Woohoo! Lots of awesome information and suggestions coming in, so thank you to everyone that has commented already! I love the discussion we're having. So far it looks like our top options from your suggestions are: 1. Top of mast. Pros: Out of the way, clean wind up high, no extra shading of the solar panels. Cons: Hard to maintenance, may vibrate the whole mast, adds a ton of weight and stress aloft, long cable run and voltage loss might be an issue. Luckyfish looks like they did this, but they are also on a catamaran. The weight aloft might be a bigger issue for a small monohull like Freebie. 2. On the arch on a pole with a 90 degree bend and getting it up above the panels as much as possible. Pros: Easy to maintenance, short cable run so less voltage drop, no extra stress on standing rigging, less weight aloft. Cons: Wind isn't as good lower on the boat, shading might be an issue. Feel free to add anything below. Thanks again! PS: No we're not selling the wind genny and getting more solar. Lol. The whole point is to be able to still make power when there's no sun.
When going with the 90 off of the solar framing, go out a couple of feet before putting a 90. This way there's less chance of shading your panels. 2 to 3 feet straight back and 10 feet up would be good. There's always a risk of shading even without the wind genny. It's also good to have a wind genny because unlike the sun, the wind still blows at night so you are able to put power into your batteries 24 hours a day theoretically.
Don't go mast top. apart from the already metioned weight at the wrong place, wind there is not "clean". If it is windy, your boat will me moving, and that moviment is well amplified by the lenght of the mast. Wind generetors dont produce well in turbulent wind. (cable run is NOT a problem, just use correct gauge cable) As for the suggestions "around" the solar pannels, you seem to be aware of the destructive (in energy production) from shadow on solar pannels. I would bet my electrial engineer degree that most boats you see a wind generator shadowing there pannels get a NEGATIVE net result on energy production (the energy produced by the wind gen dos not offset the lost due to shadow on the pannels). (SV Delos is the perfect example of this. The way those two wind gens are positioned they surely shadow the panels for a considerable part of the day. The solution I would go, if instaling a wind gen at all (reasons following) is to make (as suggested) a looooong L pole from the arch that could be moved inboard when needed. Hanging it way to the stern or to one of the sides. At anchor or sailing it won't bother you at all. Only problem would be marinas. As for the energy production of the wind generator, as stated by many others, most of the time they produce very little. With the silent wind that you have, 10kn of CONSTANT wind, for 24 hours would give you around 600Wh (or arount 10-12ah @ 48v) (I know you want an alternative, but putting into perpective, that is 2 hours of one 300w solar panel at peak time, or 1/3 to 1/4 of what said pannel would produce in a day) (15kn constant for 24h would give you 1800wh (or 37Ah @ 48v) about the same as a 300w panel in a good day) *In the caribean, those kind of winds are not infrequent, but they are quite rare "everywhere else". if it wasnt for the fact that you dont want to have fossil fuel onboard, I would say: go for a portable gas generator, to be used only in prolonged cloudy days.
The inefficiency of that wind generator makes it probably not worth it. I think it would be interesting to use the sails as a wind generator in some way, though I doubt such a thing currently exists. As an alternative to your two solutions: you could always install a mounting with a quick release a reachable distance up the mast. That way it wouldn't interfere with anything (because you aren't using it when sailing) while the moment arm won't be as large as it would be on top of the mast. I admire your efforts to make the boat carbon-neutral. I really hope it works out, because if it does I'm going to try to do it. So good luck!
If it were my boat, I would still be going off of the framing of the solar. There are brackets that will attach to your piping. Straight back from the framing, then 90° going up on stainless, about 10 feet above the panels.
I agree, and in addition to being able to run all your electrical in one area, it could be easier to remove if needed for maintenance or in case of emergency (extreme winds).
@@mechanicdave80 not to toot my own horn but I'm a carpenter and well, it's my job to make things and to make sure that they work as they are supposed to.
TODD FINK that's exactly what I was thinking. Off the solar frame, nice and high, with decent stays. One other thing, try to make the pole foldable. That way you can carry out maintenance relatively easily. Go guys.
You may be able to add a socket and brace off the side of the solar arch on each side of the arch and mount the wind generator on a 10' aluminum tube pole. You could then install it on either side of the solar arch when at anchor and stow it below when sailing. Hope you get some good ideas. Have a good weekend.
Hey guys don't know if you already installed the wind generator yet but we already went through this and did all we could designing the position of our wind generator to check out what we did in our boat we have pictures on Instagram we also installed on the aluminum solar arch just have to make sure the pole is long enough at least 5 feet away from the bottom of your panels the shade fades as you move them away and rarely affect the solar array if you need more input on that send us a msg on insta
Have a stainless tube bent to fit your arch..It is well made and designed to handle the forces that generator will put on it... Use tube clamps that are made for wake board holders...or look on Craigslist for a wakeboard pole that would mount in the very middle of your tower... I see them for $50 bucks all the time. Super strong...Good luck!.. Can't wait to see what you decide to do.
You guys are awesome. So stoked for your journey. My two cents are probably in left field but I'm thinking extension pole near the stern to raise or lower as the need arises but keeping your rigging clear. Spit balling.
I have 3 x 320 watt solar panels set up on my boat. Mounted aft just like yours. To mount the windgen I came off 30 degrees on the starboard side of my solar arch and then straight up and put a detachable extension to attach my wind generator. I have seen not much if any shadowing being a factor. Now my panels are in parallel so if for some reason there was a bit of shading then the second panel is not affected. Running the panels in series has benefits but shadowing would bring down not just one panel but both. I have had this setup for over 5 years and it works great. Easier to maintain than on the top of the mast. I too run an electric motor. All is good. The SilentWind is a great generator. They make a very good product and have great support staff. On a boat many people don't figure out properly where to mount their wind gens, and vibration can be a factor. Can't remember if I ordered them separate or if the antivibration mounts came with the gen. Anyways no,noise or vibration from the SilentWind. Great design and the cabon fiber blades are very effective, in producing power with very little wind and in producing very little noise . Nice videos people.
I'd put a standoff bracket (or shaped pole) to the side or rear of the solar arch - about a foot, then a vertical pole with the wind generator on. It will easily make up for any losses caused by shadowing.
Hi guys My solution would be in two parts so a bit more work. Firstly I would have the wind generator mounted to a pole on the rear arch and secondly I would have the solar panels adjustable so you can angle them into the sun . If the panels are set to the optimum angle the wind generator will probably not cast a shadow. Keep up the videos, it helps us landlubbers to fullfill a dream by following your adventures.
Given the constraints with shadowing, I suggest a counter balance pole pivoting at the apex of an "A-frame" that has its base attached to the steirn of the boat. The "A-frame" could be leaned aft till the wind generator is near parallel to the plane of the solar panels and greatly reduced the possibility of shadowing. Also, it could be semi-permanent to allow disassembly on need.
Tricky problem , if your not mounting on the arch which is probably best you could mount on a short mast positioned between main mast and forestay. You would need a socket on the front deck and a post to put in it like a table pedestal . BUT dealing with the wind generator with the blades attached and the wiring might be a hassle. Good luck Warren
Some have already suggested that you add a small stand-off on the main mast. Approximately three-fourths the way up the mast would be good as it is not extremely high up and hard to maintain, but high enough to get wind at all times and therefore make electricity from three sources. Having it at a 90 degree from the mast it should be clear of the sails unless you are doing some radical sail settings.
