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Therapy...of course you are right...that is on the 4 winds site and one would expect marketing hype. So throw out the 4 winds and look at the KISS and the windbugger which they have no interest in promoting...still double the power in low winds of many of the smaller units. (And I can tell you from personal experience that I got 4-6 amps in 10-15knots out of my 4 winds).
The downside is large blades which mean you have to mount further off the deck toprovide proper clearance and you need to brace the pole mount carefully and under tension ( a little bend) to keep vibration to a minimum from the longer "lever". Also...you need to tie off the blades in higher winds with the loop provided. I always tied off in anything over 25 knots. You can get one with a centrifugal brake mechanism but I did not want the complication.
SSCA members rated the KISS and the 4 Winds highest in their member equipment surveys if I recall correctly.
Val...don't forget that going downwind you reduce the available wind gen force by 5-6 knots and going up wind you increase it by the same. So where wind vanes typically work least well, is also where wind gens also work least well. This would definitely influence my choice of wind/solar balance depending on where I planned to cruise.
Dog...the 4windsII is $1899...but that includes full pole mounting kit, all wiring and regulator, whereas the Kiss price requires you to buy all the mounting components and wiring...so the price difference isn't quite so great. Nothing wrong with the KISS though!
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