Wind generator position on ketch

Tim O

Tim O

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Hi - wondering about the best location for a pole-mounted Rutland 913 on a Colvic Countess 33 ketch.

Cant really afford a custom mizzen-bracket plus the 913 is already on a pole and the bolts are seized so would like to stick with the pole.

Any experience or ideas? Cheers
 
Tim O said:
Hi - wondering about the best location for a pole-mounted Rutland 913 on a Colvic Countess 33 ketch.

Cant really afford a custom mizzen-bracket plus the 913 is already on a pole and the bolts are seized so would like to stick with the pole.

Any experience or ideas? Cheers
Click to expand...

Been a very long time, in the 1990s, but we had an Aerogen 4 on a pushpit pole on our w33 ketch, this was a standard Aerogen supplied option and the short pole did not need additional stays or other support although I did fit a plywood stiffener strut between the rails which steadied it when beatng into a seaway.
 
As I'm sure you realise, mounted up on the mizzen mast, is the obvious place on a ketch. I appreciate that the ready made brackets are expensive, but would it be difficult to make one, or have one made? Alternatively, there are bound to be damaged masts around, with perfectly good brackets on them. I would try advertising for one, or try eBay.
 
Yes, and I do have a mizzen staysail which came with the boat, plus there is already a radar dome and a Firdell Bipper mounted on the mizzen so quite a lot of weight/clutter up there.

Ive got an ebay search on for Mizzen Bracket, will also post on wanted section forum here.

I was hoping for easy solution, thinking of putting pole in rear corner of pushpit with the supplied brackets at the deck then stayed to the pushpit. (Obviously assuming that will clear the mizzen boom and wont interfere with stern mooring lines!!) It came with the genuine Rutland Marine mounting pole and stays kit - lot of money's worth, so would rather not waste it and spend more if possible.
 
I shortened my mizzen boom to clear the pole. No idea how long your boom is or would need to be shortened.

Be careful about mast mounting a generator. When at anchor for a while (same heading for the gen/boat) the brushes can make a dirty patch on the slip rings causing them to go opencircuit. The generator then produces no power AND perhaps more importantly the stop switch no longer works allowing the generator to spinn superfast. Blades have been known to fly off.
If mounted on a pole, blades above head height at least, a rope on the tail allows you to put the blades side to the wind and get a rope around the blades.. No way to do that up a mast.
Mine was on a pole when this hapened.
 
I'm setting myself up for a bit of derision here.

When I bought Rose in 1992 she had a 2-blade American wind generator mounted between the mizzen spreader and the top of the mast - it was fixed ahead & didn't rotate. It had a bicycle brake you applied to stop it turning - sometimes it let go :disgust:. Output was barely adequate.

Forward a couple of years to the Caribbean and into the land of Windbuggers - huge output compared with UK units. Again 2-bladed and a little 'agricultural' but these rotated to the wind and were seen on dozens of US yachts.

At this time 'Dougbugger' in Trinidad was developing his highly regarded 3-bladed KISS high output wind generator - which is still sold today.

For some reason or another, a fellow cruiser and I decided to invest in a bigger generator, one that was regarded by some as the dogs doodahs in 3-bladed mean machines - a Windbaron - which had a massive output with low start up wind speeds, getting near peak (30-40amps I recall) at 20 knots or so. Perfect for tradewind locations.

With both boats being ketches we mounted them on a pole at the top of the mizzen. The blades were circa 5 feet diameter - but they didn't look too big from deck level :rolleyes: . The blade rotation was slower than other makes so it was quieter. Over 35kts the head canted back and the blades feathered (it was supposedly rated to 85kts). It also had an electric brake.

I have to say that it was fantastic in the steady trades where you could run all the electricals day in day out but a bit of a nightmare in temperate latitudes. The blade noise was low but the rumble down the mizzen drove you mad in the end - especially in gusty anchorages.

Gave up the ghost with a dying shriek after 3 years and I never had the inclination to replace it back in home waters.

Wouldn't have another wind generator unless I could eliminate the mizzen rumble (then it would be a KISS). Solar for me nowadays.

Here's a pic of it doing it's stuff in a trade wind anchorage.

Huahine-Rose.jpg


And yes, the stern line was there to stop Rose flying away ;)
 
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There certainly are pros and cons. Mine is on the mizzen, above the radar, and below the radar reflector. It is a lot of "stuff" up there. I fitted mast steps to make access easy. Noise coming down the mast straight into the aft cabin, used to be a problem, but renewing the genny's bearings sorted that one. There is clearer wind at a higher level.

Mounting on a pole at the taffrail, would make it more accessible for tying off etc, but the length of your boom would determine whether you would have to use a cranked pole.

I have a Rutland 913, and I have just very recently installed a 100w solar panel. On a ten day cruise a couple of weeks ago, on the West Coast, the amp hours produced were precisely the same from both sources. That was a very short test period, but later towards the "summer", one would expect more sun and less wind (maybe).
 
I have just replaced my 913 mizzen bracket with the attached.

image.jpgimage.jpg

I replaced a bespoke bracket that had no strut and was pulling the rivets in the mast
 
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I already have mast steps on the mizzen so access wouldn't necessarily be an issue....But....I'm liking the idea of a cranked pole, which may be simpler and cheaper. Have looked and gulped at the prices of some off the shelf brackets!!!! Anyone got a picture of a cranked/doglegged pole?
 
Tim O said:
I already have mast steps on the mizzen so access wouldn't necessarily be an issue....But....I'm liking the idea of a cranked pole, which may be simpler and cheaper. Have looked and gulped at the prices of some off the shelf brackets!!!! Anyone got a picture of a cranked/doglegged pole?
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Not a brilliant pic but you can get the idea if you zoom in. Braced with an additional stay to the mizzen top.

View attachment 57349
 
Thanks both......was wondering if you'd solved this issue LadyinBed as I know you have the same boat!
 
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