The wind generator would more then compensate for any shadow on the solar panels, also I've seen configurations of solar on the sides. Panels can also go over the cabin, but sails would create shadows also. Your 100% electric and the wind generator, depending on its output would greatly increase recharge time, but from past video's you have to fix the mounting bolt placement on your electric drive and this time take your time do so:) LOL...Love your channel:)
I look forward to reading all the ideas! Surely one will work. I not against people using what they have and know but I am for people using new technology to see what can be! Best Wishes!
I just had a wind generator arrive today. I went with a vertical axis wind turbine style generator (VAWT). I am thinking about mounting it on the front of the boat on an anchor pulpit, sort of like an airplane. It will be far away from my solar panels. It will benefit from apparent wind while moving. And at anchor, boats always swing around to point their bow, thus turbine, into the wind. I have never seen it done this way before but I am going to try it.
Put a 12 foot pole anchored at the forward base of the solar arch and run it aft at a 60 degree angle, with a vertical support pole at the transom, and a mounting bracket at the end. That should put you away from shadowing the panels, yet get you above the surface disturbance of the wind. I've had many effective designs of these with my Leggo sets. :)
Wow, hawking for three companies in one video with the wind gen and the t-shirts. Classic!! I believe Edson has radar mount poles which connect to the back stay and maybe could be modified for your use. Check Garhauer as well.
Hi there! Since you want to use the wind generator only for the days without or with less sun, I would make a bracket for temporary installation on the solar arch.
just put it on a pole behind the solar panels , about 10 feet above the solar panels , the sunlight loss will be minimal , and it will be out of the way of everything critical , make sure the pole is sturdy mounted and steadfastly as it makes a lot of noise and as it gets older vibrate as well , im retired now and dont sail as much any more , had my wind jenny right at the back behind the solar panels and it worked great
I watched the video from Lucky Fish Gets Away. Having the the wind generator on top of a hollow aluminum mast will amplify and vibrations or sounds from the generator. Along with the other issues outlined in the video, it is my opinion that your best option is to mount it to the back of you Targa bar for your solar panels. I know you are concerned about shading but I think you can make a pole that mounts in the center then bends upward behind the panels. I thought about your idea of raising it when at anchor but then you need a place to store it when your sailing and you have the extra job of raising the generator when your at anchor. Two hassles you do not need. Bottom line is that I am glad I do not have to make this decision. Good luck, can't wait to see it installed.
I like the idea of catching the sail wash, it seems like a wind speed multiplier. The area of the sail certainly can concentrates an redirect the wind power, just like multiple water wheels in series on a single stream. As for mounting, my inclination is to put the wind generator at the rear of the sail just high enough for the blades to clear everything. Also, it would not need to turn because the wind while moving is always from the same direction, across the sail. To improve catching the sail wash, if needed, I would use a open at one end sort of wind sock looking nylon duct that mounted on the sail 45 degree wire and the horizontal pole. This would culminate in a circular feed to the wind generator. Just a few thoughts.
I know this option is going in another direction, but it makes sense when you think about it. Put pole mounts on the inside transom of your dinghy. You can get galvanized fence pole mounts from Homeless Depot and mount a short PVC pole on your dinghy with the wind generator sitting on top. A larger diameter PVC pole is more stiff, then use a deducing coupling at the top of the pole to step down at the top to the diameter you need. My turbine uses 1.5" Schedule 40 (which is 1.9" diameter) and I add a piece of kydex as a sleeve to get me to 2 inches . Kydex is easily heated in an oven and you can mold it while it is still warm. From here you have two options. Since you have an electric outboard for your dinghy, you can charge capacitors or a lithium battery @ 48v and then step down with a dc/dc converter for your outboard. Or, you can run an extension cord to your sailboat. This works at anchor and while sailing; and can power either sailboat or dinghy.
@@adamff280 Not necessarily. There is an engineering problem to solve. You don't want the blades spinning in the cockpit. I looked at mine, and I can turn the blades around and make it into a downwind turbine, so the blades would be in the back off the transom. My steering vane can be unbolted and removed, so steering will be done by the blades. Lastly, since the blades would be spinning counter clockwise, they could unscrew the nuts and you could loose your hub and blades. This is solved by tightening down the nuts, then backing off the locking nut by 1/4 turn. Then drill a hole through the nut and shaft and put in a cotter pin. Then spin the hub back to the lock nut. Now you ave a downwind turbine. Lastly, you need a short pole, just long enough for the blades to clear the outboard. A long pole is a lever that could flip the dinghy.
If you want a temporary mount "AT ANCHOR", you can mount it on your bow pulpit with rail clamps, because: at anchor, your boat becomes the wind wane, pointing into the wind. You can use outdoor 3 wire 10 (or 12) gauge extension cord to run the 3 phase AC back to your controller and batteries. You could put a couple 20A locking AC plugs to connect the turbine wires to the extension cord for quick attachment.
Read the directions. On mine it really wants clean air. The disturbed wind is less effective. Top of the mast would be the best. Mine is noisy even though it was advertised as quiet. Having said that it is quieter that a genny running.
OK kids, early on in this posting your were standing in the cockpit and in the background was a ketch/yawl anchored nearby. The mizzen mast had a triangular bracket attached high up on it holding a wind generator. That would be my suggestion for yours only attached to the mast above the spreaders. That's my two cents worth. OR fabricate a mast with a bend in it so that when attached to the solar panel frame it would go up, bent outward and then up again way above the existing panels. OK more than two cents!
btw that windgen is one of the top gens you can buy, we had the same during our transat in novembre 2018. You can set it up so when the batts are topped, they stop working and restart automaticly when power is needed
Hi, I have the same type on my boat, and they are barely making any noise. That said, it must be mounted on a poll that will not vibrate, so not to long and with side re enforcements. The best way is normally by the solar panel on the back of the boat just because that takes quite a lot of room and need to be able to spin around without been close to anyone standing on the deck. Compromize, that might be the best solution. keep on leaving your dream, and make videos .. :-)
Install a tripod on the bow of your boat. Mount the wind generator on the tripod in front of the forestay. If designed correctly the tripod could take the place of your bow pulpit. When you are at anchor the wind generator will always be pointing into the wind with no obstructions to spoil the air flow.
Depending on cost and how hard it it to move/remove the generator, and I was as worried about the shading as you, I would recommend building identical (mirrored) mounts on both sides of the solar arch. You will also need to add wiring to both sides, with a plug to make for easy changing. Then just move it to whichever side will work best for the direction you'll be sailing that day. Personally, I would just mount it and be done with it. It will more than counter the shade it will create.
google clamp on fishing rod holder for a base and put the wind generator mast in it mounted to you'r existing solar frame,about 4-6 inches above a hose clamp. Easy to move too.
A more permanent option could be to turn your arch around, pointing forward. Then your panels would provide more shade to your cockpit. Then you can add a mast near the stern for the wind generator. I don't know if you could reuse the holes from the arch's current mounting position... Another temporary mount, would be an I-Beam attached with rail clamps, stretched across the upper stabilizer bars of your arch and the wind gen hanging either off the port or starboard side on top of the I-beam.
We are taking our wind turbine down and adding a couple more side mounted solar panels instead. The turbine is noisy and even after a full service it is still noisy. Enough to keep you up at night. You'll get more out of solar panels particularly in Florida/Bahamas.
Since you need the most power while actually sailing, an option would be to convert your wind turbine into a hydro turbine. Have a 6 inch long pipe welded onto a base plate and mount at the stern. Use backing plates. Then mount your turbine on that pipe. Remove the wind steering vane from the turbine, you won't need it. You won't need the wind turbine blades but keep the blade mounting hub. Use the holes in the mounting hub to attach 3 short pieces of stainless cable, about a foot long, with loops on the end. Then attach a 50 foot rope to those wire cables. At the other end of the rope, attach a 3 foot prop shaft and a 3 blade propeller. Once sailing offshore, drop the shaft into the water and let the water turn the prop as you are dragging it behind you. Make sure the rope and prop are configured to turn the turbine clockwise so you don't loosen the turbine prop hub while under tension.
