Solar or generator?

May 16, 2007
1,509
Boatless ! 26 Ottawa, Ontario
On a smaller boat a wind turbine could help, but it often takes a lot of wind to generate enough electrons. Usually we try to anchor in the most sheltered anchorage possible. Many wind turbines are noisier than a Honda generator. Check how quiet they are and the amount of current generated in say 10 knt of wind before buying it.
Bob
 
Nov 8, 2007
1,523
Hunter 27_75-84 Sandusky Harbor Marina, Ohio
OK, I have to raise another point: "Why do you need a refrigerator?"

With milk, meat, and water frozen at home, and block ice with a small bag of cubes for drinks, we often cruise 3-4 days in 90+ degrees on our ice box. It's also true that lots of ports in Lake Erie makes topping up the ice supply easy for longer cruises.

I've looked at refrigeration, but the cost of ice is much cheaper every time I run the numbers!

We have enjoyed refrigerators on chartered boats, but definitely don't enjoy running the engine to keep them cold. And we find that the need to pump out forces us into port more often than the need for more ice.

I understand the need for AC in the south, but the air that comes into the v-berth hatch comes off the water, and is usually around 75-80 degrees even on hot summer evenings.
 
May 16, 2007
1,509
Boatless ! 26 Ottawa, Ontario
David, I don't think we need refrigeration on a boat. It is a choice sailors make for various reasons often where and how they sail/cruise has an impact. Our previous two boats did not have refrigeration, we trailered them and cruised Lake Hurons North Channel as well as the Florida Keys. When it came time to buy a bigger boat we wanted refrigeration.

One thing we noticed is that water temperatures have a big effect on how long ice lasts. In fact boats cruised in northern waters can use a smaller refrigeration system than a boat used down south. Many northern boats use sea water to cool the refrigeration system, that does not work so well down south. A boat with refrigeration will usually have a bigger energy budget down south than it will up north.

We did a two month cruise down the east coast of Florida and through the Keys. We had ice most of the time. We found that ice is really not cold enough to keep some foods safe very long. We had to be careful with meat so ate more bacon, smoked pork chops etc. Our salads were made with cabbage, carrots, onions because they didn't need refrigeration and were kept in the not very cool bilge. I often carried ice a long ways, we only needed a pump out every 7 to 10 days but ice every 3 or 4. The ice I could buy was often from a corner store, bar or restaurant and so usually cubes.

Our present boat has a refrigerator, large freezer and even an ice maker. These made a big difference on our diet, where we anchor out, in general how we live on the boat. I meet cruisers in the Bahamas that have many miles under their keel and don't have refrigeration, some don't even want ice. They are enjoying life as much as we are and consider it a big advantage not dealing with refrigeration and the electrical demands it has. None has ever refused a cold drink though.

I think it is wise to question our needs and wants and know the difference.

Lots of ways to float a boat, as long you are out there enjoying sailing is the main thing, Bob

As far as AC is concerned, did you charter in winter or summer ? Islands or southern USA ?
 
Dec 19, 2006
5,809
Hunter 36 Punta Gorda
I went with 2-190 watt panels and one controller and 4-6 volt T-105 and no matter what you decide you will need a large battery bank to store all this charging and than when at anchor and when the sun is down or Gen off you will need this stored battery power to last until the sun comes or Gen goes on.
I went larger with panels to allow for shading and over casting or rain and those days with not much sun but even on bad sun days my solar is still working.
I also do have a Fisher Panda 4200 and don;t need anything else to keep my batteries charged but I like that I now use my Gen a lot less and most times only for the AC much needed here in Florida.
We go on long cruise trips with our sailing club and just this past Oct we were out cruising for 2 weeks and everyone with out Gen or AC were looking to cut the trip short and head home because it was so hot,I did invite as many as possible over to our boat for pot luck
and card games or just a break in the AC,last year time time of year it was much cooler and needed to use the reverse heat a few times.
So we have the best of setups and my wife doesn't get unhappy out cruising or just sailing.

Nick
 
Feb 6, 1998
11,667
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
OK, I have to raise another point: "Why do you need a refrigerator?"

