Greetings, I have a 1991 Hunter Legend 37.5. And I cannot stress how much I enjoy my boat. It performs well and is extremely comfortable. We are currently in the process of equiping it for some extended cruising, a year in fact, and need some technical advice. I have just purchased a wind generator (Air X Marine 12) and would like some good advice on the best way and place to mount it. The challenge is to mount a stern tower with supports in a manner that does not interfere with the walk-through, step-down passage at the stern, or with the opening of the stern storage bins. I also have a bimini, so the tower must be situated several inches (say 3") aft of the stern pulpit to clear the aft end of the bimini. Does anyone have technical drawings, photos, or a good description of a successful mount that would help me? Looking foward to hearing from someone. Yours, Jack Lightstone Current Port: Willsboro NY Home Port: Montreal, Quebec Canada jack_n_lightstone@hotmail.com 514-935-7155
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Have one..
The prior owner of my '93 37.5 installed an AirX on my boat and his setup is great. It mounts behind and under the port "catbird" seat, on a large inverted ss "L" bracket with a cross support between the two legs (Forming something of a triangle.) There are two ss arms extending down to the stern rail for support. I have also added a third short arm on a pivot that works as a hoist for my outboard. It's a small Honda 2 so there isn't much weight to be concerned about. Best thing I've ever added to my boat. From the looks of things he engineered the mount himself and made or had the parts made. Don't have any diagrams but I can give you some measurements, if that will help. (If Santa had brought that digital camera I wanted I could even send you pics, but that's another story.) I won't be back at the boat for another week. Email me off line if want info: dcdon@hotmail.com
The prior owner of my '93 37.5 installed an AirX on my boat and his setup is great. It mounts behind and under the port "catbird" seat, on a large inverted ss "L" bracket with a cross support between the two legs (Forming something of a triangle.) There are two ss arms extending down to the stern rail for support. I have also added a third short arm on a pivot that works as a hoist for my outboard. It's a small Honda 2 so there isn't much weight to be concerned about. Best thing I've ever added to my boat. From the looks of things he engineered the mount himself and made or had the parts made. Don't have any diagrams but I can give you some measurements, if that will help. (If Santa had brought that digital camera I wanted I could even send you pics, but that's another story.) I won't be back at the boat for another week. Email me off line if want info: dcdon@hotmail.com
Rutland Setup
Have had a Rutland 6-blade, about 39-inch diameter, which I set up on our H-35 as a temporary setup for several years. Mounted it on an aluminum anodized mast/pole which is braced of with 1-inch stainless tubes to the pushpit. The mast, I think is 70mm dia OD, thickwall aluminum anodized, is attached to the pushpit with a Forespar adaptor (plastic, 70mm x 1-inch). The mast is diagonally braced at approximately right-angles with two 1-inch stainless tubes which have 1-inch "end sockets" at each end. One end attaches to a 1-inch "jaw-slide" on the rail and the other end attaches to a Forespar adaptor (powder coated) on the mast. See the Forespar radar mast section for the adaptor which fits a 70mm mast and has attach points at 90-degrees. One of the braces has to be bent slightly to attach properly because the angle isn't exactly 90 degrees. Don't rely on the end socket set screw to take tension unless the 1-inch tube has been drilled with a hole. Check screws periodically to ensure they don't back out or loosen. On the rudder I put a small diameter red line about 4 or 5-feet long which I can grab and rotate the generator around so it is backwards into the wind to stop it then tie one of the blades off so it doesn't rotate. The bottom of the blades is about 8 or 9-feet off the cockpit deck. Our normal operation is to have the wind generator on during our long cruises and remove it the rest of the year. The wind generator has provided significant input to our power needs over the past 10 years or so.
Have had a Rutland 6-blade, about 39-inch diameter, which I set up on our H-35 as a temporary setup for several years. Mounted it on an aluminum anodized mast/pole which is braced of with 1-inch stainless tubes to the pushpit. The mast, I think is 70mm dia OD, thickwall aluminum anodized, is attached to the pushpit with a Forespar adaptor (plastic, 70mm x 1-inch). The mast is diagonally braced at approximately right-angles with two 1-inch stainless tubes which have 1-inch "end sockets" at each end. One end attaches to a 1-inch "jaw-slide" on the rail and the other end attaches to a Forespar adaptor (powder coated) on the mast. See the Forespar radar mast section for the adaptor which fits a 70mm mast and has attach points at 90-degrees. One of the braces has to be bent slightly to attach properly because the angle isn't exactly 90 degrees. Don't rely on the end socket set screw to take tension unless the 1-inch tube has been drilled with a hole. Check screws periodically to ensure they don't back out or loosen. On the rudder I put a small diameter red line about 4 or 5-feet long which I can grab and rotate the generator around so it is backwards into the wind to stop it then tie one of the blades off so it doesn't rotate. The bottom of the blades is about 8 or 9-feet off the cockpit deck. Our normal operation is to have the wind generator on during our long cruises and remove it the rest of the year. The wind generator has provided significant input to our power needs over the past 10 years or so.