I would mount it to the mast a few feet down from the top with a harp shaped bracket to reach around the sail and fore stay. That would fix the interference with the wind instruments and running lights while giving you the best wind and not shading your panels. It may be true that grams aloft are equal to kilos of keel but giving the several thousand pound of keel I doubt you will notice. It would be just like a mizzen mast mount only for a sloop.
You could modify your wind gen to a horizontal and mount it under the solar as they don't need to be tall; they need to be wide. They take the wind from any direction and they are so easy to build.
Since the boat swings at anchor, no matter where you mount it higher than your panels it will cast shade. I would mount a pole to the port stern behind the panels and go up behind the panels. Then tie a cross member from the generator pole to the port aft leg of the solar bridge. It will be out of the way and if your boat faces east it will not cast a shadow. Most of the winds you will see are out of the east in the bahamas anyway.
I suggest you look at free range sailing RUclips. Troy and Pascale have solar panels and wind on Mirool. He is well versed on the wiring, programming, maintenance and repair. They've been cruising Australia backwards for quite a while. Good luck kids.
It could be mounted at the mast top. Extend forward much like a mizzen mount. Make sure you bring your lightning air terminal (lightning rod) above the height of all masthead equipment, ideally using the rolling ball method. Hoisted mounts are effective, but you're probably going to need to DIY it. You'll need to start with a vertical pole that is long enough to clear the blade tips. Attach a line to either end for hoisting. People will often combine this with a ring that fits over the head stay that they can hoist and tension to hold the assembly away from the mast to allow 360 rotation. It's a bit complex and there are storage issues.
Not on the stay wire the vibration will be a issue but on the mass is a good idea just remember a wind generator needs more maintenance than solar. I like your idea of a back up power source. There is a boy scout saying that goes "2 is one and 1 is none".
Emely & Clarkes adventures has a cool solution to mount (their own built wind generator) over the foredeck, which isn’t a solid mount. Luckyfish has their solid mount in the top of their second mast. Check it out!
Move the solar panels outboard in both directions. Then mount a pole straight up between the panels to mount the generator. All electrical will be central and if the generator is high enough the shading affect will be minimized.
Pivoting arm off of the back corner of the arch that sets it out beyond the arch at a height that does not shade solar yet can be secured or locked in place during heavy weather or when not needed.
Horizontal pole going directly astern back from the solar arch. Instead of going up which will make a shadow, stay horizontal the same level as the solar panels. Hinge the pole so the wind gen can be lowered or stored.
Make a space between the solar panels a put it there , what you loose in shade you will win in wind and u have a permanent mount that is steady. I dont think you loose that much in solar power. sry for bad english. Fair winds from Sweden =)
Put an attached mast connected to your solar panel super structure, I recommend it come off the forward, slanted upright support on the port side, slanted at first and then running vertically two or three feet above the level of the solar panels. Fiix your Wind Generator at the top of this wind generator mast. Don't worry about it shading the solar panels. It won't make that much difference to your electricity production because the solar panels get light from many different directions, not just from direct sunlight and they will continue to produce some electricity on overcast days. The other thing is there is no reason not to use your wind generator at all times, especially when under way or on really sunny days. So long as their is wind, let it do its thing and generate power. The idea of putting it forward of the mast is a bad idea.
Go to a place that sells dinghies and month them and have them make a special mast off of your solar arch. Have the main mast go out towards the water then go up 15' that should look clean and no shading of the solar panels
I don't have a boat but I would put it on the panel set up if you put it high enough the shade of the pole will be negligible and easily mounted and wired up to 👍👍👍👍
I would mount it as high as possible. Probably off if the mast. The shading on the panels would be minimal. I would also make the solar panels tiltable so they could be aimed at the sun.
You could put it at the top of you mast. extend a pole 2 feet higher and attach it there and you are not blocking you solar the only thing you will need to check is your nav lights. Fair winds and following seas
Other channels have said that the wind generator don't really offer the best return on investment. My suggestion is sell your wind generator to someone on a boat that can actually use it, maybe someone that own a ketch; and then invest money in more solar panels mounted off your aft railings that can be stored in the down position while underway, and either more batteries, or new ion phosphate batteries.
I also advocate a z-shaped fixture behind , level or slightly lower than your solar arch. I also saw a horizontal brace on the solar arch . If you use this, your fixture could be L-shaped
Adjustable and retractable are the two concepts that will be most challenging. If the wind generator is fixed then the panels could be come adjustable for shade. If the panels are fixed, the Wind generator could be made adjustable. Or all power units are adjustable, wind and panels. Makes for a lot of moving components. Put it in a logical syllogism.
A pole straight up from the transom. enable it to be adjustable in height do you can manage the shading of the panels. or sell it and arrange your panels do they can be tilted - doubling their output
it needs to rotate through 360 so mounting on a stay is out. i wouldn't subject an expensive fragile piece of gear to any location where it needs to put up and down regularly (i believe the blades are pricey) the way i see it is your two options are on top of the mast or a pole mounted to the back of the boat or off the solar arch.
One more thought on solar vs. Wind. Solar panels will put out a usable amount of electricity even on a very cloudy day. Wind generators will not put out any usable power at all unless you reach a fairly significant wind speed. You could easily have many days in a row with not enough wind to produce any power at all (especially in a protected anchorage) and if your generator is shading your panels during that time you're at a net loss. Also at anchor with a wind generator on the stern you will not get good clean air which will reduce your wind gen. power output .
I know at the point I'm writing this, Freebie is long gone and you are working towards a new boat. I wonder if you could put a mast midships near the shrouds on either the port or starboard side
I think I would mount it just aft or the solar arch. If the tip of the blade is two feet higher then the solar panels the shadow with only be on the panels early in the morning and late in the day when the sun is behind you. With the variability I think the panels will only be shaded a sort time a day.
A boat in my marina, Long Beach, Ca has a wind generator approximately 10' above the cockpit, on a 2" pole, off the transome..... it is really loud! It looks really cool, but did I say it's loud, holy crap! Those bitchin' blades make alot of racket.... IMHO sell it and add some foldable solar panels next to your others panels or hang some foldables on the bow pulpit when at anchor.
A bent pole that ties in to the steel arch for support, on one side of your arch based on the coaming. It wont ever look that pretty. But would be practical. Some times you have to make compromises.
I love my silentwind, I had the older model & the paint came off so they sent me a new one with the much better controller, which I also run it to my solar/wind generator- fuse boxs, with wind stop control,and current flow information, just like the Mobil app does, don't ever loose your directions which are better now & the mounting system for my single solar panel 385W along with the 400 plus with the silent wind I'm at the total WATT capacity of the controller box, which is like 800 watts; they had to send me the newer controller under warranty as well, because it only handled up to 400Watts, not over🤣, like the new one does, now the mount of mine is like very specialized, and had well over 4 angles on the footplates, and we had to add a height spacer which just happened to be on the footplate that has a hole in it for ALL the wires, so Dave had one made in 15 minutes, and we finally we're able to install the backing plates!! The mounting poles are 42cm, except the silent wind pole, which is 48cm for the NEEDED ADDITIONAL WEIGHT!! The SW pole is about 2' higher than all the rest, and doesn't really effect the solor panels very much!! Goog luck Gary
Since you have two sources of power at sea and only want this at anchor the clean wind will be off the front of the pushpit, so make a temp frame to mount it there.
