Solar arch or pole mounts?

[andyc352]

You may want to consider aluminium fittings. I bought all the parts from NOA and constructed my own arch. It wasn’t cheap but probably cheaper than getting a stainless arch fabricated. I also mounted the main supports on the transom so as not to lose valuable deck space.

 

[PaulRainbow]

I wonder if one one had recently quote for solar arch from some one like "Mr Stainless.co.uk" or similar?

We were exploring that option and then start thinking about flexible solar over spray hood. Our 36' sailing boat is usually on her swinging mooring or anchor, very occasionally marinas where we can plug on and recharge the batteries.
I was just looking other day boats around us, on they swing moorings with solars on they arches most of the day point wrong way from Sun, if crews is not on board to point them every hour or so.. unless they are flat. Arches looking good and stable and handy, but they are expensive ( or I was quoted by wrong people).
Does anyone things one or two flexible panels around 120 W will be good and top up occasionally in marinas or small portable generator?

The arches i mentioned earlier were made by Mr Stainless. Possibly not the cheapest, certainly not as cheap as the DIY arches others have posted pics of. But, the arches are very well made, custom fitted to the boat and should last a lifetime. I accept, of course, that the prices might not be to everyone's taste.

Unless you want to fiddle around constantly moving panels, just point them straight up. Sure, you could get a little higher yield if you're onboard and keep fiddling, but i can find better things to do, Besides, if you forget to move them, you'll end up with a lower yield (and i'm sure i'd forget).

If you can fit a couple fo 120w panels so that they don't get too much shade they will be very useful. Not sure of your power requirements, but i can get through the whole Summer (East coast UK) with 260w of solar, only needing to use shore power or the engine odd times we get 2 or 3 really cloudy days.

 

[Roberto]

.
I was just looking other day boats around us, on they swing moorings with solars on they arches most of the day point wrong way from Sun, if crews is not on board to point them every hour or so.. unless they are flat.

Swinging mooring yes, the sun movement hardly coincides with the turn of the tide.
OTOH if one is planning to cross E-W the Atlantic for example, adjusting the panels in the early hours gives some additional Ah when batteries are relatively discharged and can accept more current, during the afternoon the sun is intermittently/frequently shadowed by the sails so orienting them allows to recover a little more Ah again.
Just looking at the batteries state of charge in the morning gives a sufficient motivation to immediately orient the panels

 

[Nina Lucia]

The arches i mentioned earlier were made by Mr Stainless. Possibly not the cheapest, certainly not as cheap as the DIY arches others have posted pics of. But, the arches are very well made, custom fitted to the boat and should last a lifetime. I accept, of course, that the prices might not be to everyone's taste.

Unless you want to fiddle around constantly moving panels, just point them straight up. Sure, you could get a little higher yield if you're onboard and keep fiddling, but i can find better things to do, Besides, if you forget to move them, you'll end up with a lower yield (and i'm sure i'd forget).

If you can fit a couple fo 120w panels so that they don't get too much shade they will be very useful. Not sure of your power requirements, but i can get through the whole Summer (East coast UK) with 260w of solar, only needing to use shore power or the engine odd times we get 2 or 3 really cloudy days.

Definitely great workmanship, I did asked for the quotation from them before, and for the quality and looks they are definitely worth it. We are on south coast, Gosport and I think they did say it would be easier if we bring the boat to them, at the time, I really didn't have enough time to sail around and stay there till job is done, so I thought how's about flexible panels, maybe not enough space for more than 110W on the spray hood..., eventually we might go for good quality arch as a final answer !

 

[Nina Lucia]

I just come cross this one: Solar Arch for a Bavaria 36, very interesting and all details and parts how to make one!