it had a wind generator (Aerogen not a Rutland, a bit heavier and with more output).
The Aerogen did a great job in keeping batteries charged but I removed it.
It was just too big for the boat. It sat atop a pole near the pushpit, but that much weight on a long pole was just too unstable. It could have been guyed but the guys would have got in the way. Even so, the blades reached within about six feet of the cockpit floor which is far too close for safety. Also it was noisy.
A Rutland might be a bit easier to live with but, of course, would give less output and I doubt if it would be really useful. Also, if you have a fridge, you need power on hot windless days when a wind generator isn't much use!
I feel that a wind generator doesn't live happily on such a small boat. On a larger boat, perhaps.
The Aerogen did a great job in keeping batteries charged but I removed it.
It was just too big for the boat. It sat atop a pole near the pushpit, but that much weight on a long pole was just too unstable. It could have been guyed but the guys would have got in the way. Even so, the blades reached within about six feet of the cockpit floor which is far too close for safety. Also it was noisy.
A Rutland might be a bit easier to live with but, of course, would give less output and I doubt if it would be really useful. Also, if you have a fridge, you need power on hot windless days when a wind generator isn't much use!
I feel that a wind generator doesn't live happily on such a small boat. On a larger boat, perhaps.