Would there be any way to do something off the front? bowsprit or a telescoping pole that you can put in or out so you can have close in so it won't effect boat length for marina stays. Seems like you could put something on the bow of the boat, if the center point doesn't work, maybe a couple feet down on either side. If you go for temporary, you could have some sort of mounting home on either side so you can move it to fit circumstances. I've also seen boats with narrow extensions on the bow, usually for a sail attachment point or their anchoring system, but would it work for the wind gen or would that muck up the wind for the sails to have that out in front? could you find one in a boat junkyard that you could retro-fit to Freebie? For the sides, I think of how Ran has their solar mounted on the sides and they flip it up or down, just wonder if you could do something similar for the wind gen. Then, of course, there is the issue of where you store it when not in use.... some sort of rail mount system like I've seen for BBQ's or Outboards? I'm not technical enough nor sailing experienced enough to know pro's / con's of these approaches. Since so many have discovered issues with noise, I'd recommend something a bit temporary that you can chose to remove so it's not in the way of other things if you aren't using it. I also have some kind of deep negative reaction to anything of any heft at all on the backstay. Can't back it up with any actual knowledge of it being a problem, but my gut says not to put anything on that other than a flag or something light. Still enjoying the channel and all the refit work. Look forward to seeing you all enjoy your hard work in the Bahamas! Paula
Because your bow will normally be headed into the wind and ancorage you might try mounting it on the bow pulpit you've got that rail to a rail mount and just stow it when you're under way
I would definitely keep it off the standing rigging. Even modest vibration will add stress to the rigging that might cause premature failure. If it were me, I'd be looking at mounting it forward.
I am a bit late, I know. Just put it on the front bracket of the arch in the mid pointed towards the bow, in an angle roughly the same as your mainsail. That would give optimal placement and no shade if the mainsail doesnt give shade. I am probably too late but hope the helps 😎
"Free range sailing" have theirs mounted at the stern. I would guess the first consideration is, keeping the cable runs to an absolute minimum to reduce voltage loss? That would rule out 1/ Top of the mast or 2/ Somewhere near the bow.
Mount a mast for your wind generator to the railing on the nose of your boat. Get it just high enough that the vanes clear both the rail and the jib. Since your nose points directly into the wind at anchor, you'll get good service. Also, I'm not an expert but I surmise it won't cause your sails much grief since you can't sail directly into the wind.
Personally I would install it on the very front of a boat. Even more to front, than the forestay stands. Also, if I were you, I would check how big the shadow from the gen. would be. If I remember the wave theory of light correctly, the tube or circle-shaped things of a rather small size (body of gen.) leave an extremely small shadow or do not leave it at all.
Lol.. Well,i know this is old,but i want to run a smaller E-drive on something like a west wight potter 15. Solar over the cockpit like an awning,and a wind generator where the mast goes,and maybe another panel up on the bow for lights and the house battery. Then try to do the American loop..
I had the same thought, it is easy to put up at anchor and take down when underway.... maybe at the bow with the pulpit holding the pole (zip ties???) Still have use of pole when needed. Not an underway solution but good for anchor/mooring. Clean air too, if not too close to genoa.
First thing I would do is contact other boaters in BKH that have a Silent Wind and ask if they have any statistics/calculations on it's efficiency. Then, I would contact UMA & Sailing Saoirse and ask their opinion on cost/effort vs benefit to install since they have similar Lithium/Solar/Electric Motor set ups...
Add a L shaped tube on the bottom of the solar arch. Sticking outboard enough not to shade the panels. The wind generator will be solid and not in the way.
Hi, maybe a tower by the solar panels which you can hoist higher or lower, so the if the sun is up, the wind generator is lowered so it does not cast a shadow.
To all the nay sayers of wind generators, we have had our silentwind (one word) for 6 months now. As i spit this out, both Freebie n we r in the same conditions/anchorage and our silentwind is producing 7 amps. Maybe it isnt enough voltage to top off the batteries but it allows enough extra voltage that you can use the batteries for the evenings entertainment or for them to keep their laptops charged all night long. This while not flat-lining their new batteries. Wake up in the am n the batteries r 12.3 vs 10.8 vdc without the Silentwind. Huge difference. Thats experience speaking
SV Delos has had two wind generators on their solar arch for a long time. They haven't been having any significant problems with it. They are a little aft, and since the boat usually points into the wind the blades or body don't cover the panels most of the time.
@@Nativemetalfreak If you look at their boat the blades are just back past the solar panels. Since most sailboats point into the wind at anchor, that means the wind generators have less opportunity to shade the panels. Big or small the generators would act exactly the same if these folks did the same mount. The only time they would shade the panels would likely be when there was no wind and the body of the generator might turn or they happened to be right in line with the sun when it was low on the horizon. If they don't put it on the mast then this is probably the best option. Why? Well if they add an extra pole between the mast and the solar arch, because the the wind generator will point into the wind at anchor the body of the generator will always shade the panels if it would be close to the panels. Their best option is to do the same thing like SV Delos, and have a special bracket made up or fabricate it themselves that would attach to their solar arch. For ease of maintenance this would be the best option.
Although he said there are only two models that will let you remotely brake the blades so you can get up and service them... and the Silentwind isn't one of them...
how about a mast off the bow, just high enough to allow the wind generator to swing 360º without interfering with the jib, maybe a little higher so no risk of the blades hitting you in the head. It could look a little odd but it would solve the shading issue. you do have the bow pulpit to help with bracing so that would be a solid mounting point at least.
Facing similar problem here. My solution so far: sell the wind generator, buy more solar. Mount long panels on the life lines in a way that you can change its angle (see Sailing RAN, Esper @ follow the boat, Drake Paragon on YT).
you didn't mention Delos because they love their wind generators, yes they have two, one on either side of their solar mounts, Drake paragon has two mounts on his solar arch without generators, perhaps a story. we opted for the ketch and had the mount made out of schedule 40 pipe (alum) the noise is a great indicator of the wind strength when your sleeping.
Woohoo! Lots of awesome information and suggestions coming in, so thank you to everyone that has commented already! I love the discussion we're having. So far it looks like our top options from your suggestions are:
1. Top of mast. Pros: Out of the way, clean wind up high, no extra shading of the solar panels. Cons: Hard to maintenance, may vibrate the whole mast, adds a ton of weight and stress aloft, long cable run and voltage loss might be an issue. Luckyfish looks like they did this, but they are also on a catamaran. The weight aloft might be a bigger issue for a small monohull like Freebie.
2. On the arch on a pole with a 90 degree bend and getting it up above the panels as much as possible. Pros: Easy to maintenance, short cable run so less voltage drop, no extra stress on standing rigging, less weight aloft. Cons: Wind isn't as good lower on the boat, shading might be an issue.
Feel free to add anything below. Thanks again!
PS: No we're not selling the wind genny and getting more solar. Lol. The whole point is to be able to still make power when there's no sun.
Learning the Lines, grams aloft are kilos at the keel. 😬
When going with the 90 off of the solar framing, go out a couple of feet before putting a 90. This way there's less chance of shading your panels. 2 to 3 feet straight back and 10 feet up would be good. There's always a risk of shading even without the wind genny. It's also good to have a wind genny because unlike the sun, the wind still blows at night so you are able to put power into your batteries 24 hours a day theoretically.
