Wind generator mast

[Highland laddie]

I have an Aerogen4 mounted on a 1" mast with 2 supports to the push pit, completely inadequate as the mast is 2.2m high. Aerogen had an option for a 1.5" mast and I have managed to obtain the alternative gennie to mast swivel. Sourcing 1.5" tube of suitable wall thickness (2-3mm) is no problem, however I am having trouble finding suitable 1" struts from mast to pushpit top rails, and 1" and 1.5" connections.
Before I get started I would appreciate any comments/advice on my proposed solution or other ideas to beef up the installation.
Incidentally Aerogen no longer offer a 1.5" mast kit.
Thanks in anticipation.

 

[Cloven]

I have an Aero4gen mounted in a similar position using 25mm SS tubing. It is anchored at the base on the transom, supported at the top pushpit rail and then two wires from brackets below the generator to the deck with bottle screw attachments. We have had absolutely no problems with this set-up at all.

 

[Highland laddie]

Thanks for the pic, clearly your supporting guys are much higher than my struts were. During last winter the mast developed a bend due to lack of support high up. The thinking behind a thick walled 1.5" mast is it will have intrinsic strength, and where previously I would not have considered wire guys see
http://www.ybw.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-127858.html
I am now thinking the combination of 1.5" tube and wire might do the trick.
Many thanks for your prod!

 

[Cloven]

Glad the pic was of use. Just out of interest, although the support was ordered as 1"/25mm (not sure which now), it was very thick walled and we needed to a bit of fettling at the top to get it to fit the Aero4gen mount. Fortunately the marina we were at then (Dunstaffnage) were able to oblige and also to weld on the fittings to take the wires. These were just SS shackles with the bar bit cut off. The wires & bottle screws were left over from dinghy sailing days.

The mount for the base was made from the SS frame from a very old jammer which was long past its usefulness. (I even managed to recycle the sheaves when the rollers on a patio door at home failed!!)

We have never been aware of any bending and this set up has been on the boat now for at least 10 years.

The fitting between the support & the pushpit rail is a home made one of these:

This is a stock pic from Plastimo but they are easily made up with a piece of SS plate and four U bolts.

Hope this additional info helps.

Dave

 

[Highland laddie]

My original 1" mast had an aluminium socket as a base with the cable exiting straight thru the deck, whereas you use a separate gland, incidentally Aerogen are masters at using dissimilar metals as you will no doubt discover if you try to remove the tail fin.
I have just overhauled the genny, new bearings etc and had the casing powder coated, hopefully with a new mast it will give years of service.
Thanks again for your advice.

 

[Cloven]

I also refurbished mine about three seasons ago. Fortunately it all came apart fine. I did not go down the powder coating route but after removing all the old paint I used hammerite special metals primer/undercoat & then hammerite flat white topcoat. So far so good and also if I do get any damage its easily touched up.

Hope you get your installation sorted out OK.