I've looked at refrigeration, but the cost of ice is much cheaper every time I run the numbers!
I suppose if you sail on a lake with a fairly congested shoreline then ice can make sense. Where we cruise up here ice is simply not available where we like to cruise. We often go 12+ days without even touching the mainland and the off shore islands are remote and lack provisions.

The few spots that have it, such as the lobster co-ops, really don't want to sell it to cruisers and the off shore islands and remote locations, where we prefer to cruise, can be out for days at a time as they may only get one ice delivery per week. Sometimes the ice comes in at 10:00 and is gone by 1:00 the same day.. For our last three stops at Isle Au Haut they have been out of ice.

We do carry ice but only for cocktails. We have dedicated an entire cooler to it but we need to carry 10 bags, cooler chock full of just ice, so as not to run out. Even then we still do run out because of availability. We eat well and our fridge is always stocked with fresh cheese, meats, pork, fish etc. Our daughter is allergic to cow casein so she is on goat or sheep cheese, almond milk etc. diet which can get rather expensive.. The cost to us of destroying hundreds of dollars in food, hoping we can possibly get ice, is simply not at all worth the risk. The idea of ruining a cruise or vacation to slog 20+ miles out of our way just to get ice is simply unacceptable... We much prefer to be more self sufficient than that. With our water and fuel capacity, as well as solar we could go about 5 weeks without provisioning or needing to get to a place that has fuel or water. We can survive without cocktail ice, and often do, but destroying fresh food because the ice melted, nah....

No ice anywhere near here....


Ice? Not......

Solitude yes, ice, no...

Post office, yes, Ice on this island is extremely hit or miss, never to be counted on..

This is why we have refrigeration....:wink:
 
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Dec 19, 2006
5,809
Hunter 36 Punta Gorda
So many different ways to enjoy boating and how you want to use your boat
and what you think is having fun.
When first married and kids very young and loved camping in a tent with coolers and ice
and even cooking over open fire and was great fun at first and if it rained not so much.
But one day wife said she really loved camping but so much work and we were both were working and only weekend camping.
So got a pickup camper for my truck and started camping so much more on weekends and even a few weeks on vacation.
The camper was always welled packed ready to go any time the weather looked good and even had a small sailboat to take along.
I am much older and the kids are grown up gone and we enjoy day sailing and cruising the big thing is much older now and we like comfort,but that is our thing and retired and we can add all the bells and whistles and that's my thing having fun working with my hands adding
things to my sailboat,I don't work on my cars or truck any more and love much more doing things on my sailboat and than go sailing and just sit back and relax.
So here I am just helping with some advice from having been there,all great helpful info here for sure from everyone on this forum.
Nick
 
Jan 17, 2013
439
Catalina 310 St. Simons Island, GA
Wow, I am amazed at all the information coming from my first post asking for opinions on solar vs generators. I really appreciate this list and all the contributors who make it so great. Am also amazed at the diversity of answers. Am not trying to end this thread but instead am going to summarize what I have learned to this point:
* Differences if you are sailing in the north vs. the south in terms of refrigeration and AC and their potential energy needs.
* Best long-term solar option is davit or bimini mounted solar array that can be expanded to provide for all power requirements
* "Aimable" solar panels on a pole can increase output from a panel but only if actively managed and pointed at the sun.
* Major advantage to generator is AC but brings some other issues into play...
* Used to live in downeast Maine (Ellsworth to be exact) and those pictures make me envious!
* And much, much more...
I am still researching this and am considering a generator + some kind of solar. My energy needs are not huge but I understand they will increase over time the more we cruise. Still working now so cruises are limited. But that will change and I think the AC option will be important for Florida cruising.
bob
 
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KZW

.
May 17, 2014
831
Catalina 310 #307 Bluewater Bay, FL
Do you have any pictures of the bracket you use to hold the generator? Would love to see that. AC is a significant factor for me since all of my cruising is in FL & GA.
bob
The picture shows the bracket on the port propane storage locker lid. I put the generator here only when at anchor when it is running. Otherwise, it is in the cockpit, drained of fuel and covered. The generator is only on the boat for those trips in which we think it will be used. Otherwise, it is at the house.
 