Don't go mast top. apart from the already metioned weight at the wrong place, wind there is not "clean". If it is windy, your boat will me moving, and that moviment is well amplified by the lenght of the mast. Wind generetors dont produce well in turbulent wind. (cable run is NOT a problem, just use correct gauge cable)
As for the suggestions "around" the solar pannels, you seem to be aware of the destructive (in energy production) from shadow on solar pannels. I would bet my electrial engineer degree that most boats you see a wind generator shadowing there pannels get a NEGATIVE net result on energy production (the energy produced by the wind gen dos not offset the lost due to shadow on the pannels). (SV Delos is the perfect example of this. The way those two wind gens are positioned they surely shadow the panels for a considerable part of the day.
The solution I would go, if instaling a wind gen at all (reasons following) is to make (as suggested) a looooong L pole from the arch that could be moved inboard when needed. Hanging it way to the stern or to one of the sides. At anchor or sailing it won't bother you at all. Only problem would be marinas.
As for the energy production of the wind generator, as stated by many others, most of the time they produce very little. With the silent wind that you have, 10kn of CONSTANT wind, for 24 hours would give you around 600Wh (or arount 10-12ah @ 48v) (I know you want an alternative, but putting into perpective, that is 2 hours of one 300w solar panel at peak time, or 1/3 to 1/4 of what said pannel would produce in a day) (15kn constant for 24h would give you 1800wh (or 37Ah @ 48v) about the same as a 300w panel in a good day)
*In the caribean, those kind of winds are not infrequent, but they are quite rare "everywhere else".
if it wasnt for the fact that you dont want to have fossil fuel onboard, I would say: go for a portable gas generator, to be used only in prolonged cloudy days.
The inefficiency of that wind generator makes it probably not worth it. I think it would be interesting to use the sails as a wind generator in some way, though I doubt such a thing currently exists.
As an alternative to your two solutions: you could always install a mounting with a quick release a reachable distance up the mast. That way it wouldn't interfere with anything (because you aren't using it when sailing) while the moment arm won't be as large as it would be on top of the mast.
I admire your efforts to make the boat carbon-neutral. I really hope it works out, because if it does I'm going to try to do it. So good luck!
Brett Goldsmith q
If it were my boat, I would still be going off of the framing of the solar. There are brackets that will attach to your piping. Straight back from the framing, then 90° going up on stainless, about 10 feet above the panels.
I agree, and in addition to being able to run all your electrical in one area, it could be easier to remove if needed for maintenance or in case of emergency (extreme winds).
@@mechanicdave80 not to toot my own horn but I'm a carpenter and well, it's my job to make things and to make sure that they work as they are supposed to.
Agreed, behind the panels then up. Might even be able to add some stay wires to the pole to help stability.
TODD FINK that's exactly what I was thinking. Off the solar frame, nice and high, with decent stays. One other thing, try to make the pole foldable. That way you can carry out maintenance relatively easily. Go guys.
Wind generators break down too often as their efficiency is tied to their light construction. Making durability a lesson in compromise.
It is a must to be solid mounted. Not on a stay wire or any type wire. SOLID MOUNTED!!!!!!
You may be able to add a socket and brace off the side of the solar arch on each side of the arch and mount the wind generator on a 10' aluminum tube pole. You could then install it on either side of the solar arch when at anchor and stow it below when sailing. Hope you get some good ideas. Have a good weekend.
Hey guys don't know if you already installed the wind generator yet but we already went through this and did all we could designing the position of our wind generator to check out what we did in our boat we have pictures on Instagram we also installed on the aluminum solar arch just have to make sure the pole is long enough at least 5 feet away from the bottom of your panels the shade fades as you move them away and rarely affect the solar array if you need more input on that send us a msg on insta
Have a stainless tube bent to fit your arch..It is well made and designed to handle the forces that generator will put on it... Use tube clamps that are made for wake board holders...or look on Craigslist for a wakeboard pole that would mount in the very middle of your tower... I see them for $50 bucks all the time. Super strong...Good luck!.. Can't wait to see what you decide to do.
You guys are awesome. So stoked for your journey. My two cents are probably in left field but I'm thinking extension pole near the stern to raise or lower as the need arises but keeping your rigging clear. Spit balling.
Looking forward to seeing this installed and working!
We have our wind generator mounted on the mizzen mast and it works great!
I have 3 x 320 watt solar panels set up on my boat. Mounted aft just like yours. To mount the windgen I came off 30 degrees on the starboard side of my solar arch and then straight up and put a detachable extension to attach my wind generator. I have seen not much if any shadowing being a factor. Now my panels are in parallel so if for some reason there was a bit of shading then the second panel is not affected. Running the panels in series has benefits but shadowing would bring down not just one panel but both. I have had this setup for over 5 years and it works great. Easier to maintain than on the top of the mast. I too run an electric motor. All is good. The SilentWind is a great generator. They make a very good product and have great support staff. On a boat many people don't figure out properly where to mount their wind gens, and vibration can be a factor. Can't remember if I ordered them separate or if the antivibration mounts came with the gen. Anyways no,noise or vibration from the SilentWind. Great design and the cabon fiber blades are very effective, in producing power with very little wind and in producing very little noise . Nice videos people.
Z shaped pole mounted to your arch and nice and high too. Will keep the generator away from the panels as much as possibly.
I agree. Run Up SW. 10 feet with same material as solar panel support. Use clamps on solar panel to hold up silent wind mast .
I'd put a standoff bracket (or shaped pole) to the side or rear of the solar arch - about a foot, then a vertical pole with the wind generator on. It will easily make up for any losses caused by shadowing.
I would think about something like this, too.
Hi guys
My solution would be in two parts so a bit more work. Firstly I would have the wind generator mounted to a pole on the rear arch and secondly I would have the solar panels adjustable so you can angle them into the sun . If the panels are set to the optimum angle the wind generator will probably not cast a shadow. Keep up the videos, it helps us landlubbers to fullfill a dream by following your adventures.
Given the constraints with shadowing, I suggest a counter balance pole pivoting at the apex of an "A-frame" that has its base attached to the steirn of the boat. The "A-frame" could be leaned aft till the wind generator is near parallel to the plane of the solar panels and greatly reduced the possibility of shadowing. Also, it could be semi-permanent to allow disassembly on need.
Tricky problem , if your not mounting on the arch which is probably best you could mount on a short mast positioned between main mast and forestay. You would need a socket on the front deck and a post to put in it like a table pedestal . BUT dealing with the wind generator with the blades attached and the wiring might be a hassle.
Good luck Warren
Nice looking generator,
Some have already suggested that you add a small stand-off on the main mast. Approximately three-fourths the way up the mast would be good as it is not extremely high up and hard to maintain, but high enough to get wind at all times and therefore make electricity from three sources. Having it at a 90 degree from the mast it should be clear of the sails unless you are doing some radical sail settings.
The wind generator would more then compensate for any shadow on the solar panels, also I've seen configurations of solar on the sides. Panels can also go over the cabin, but sails would create shadows also. Your 100% electric and the wind generator, depending on its output would greatly increase recharge time, but from past video's you have to fix the mounting bolt placement on your electric drive and this time take your time do so:) LOL...Love your channel:)
I look forward to reading all the ideas!
Surely one will work.
I not against people using what they have and know but I am for people using new technology to see what can be!
Best Wishes!
I just had a wind generator arrive today. I went with a vertical axis wind turbine style generator (VAWT). I am thinking about mounting it on the front of the boat on an anchor pulpit, sort of like an airplane. It will be far away from my solar panels. It will benefit from apparent wind while moving. And at anchor, boats always swing around to point their bow, thus turbine, into the wind. I have never seen it done this way before but I am going to try it.
