Solar Panels or Wind Genny?

[Bejasus]

We currently have 2 x Seimens 110 watt solar panels mounted across the davits, but need to move them to be able to mount a passarelle for Med mooring next year. Should I just flog the panels and fit a wind genny for battery charging?

 

[samwise]

From conversations I have had with experienced Med sailors, there ain't as much wind as you think in Med, which is why you need to be resigned to a lot of motoring if you need to get somewhere. There is, however, quite a bit of sun. Wind gennies can be noisy and produce unwelcome vibrations through the hull. Solar has the advantage of silent power. Can you set up a gantry across the back? You may then be able to incorporate an adjustment to get the best from your panels. I would stick with solar.

 

[Bejasus]

thing is that the boat being a ketch doesn't leave a lot of free space across the back. I am also aware that any kind of shadow across the panels reduces the power dramatically.

 

[pappaecho]

If N Europe then wind genny. In the Med I would hedge my bets and go for both

 

[Talbot]

Why not fit the paasrelle to the side of the stern gantry, using a flat square hinged on the toerail, and a support down to the ship's side, and from this connect the passarelle to the shore.
This way you dont have to change the solar panels, you have an easier access to the passerelle, and you use the davits as an extra handhold on one side.

 

[Bejasus]

have thought about this as an option but still to make a decision. It may well be the best idea. Need to look at mountings as I will probably have to cut an opening in the wooden balustrade(for want of a better word). Not easy to see from this pic, but panels overhang the davits on each side by about 6 inches.

 

[vyv_cox]

We are in the Med, have two solar panels but no wind generator. This seems to me to be a good arrangement as there are plenty of calm spells but rarely sunless ones. Unless your electrical demands are enormous your 220 Watts of panel will be sufficient, even allowing for some periods of shadow across one or both. We run a refrigerator full time, audio frequently plus all normal sailing consumers on 70 Watts. In June and July we were self sufficient on the panels, May, August, September not quite but very brief engine running was sufficient.

 

[Talbot]

Having seen that, I would definitely use the side platform. I would hinge the balustrade so that it could be returned to looking good.

 

[Abraxas33]

We have a 100W panel on a gantry which does not quite fullfill our needs. Fitting the gantry on a ketch is not easy but can be done (I would paste in a photo if I knew how). Rather than fit a wind generator I fitted a second alternator which has proved very sucessful in the Med.

 

[Richard10002]

Wanderer II is a lovely old wooden boat moored next to us. She has wooden boards between the guard rails/wires just forward of the cockpit on both sides - a bit like wooden dodgers.

I couldnt work out what the electrical connection on them was.... to light the name? no sign of lighting.

A couple of days ago, I looked over and the name boards are pivoted horizontally revealing solar panels on the inboard side.

The pivot arrangement looks a bit complicated, but they look like they work really well, and they take up no useable space.

The whole boat looks like it works really well. The skipper wipes the dew off the windows and woodwork every morning and, every couple of days, he goes around with some sandpaper and a tin of varnish.

Also has a "Super Wind" wind generator which looks the part.

Richard

 

[Bejasus]

we did think about cutting the balustrade and fitting in an embedded brass hinge and caps. Need to also cut the ss handrails for the gap between stanchions too. I will investigate more, but swmbo definitely wants a 3 piece passarelle as she doesn't want it sticking up in the air like some.

 

[Bejasus]

we also have a high output Balmar alternator and a 4.5 KVA genny on board.

 

[wagenaar]

Why don't you put the passarel on the bow in stead of the stern. Gives you much more privacy in the cockpit and you don't have the problem of changing the solar panels. I had the passarel on the bow and liked it a lot.

 

[charles_reed]

no

in the Med the solar panels are for more useful.

Wherever you are you need both. The farther north (a gross oversimplification) the more valuable the wind generator.

 

[Forbsie]

If you put it on the side, how are you going to suspend the netting to catch 'swmbo' when she next falls in? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Bejasus]

haha
she has her own flotation these days /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

don't even think about it.......or else.

 

[Koeketiene]

If he'd be doing a lot of motoring in the Med, maybe he'd be better off flogging the panels and not bothering with a wind genny. Lots of motoring = lots of elec from alternator??

 

[vyv_cox]

Doesn't necessarily follow. We often anchor for several days, either because of light winds or heavy winds or no swell or just a nice place. Definitely don't want to run the engine just for battery charging if it can be avoided.