Just thought I'd pass on a little item regarding wind generators. I have a "combination" of an Aero6gen generator mounted on top of a Air Marine tower w/ two solid stays. I did that because my stern shape didn't take to the Aerogen mount that well. I did have to add a short coupling to make things fit; I also mounted backing plates at all three deck attachment points. No big news there. Last weekend, we decided to stay overnight at the marina. Weather forecast was for a little overnight rain. At 4:00am we awoke to a hailstorm and then that roar that sounds like a train (it really does). Anyway, apparently it didn't touch down but my 21000 pound sailboat was heeling violently back and forth to about 20 degrees in the slip. My windspeed instrument went out (hit by a hailstone) during the first minute or so at around 70 knots. I slid the companionway back about two inches and could see two things--swirling sideways rain and my poor wind generator spinning in circles like a mad thing. I looked at my panel and the wind generator was putting out 29 amps going in circles (not to worry I have a large battery bank and dump resistors as well). The whole thing lasted about 5 minutes and then just rain for awhile longer. I climbed out to see the damage--only the bimini cover suffered and will need to be replaced. After close inspection of the wind generator I am happy to say all is well and no other hail damage was found. The next morning other overnighters reported similar winds and hail damage. Just thought I'd pass along a "survival" story of a wind generator in tornadic winds. I think I'll keep the blades tied up from now on at dock... Cheers, Mark