I'd be interested in your eventual results, so I hope you'll have real data,,,,(hint, hint)
Put a 12 foot pole anchored at the forward base of the solar arch and run it aft at a 60 degree angle, with a vertical support pole at the transom, and a mounting bracket at the end. That should put you away from shadowing the panels, yet get you above the surface disturbance of the wind. I've had many effective designs of these with my Leggo sets. :)
Wow, hawking for three companies in one video with the wind gen and the t-shirts. Classic!! I believe Edson has radar mount poles which connect to the back stay and maybe could be modified for your use. Check Garhauer as well.
Hi there! Since you want to use the wind generator only for the days without or with less sun, I would make a bracket for temporary installation on the solar arch.
just put it on a pole behind the solar panels , about 10 feet above the solar panels , the sunlight loss will be minimal , and it will be out of the way of everything critical , make sure the pole is sturdy mounted and steadfastly as it makes a lot of noise and as it gets older vibrate as well , im retired now and dont sail as much any more , had my wind jenny right at the back behind the solar panels and it worked great
Great video. I was thinking of telescoping poles that you can lower in higher winds and be able to lash a blade. 🙏🏼😉🇨🇦
I watched the video from Lucky Fish Gets Away. Having the the wind generator on top of a hollow aluminum mast will amplify and vibrations or sounds from the generator. Along with the other issues outlined in the video, it is my opinion that your best option is to mount it to the back of you Targa bar for your solar panels. I know you are concerned about shading but I think you can make a pole that mounts in the center then bends upward behind the panels.
I thought about your idea of raising it when at anchor but then you need a place to store it when your sailing and you have the extra job of raising the generator when your at anchor. Two hassles you do not need.
Bottom line is that I am glad I do not have to make this decision. Good luck, can't wait to see it installed.
I would push the solar panels out by 2-3 cm (1 inc) each. Then you can fix a small mast for the wind generator in the gap.
I like the idea of catching the sail wash, it seems like a wind speed multiplier. The area of the sail certainly can concentrates an redirect the wind power, just like multiple water wheels in series on a single stream.
As for mounting, my inclination is to put the wind generator at the rear of the sail just high enough for the blades to clear everything.
Also, it would not need to turn because the wind while moving is always from the same direction, across the sail. To improve catching the sail wash, if needed, I would use a open at one end sort of wind sock looking nylon duct that mounted on the sail 45 degree wire and the horizontal pole. This would culminate in a circular feed to the wind generator.
Just a few thoughts.
I know this option is going in another direction, but it makes sense when you think about it. Put pole mounts on the inside transom of your dinghy. You can get galvanized fence pole mounts from Homeless Depot and mount a short PVC pole on your dinghy with the wind generator sitting on top. A larger diameter PVC pole is more stiff, then use a deducing coupling at the top of the pole to step down at the top to the diameter you need. My turbine uses 1.5" Schedule 40 (which is 1.9" diameter) and I add a piece of kydex as a sleeve to get me to 2 inches . Kydex is easily heated in an oven and you can mold it while it is still warm. From here you have two options. Since you have an electric outboard for your dinghy, you can charge capacitors or a lithium battery @ 48v and then step down with a dc/dc converter for your outboard. Or, you can run an extension cord to your sailboat. This works at anchor and while sailing; and can power either sailboat or dinghy.
Then get a second dinghy for when you want to go to shore or fishing
@@adamff280 Not necessarily. There is an engineering problem to solve. You don't want the blades spinning in the cockpit. I looked at mine, and I can turn the blades around and make it into a downwind turbine, so the blades would be in the back off the transom. My steering vane can be unbolted and removed, so steering will be done by the blades. Lastly, since the blades would be spinning counter clockwise, they could unscrew the nuts and you could loose your hub and blades. This is solved by tightening down the nuts, then backing off the locking nut by 1/4 turn. Then drill a hole through the nut and shaft and put in a cotter pin. Then spin the hub back to the lock nut. Now you ave a downwind turbine. Lastly, you need a short pole, just long enough for the blades to clear the outboard. A long pole is a lever that could flip the dinghy.
If you want a temporary mount "AT ANCHOR", you can mount it on your bow pulpit with rail clamps, because: at anchor, your boat becomes the wind wane, pointing into the wind. You can use outdoor 3 wire 10 (or 12) gauge extension cord to run the 3 phase AC back to your controller and batteries. You could put a couple 20A locking AC plugs to connect the turbine wires to the extension cord for quick attachment.
Read the directions. On mine it really wants clean air. The disturbed wind is less effective. Top of the mast would be the best. Mine is noisy even though it was advertised as quiet. Having said that it is quieter that a genny running.
Top of the mast would be best IMO also.
OK kids, early on in this posting your were standing in the cockpit and in the background was a ketch/yawl anchored nearby. The mizzen mast had a triangular bracket attached high up on it holding a wind generator. That would be my suggestion for yours only attached to the mast above the spreaders. That's my two cents worth. OR fabricate a mast with a bend in it so that when attached to the solar panel frame it would go up, bent outward and then up again way above the existing panels. OK more than two cents!
btw that windgen is one of the top gens you can buy, we had the same during our transat in novembre 2018. You can set it up so when the batts are topped, they stop working and restart automaticly when power is needed
Add a poll to the solor mont with a 20 \ 30 ° angle off to one side
Hi, I have the same type on my boat, and they are barely making any noise. That said, it must be mounted on a poll that will not vibrate, so not to long and with side re enforcements. The best way is normally by the solar panel on the back of the boat just because that takes quite a lot of room and need to be able to spin around without been close to anyone standing on the deck. Compromize, that might be the best solution. keep on leaving your dream, and make videos .. :-)
Install a tripod on the bow of your boat. Mount the wind generator on the tripod in front of the forestay. If designed correctly the tripod could take the place of your bow pulpit. When you are at anchor the wind generator will always be pointing into the wind with no obstructions to spoil the air flow.
Depending on cost and how hard it it to move/remove the generator, and I was as worried about the shading as you, I would recommend building identical (mirrored) mounts on both sides of the solar arch. You will also need to add wiring to both sides, with a plug to make for easy changing. Then just move it to whichever side will work best for the direction you'll be sailing that day. Personally, I would just mount it and be done with it. It will more than counter the shade it will create.
google clamp on fishing rod holder for a base and put the wind generator mast in it mounted to you'r existing solar frame,about 4-6 inches above a hose clamp. Easy to move too.
A more permanent option could be to turn your arch around, pointing forward. Then your panels would provide more shade to your cockpit. Then you can add a mast near the stern for the wind generator. I don't know if you could reuse the holes from the arch's current mounting position... Another temporary mount, would be an I-Beam attached with rail clamps, stretched across the upper stabilizer bars of your arch and the wind gen hanging either off the port or starboard side on top of the I-beam.
We are taking our wind turbine down and adding a couple more side mounted solar panels instead. The turbine is noisy and even after a full service it is still noisy. Enough to keep you up at night. You'll get more out of solar panels particularly in Florida/Bahamas.
Since you need the most power while actually sailing, an option would be to convert your wind turbine into a hydro turbine. Have a 6 inch long pipe welded onto a base plate and mount at the stern. Use backing plates. Then mount your turbine on that pipe. Remove the wind steering vane from the turbine, you won't need it. You won't need the wind turbine blades but keep the blade mounting hub. Use the holes in the mounting hub to attach 3 short pieces of stainless cable, about a foot long, with loops on the end. Then attach a 50 foot rope to those wire cables. At the other end of the rope, attach a 3 foot prop shaft and a 3 blade propeller. Once sailing offshore, drop the shaft into the water and let the water turn the prop as you are dragging it behind you. Make sure the rope and prop are configured to turn the turbine clockwise so you don't loosen the turbine prop hub while under tension.
