Wind Generators
I have a friend with a new Cataline 38 with refrigeration. He was unable to use the refrigerator without running the engine to charge the batteries for at least an hour a day, a real problem when sitting in a anchorage for an extended period. An identical boat next to his in the marina has a wind generator and never has to run the engine at all, the generator completely supplies all power required including for refrigeration. My friend has since bought a wind generator. Now my personal preference is that they are extremely noisy and annoying so I prefer to do without refrigeration, minimize light usage at night, and basically eliminate the need by not using electric power unnecessarily. I end up running the engine every few days for a little while to charge the batterias and I carry two large batteries, one reserved for starting, radio, and instruments, the other for general purpose. I have often gone for a week without ever running the engine and had ample power to start the deisel. Best wishes, dave