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Aug 24, 2009
444
Catalina 310 Sturgeon Bay, WI
Something else to throw in the mix - Westinghouse Generator... check them out, the Honda equiv 1,000 watt is $400.00, great reviews and is listed as quieter than the Honda. It's 18" x 10.2" x 15.2" and weight is 30# dB rating 53, Honda is 59
 
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Mar 20, 2012
3,983
Cal 34-III, MacGregor 25 Salem, Oregon
having 12V power or living in the dark ages?... generator or solar?.... refrigerator or Icebox?... A/C or not?.... electronics and how much? engine propulsion or bare-bones traditional sailboat without any unnecessary clutter?......

there have been a countless number of sailors who have came and gone before us that never had to ponder these questions, and got along fine in all parts of the world, in all seasons.

it is true that the more equipment we have on-board, the more maintenance (time and money) is required to maintain the boat in aggregate, and the more we depend on these devices, the more of an issue it is when one piece of the puzzle stops functioning as it should....

in our modern world, even as it has become, it is still not necessary to have any of these "luxuries" on board and this is proven by the traditionalists and historic boats that continue to sail the world without them.

but, because the luxuries are affordably at our fingertips, almost all of us will have some of them...
some of the comforts we seek are driven by the latitude in which we live, and because of the latitude in which we live, some of us fail to see the need for some of the luxuries chosen by others.... the people above the 45th parallel have as little need for an air conditioner on their boat, as someone below the 35th parallel has need for a heater on theirs.... sometimes it would be nice, but not really necessary... but this is only an opinion from someone who has a seemingly normal range of tolerance for heat and cold... others may not have such a forgiving tolerance;)....
and its not only a latitude thing that determines the climate, as there are many variables throughout the world that would change the climate, and in turn, the comfort requirements....

I am one of the strongest advocates for everyone being able to do what ever they want, how ever they want to do it, as long as it does not interfere with someone else or their rights, no matter where they are.... and I will freely give advice on how to best help them along to make it the most enjoyable experience:biggrin::biggrin: (based on my own successes and failures), and I would agree that one should outfit themselves properly so that they can be as comfortable as they should be when trying to get some R&R at the boat... a good supply of 12 volt power is only the beginning:)
 
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Sep 15, 2009
6,243
S2 9.2a Fairhope Al
Key Specs
Item# 165018
Manufacturer's Warranty 2 years consumer use / 1 year commercial use
Ship Weight 37.0 lbs
Surge Watts 1,000
Rated Watts 900
Start Type Recoil
Engine Displacement (cc) 50
Engine GXH50 OHC
Run Time 3 4/5 @ rated load; 8 5/16 hrs. @ 1/4 load
Receptacles (qty.) (2) 15A 125V; (1) 12V DC
Parallel Ready No
Noise Level (dB) 53 @ 1/4 load; 59 @ rated load
Fuel Type Gasoline
Fuel Capacity (gal.) 0.6
Low Oil Shutdown Yes
Dimensions L x W x H (in.) 17 3/4 x 9 2/5 x 15


Customer Reviews

this is the specs on the honda....... size is smaller and db is the same...but it is heavier.....
 
Jan 17, 2013
439
Catalina 310 St. Simons Island, GA
Unfortunately cannot run AC with a 1000 w generator which is a lot of the reason to have one in the first place. So it is 2000 w or nothing...
 

KZW

.
May 17, 2014
831
Catalina 310 #307 Bluewater Bay, FL
With the EU 2000 you must be in NORMAL mode to run the A/C. Don't try to do it in the ECCO mode. In ECCO the generator down speeds if there is a light load and up-speeds if the power demand increases. The ECCO mode cannot keep up with the A/C power demands and the generator will surge. If you leave it in NORMAL, no worries, it handles the A/C load just fine. (But be careful with other items that draw power and don't run the microwave).
 

Gene S

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Nov 29, 2015
181
Delphia 37 Tacoma
A lot of good information in these posts. I live in the PNW and have a new boat. I would like to supplement my power generaton. I have the optional 55hp engine and would rather not use it to charge batteries. Is there enough sun up here for the solar option? Any PNW sailors around to give advice?