I would mount it to the mast a few feet down from the top with a harp shaped bracket to reach around the sail and fore stay. That would fix the interference with the wind instruments and running lights while giving you the best wind and not shading your panels. It may be true that grams aloft are equal to kilos of keel but giving the several thousand pound of keel I doubt you will notice. It would be just like a mizzen mast mount only for a sloop.
You could modify your wind gen to a horizontal and mount it under the solar as they don't need to be tall; they need to be wide.
They take the wind from any direction and they are so easy to build.
Since the boat swings at anchor, no matter where you mount it higher than your panels it will cast shade. I would mount a pole to the port stern behind the panels and go up behind the panels. Then tie a cross member from the generator pole to the port aft leg of the solar bridge. It will be out of the way and if your boat faces east it will not cast a shadow. Most of the winds you will see are out of the east in the bahamas anyway.
I suggest you look at free range sailing RUclips. Troy and Pascale have solar panels and wind on Mirool. He is well versed on the wiring, programming, maintenance and repair. They've been cruising Australia backwards for quite a while. Good luck kids.
Hi forgot what channel had theirs mounted on top of the mast, They dropped the wire down through the mast it’s seem to be a great installation
Barry Thompson That might have been Lucky Fish
@@sicchuckie yes, Lucky Fish
Mast top would make it extra silent
Luckyfish had problems with the mast amplifying vibration
It could be mounted at the mast top. Extend forward much like a mizzen mount. Make sure you bring your lightning air terminal (lightning rod) above the height of all masthead equipment, ideally using the rolling ball method.
Hoisted mounts are effective, but you're probably going to need to DIY it. You'll need to start with a vertical pole that is long enough to clear the blade tips. Attach a line to either end for hoisting. People will often combine this with a ring that fits over the head stay that they can hoist and tension to hold the assembly away from the mast to allow 360 rotation. It's a bit complex and there are storage issues.
Not on the stay wire the vibration will be a issue but on the mass is a good idea just remember a wind generator needs more maintenance than solar. I like your idea of a back up power source. There is a boy scout saying that goes "2 is one and 1 is none".
You are anchored in from of my house, Cool!
Emely & Clarkes adventures has a cool solution to mount (their own built wind generator) over the foredeck, which isn’t a solid mount. Luckyfish has their solid mount in the top of their second mast. Check it out!
Move the solar panels outboard in both directions. Then mount a pole straight up between the panels to mount the generator. All electrical will be central and if the generator is high enough the shading affect will be minimized.
Pivoting arm off of the back corner of the arch that sets it out beyond the arch at a height that does not shade solar yet can be secured or locked in place during heavy weather or when not needed.
Horizontal pole going directly astern back from the solar arch. Instead of going up which will make a shadow, stay horizontal the same level as the solar panels. Hinge the pole so the wind gen can be lowered or stored.
Make a space between the solar panels a put it there , what you loose in shade you will win in wind and u have a permanent mount that is steady. I dont think you loose that much in solar power. sry for bad english. Fair winds from Sweden =)
Put an attached mast connected to your solar panel super structure, I recommend it come off the forward, slanted upright support on the port side, slanted at first and then running vertically two or three feet above the level of the solar panels. Fiix your Wind Generator at the top of this wind generator mast. Don't worry about it shading the solar panels. It won't make that much difference to your electricity production because the solar panels get light from many different directions, not just from direct sunlight and they will continue to produce some electricity on overcast days. The other thing is there is no reason not to use your wind generator at all times, especially when under way or on really sunny days. So long as their is wind, let it do its thing and generate power. The idea of putting it forward of the mast is a bad idea.
@6:52... the perfect bird chopper! LoL. Good video guys.
Go to a place that sells dinghies and month them and have them make a special mast off of your solar arch. Have the main mast go out towards the water then go up 15' that should look clean and no shading of the solar panels
I don't have a boat but I would put it on the panel set up if you put it high enough the shade of the pole will be negligible and easily mounted and wired up to 👍👍👍👍
I would mount it as high as possible. Probably off if the mast. The shading on the panels would be minimal. I would also make the solar panels tiltable so they could be aimed at the sun.
You could put it at the top of you mast. extend a pole 2 feet higher and attach it there and you are not blocking you solar the only thing you will need to check is your nav lights. Fair winds and following seas
Other channels have said that the wind generator don't really offer the best return on investment. My suggestion is sell your wind generator to someone on a boat that can actually use it, maybe someone that own a ketch; and then invest money in more solar panels mounted off your aft railings that can be stored in the down position while underway, and either more batteries, or new ion phosphate batteries.
I also advocate a z-shaped fixture behind , level or slightly lower than your solar arch. I also saw a horizontal brace on the solar arch . If you use this, your fixture could be L-shaped
Adjustable and retractable are the two concepts that will be most challenging. If the wind generator is fixed then the panels could be come adjustable for shade. If the panels are fixed, the Wind generator could be made adjustable. Or all power units are adjustable, wind and panels. Makes for a lot of moving components. Put it in a logical syllogism.
Replace the L-brackets holding the panels in the middle of the arch with longer ones to attach the generator at the longer end past the stern.
A pole straight up from the transom. enable it to be adjustable in height do you can manage the shading of the panels.
or sell it and arrange your panels do they can be tilted - doubling their output
Good looking couple.
it needs to rotate through 360 so mounting on a stay is out.
i wouldn't subject an expensive fragile piece of gear to any location where it needs to put up and down regularly (i believe the blades are pricey)
the way i see it is your two options are on top of the mast or a pole mounted to the back of the boat or off the solar arch.
One more thought on solar vs. Wind. Solar panels will put out a usable amount of electricity even on a very cloudy day. Wind generators will not put out any usable power at all unless you reach a fairly significant wind speed. You could easily have many days in a row with not enough wind to produce any power at all (especially in a protected anchorage) and if your generator is shading your panels during that time you're at a net loss. Also at anchor with a wind generator on the stern you will not get good clean air which will reduce your wind gen. power output .
I know at the point I'm writing this, Freebie is long gone and you are working towards a new boat. I wonder if you could put a mast midships near the shrouds on either the port or starboard side
I think I would mount it just aft or the solar arch. If the tip of the blade is two feet higher then the solar panels the shadow with only be on the panels early in the morning and late in the day when the sun is behind you. With the variability I think the panels will only be shaded a sort time a day.
A boat in my marina, Long Beach, Ca has a wind generator approximately 10' above the cockpit, on a 2" pole, off the transome..... it is really loud! It looks really cool, but did I say it's loud, holy crap! Those bitchin' blades make alot of racket.... IMHO sell it and add some foldable solar panels next to your others panels or hang some foldables on the bow pulpit when at anchor.
A bent pole that ties in to the steel arch for support, on one side of your arch based on the coaming. It wont ever look that pretty. But would be practical. Some times you have to make compromises.
Right on. This is precisely the solution I had in mind.
The higher the better! Wind increases with height!
How about a bowsprit. It would look like a propeller out there. LOL. Seriously, adapt a pole to the arch above and behind.
I love my silentwind, I had the older model & the paint came off so they sent me a new one with the much better controller, which I also run it to my solar/wind generator- fuse boxs, with wind stop control,and current flow information, just like the Mobil app does, don't ever loose your directions which are better now & the mounting system for my single solar panel 385W along with the 400 plus with the silent wind I'm at the total WATT capacity of the controller box, which is like 800 watts; they had to send me the newer controller under warranty as well, because it only handled up to 400Watts, not over🤣, like the new one does, now the mount of mine is like very specialized, and had well over 4 angles on the footplates, and we had to add a height spacer which just happened to be on the footplate that has a hole in it for ALL the wires, so Dave had one made in 15 minutes, and we finally we're able to install the backing plates!! The mounting poles are 42cm, except the silent wind pole, which is 48cm for the NEEDED ADDITIONAL WEIGHT!!