Thanks & more info please
John and Don, Thanks very much; that was helpful. However, Don, I would really appreciate a photo, if you do get that camera. In the meanwhile, I must confess some ignorance of the term "catbird" seat. I have sailed for 40 years now, and have never heard the term, so I am having trouble visualizing where the "L" bracket for the base of the mast-tower for the wind generator is situated. IS the long part of the inverted "L" bolted to a vertical surface? And is the mast mounted on the "L" bracket with rubber gaskets to dampen vibration? Thanks again. Jack
John and Don, Thanks very much; that was helpful. However, Don, I would really appreciate a photo, if you do get that camera. In the meanwhile, I must confess some ignorance of the term "catbird" seat. I have sailed for 40 years now, and have never heard the term, so I am having trouble visualizing where the "L" bracket for the base of the mast-tower for the wind generator is situated. IS the long part of the inverted "L" bolted to a vertical surface? And is the mast mounted on the "L" bracket with rubber gaskets to dampen vibration? Thanks again. Jack
Catbird seats...
That's what I call the stern rail seats, not sure where I got that from, but I think it was here at HOW. Anyway, as I recall, the "L" bracket is mounted with the short end pointing down. Because the bracket is mounted under the port stern rail seat, the longer side of the "L" points aft which allows the mast to be mounted behind the seat and go up right behind the seat/rail. As for the mount, there is a receptacle type fitting that the mast goes into mounted on top of the "L" bracket. As for shock absorption, I belive there was a layer of rubber between the the brackets. Never had any vibration and we've been in some pretty tuff winds with it. Oh yeah, beware that when the wind really pipes up 35+, the governor kicks in (actually I think the blades change shape) and it sounds like you have a Boening 747 up there. Friends have gotten quite concerned thinking the thing was going to take off. Really eery sounding but they say it can take hurricane force winds. I talked at length with the rep at the Annap boat show this year. I have lost the nose cap/cone in one wind storm. Will work on providing more pic/details when I get back to the boat next week.
That's what I call the stern rail seats, not sure where I got that from, but I think it was here at HOW. Anyway, as I recall, the "L" bracket is mounted with the short end pointing down. Because the bracket is mounted under the port stern rail seat, the longer side of the "L" points aft which allows the mast to be mounted behind the seat and go up right behind the seat/rail. As for the mount, there is a receptacle type fitting that the mast goes into mounted on top of the "L" bracket. As for shock absorption, I belive there was a layer of rubber between the the brackets. Never had any vibration and we've been in some pretty tuff winds with it. Oh yeah, beware that when the wind really pipes up 35+, the governor kicks in (actually I think the blades change shape) and it sounds like you have a Boening 747 up there. Friends have gotten quite concerned thinking the thing was going to take off. Really eery sounding but they say it can take hurricane force winds. I talked at length with the rep at the Annap boat show this year. I have lost the nose cap/cone in one wind storm. Will work on providing more pic/details when I get back to the boat next week.
Wind Generator
I have had a pole made specifically for this. It is mounted aft of the port stern seat ( for lack of a better description) and uses 2 stainless tube support struts. The pole is dual purpose also holding my Radar scanner and will eventually be used for emergency aerial etc. I have some photos kicking around and if you email me I will send them to you. John
I have had a pole made specifically for this. It is mounted aft of the port stern seat ( for lack of a better description) and uses 2 stainless tube support struts. The pole is dual purpose also holding my Radar scanner and will eventually be used for emergency aerial etc. I have some photos kicking around and if you email me I will send them to you. John
Thanks John and Don
Thanks, Don and John, John, I would love to see the pictures. Please send them to lightst@vax2.concordia.ca. Thanks, Jack
Thanks, Don and John, John, I would love to see the pictures. Please send them to lightst@vax2.concordia.ca. Thanks, Jack
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