The SW pole is about 2' higher than all the rest, and doesn't really effect the solor panels very much!! Goog luck Gary
Since you have two sources of power at sea and only want this at anchor the clean wind will be off the front of the pushpit, so make a temp frame to mount it there.
Would there be any way to do something off the front? bowsprit or a telescoping pole that you can put in or out so you can have close in so it won't effect boat length for marina stays. Seems like you could put something on the bow of the boat, if the center point doesn't work, maybe a couple feet down on either side. If you go for temporary, you could have some sort of mounting home on either side so you can move it to fit circumstances. I've also seen boats with narrow extensions on the bow, usually for a sail attachment point or their anchoring system, but would it work for the wind gen or would that muck up the wind for the sails to have that out in front? could you find one in a boat junkyard that you could retro-fit to Freebie? For the sides, I think of how Ran has their solar mounted on the sides and they flip it up or down, just wonder if you could do something similar for the wind gen. Then, of course, there is the issue of where you store it when not in use.... some sort of rail mount system like I've seen for BBQ's or Outboards? I'm not technical enough nor sailing experienced enough to know pro's / con's of these approaches.
Since so many have discovered issues with noise, I'd recommend something a bit temporary that you can chose to remove so it's not in the way of other things if you aren't using it. I also have some kind of deep negative reaction to anything of any heft at all on the backstay. Can't back it up with any actual knowledge of it being a problem, but my gut says not to put anything on that other than a flag or something light.
Still enjoying the channel and all the refit work. Look forward to seeing you all enjoy your hard work in the Bahamas!
Paula
Because your bow will normally be headed into the wind and ancorage you might try mounting it on the bow pulpit you've got that rail to a rail mount and just stow it when you're under way
I would definitely keep it off the standing rigging. Even modest vibration will add stress to the rigging that might cause premature failure. If it were me, I'd be looking at mounting it forward.
I am a bit late, I know. Just put it on the front bracket of the arch in the mid pointed towards the bow, in an angle roughly the same as your mainsail. That would give optimal placement and no shade if the mainsail doesnt give shade. I am probably too late but hope the helps 😎
"Free range sailing" have theirs mounted at the stern. I would guess the first consideration is, keeping the cable runs to an absolute minimum to reduce voltage loss? That would rule out 1/ Top of the mast or 2/ Somewhere near the bow.
Mount a mast for your wind generator to the railing on the nose of your boat. Get it just high enough that the vanes clear both the rail and the jib. Since your nose points directly into the wind at anchor, you'll get good service. Also, I'm not an expert but I surmise it won't cause your sails much grief since you can't sail directly into the wind.
Personally I would install it on the very front of a boat. Even more to front, than the forestay stands.
Also, if I were you, I would check how big the shadow from the gen. would be. If I remember the wave theory of light correctly, the tube or circle-shaped things of a rather small size (body of gen.) leave an extremely small shadow or do not leave it at all.
Lol.. Well,i know this is old,but i want to run a smaller E-drive on something like a west wight potter 15. Solar over the cockpit like an awning,and a wind generator where the mast goes,and maybe another panel up on the bow for lights and the house battery. Then try to do the American loop..
See WALDE SAILING
They set a pretty need solution on the solar arch...
GOOD ADVICE!!! THUMBS UP!!! Be Well, Will
Maybe add a frame/mount on the bow that is high enough to keep the generator out of the way, that way it can be used while under sail too.
What about on the bow railing? Put a locking cam on it so you can fold it down when not in use or when seas get a little rough?
Make a bracket that attaches to the whisker pole. When at anchor raise the whisker pole/ wind generator.
I had the same thought, it is easy to put up at anchor and take down when underway.... maybe at the bow with the pulpit holding the pole (zip ties???) Still have use of pole when needed. Not an underway solution but good for anchor/mooring. Clean air too, if not too close to genoa.
First thing I would do is contact other boaters in BKH that have a Silent Wind and ask if they have any statistics/calculations on it's efficiency.
Then, I would contact UMA & Sailing Saoirse and ask their opinion on cost/effort vs benefit to install since they have similar Lithium/Solar/Electric Motor set ups...
Add a L shaped tube on the bottom of the solar arch. Sticking outboard enough not to shade the panels. The wind generator will be solid and not in the way.
Hi, maybe a tower by the solar panels which you can hoist higher or lower, so the if the sun is up, the wind generator is lowered so it does not cast a shadow.
To all the nay sayers of wind generators, we have had our silentwind (one word) for 6 months now. As i spit this out, both Freebie n we r in the same conditions/anchorage and our silentwind is producing 7 amps. Maybe it isnt enough voltage to top off the batteries but it allows enough extra voltage that you can use the batteries for the evenings entertainment or for them to keep their laptops charged all night long. This while not flat-lining their new batteries.
Wake up in the am n the batteries r 12.3 vs 10.8 vdc without the Silentwind. Huge difference.
Thats experience speaking
I'd be curious to see what kind of "evening entertainment" they are having that would "flat-line" 12 Lithium Batteries! :-)
not sure if this helps and don't know about power drops but maybe some type of portable jack staff on bow.
Go to your welder and put a extension pole on your existing arch that would offset about a foot on a rear leg.
Can you mount it on the side of the solar arch so it basically sticks out the side 🤷🏻♂️
SV Delos has had two wind generators on their solar arch for a long time. They haven't been having any significant problems with it. They are a little aft, and since the boat usually points into the wind the blades or body don't cover the panels most of the time.
Allyn Onderdonk they have a giant boat tho
@@Nativemetalfreak If you look at their boat the blades are just back past the solar panels. Since most sailboats point into the wind at anchor, that means the wind generators have less opportunity to shade the panels. Big or small the generators would act exactly the same if these folks did the same mount. The only time they would shade the panels would likely be when there was no wind and the body of the generator might turn or they happened to be right in line with the sun when it was low on the horizon. If they don't put it on the mast then this is probably the best option. Why? Well if they add an extra pole between the mast and the solar arch, because the the wind generator will point into the wind at anchor the body of the generator will always shade the panels if it would be close to the panels. Their best option is to do the same thing like SV Delos, and have a special bracket made up or fabricate it themselves that would attach to their solar arch. For ease of maintenance this would be the best option.
See Lucky Fish Gets Away , Stewart mounted his to his mast head. Any way the higher the better.
Although he said there are only two models that will let you remotely brake the blades so you can get up and service them... and the Silentwind isn't one of them...
how about a mast off the bow, just high enough to allow the wind generator to swing 360º without interfering with the jib, maybe a little higher so no risk of the blades hitting you in the head. It could look a little odd but it would solve the shading issue. you do have the bow pulpit to help with bracing so that would be a solid mounting point at least.
ninja man with a wind generator
Mount 2 of them...you will have the only sailboat that can take flight and sail lol
Facing similar problem here. My solution so far: sell the wind generator, buy more solar. Mount long panels on the life lines in a way that you can change its angle (see Sailing RAN, Esper @ follow the boat, Drake Paragon on YT).
you didn't mention Delos because they love their wind generators, yes they have two, one on either side of their solar mounts, Drake paragon has two mounts on his solar arch without generators, perhaps a story. we opted for the ketch and had the mount made out of schedule 40 pipe (alum) the noise is a great indicator of the wind strength when your sleeping.