effectiveness of solar & wind

[camaraderie]

Simon...I agree that both would be way better but if I were forced to choose, I would get a large blade wind generator...perhaps one that had a tow water-generator option since you will be passagemaking. Don't buy your wind generator on price. Look at the power curves and get something that has the best output in the 8-12K range. Only a very small % of worldwide winds are over 20 knots and if you don't maximize output below 15k you will be disappointed.

[SimonV]

Cam ,
The one I looked at is the Rutland 913, claimes to be the most cost effective $'s for Amp's.

[sailingdog]

Cam-

On a small boat, solar panels are probably a better choice.. so it may depend on the boat. A large blade wind gen on the smaller boat is a difficult problem, as it can be hard to find a place to mount one safely. Also, most wind gens need to be mounted fairly high up for safety reasons, and that adds a fair bit of weight aloft. On a smaller boat, solar panels may be better since they don't need to be mounted as high up, and don't present a decapitation hazard.

This isn't to say that Simon would be better off with solar panels, just that it really depends on the boat in a lot of ways.

[camaraderie]

Simon...here is the power curve on the 913...look at the 10-15 knot output.
It is a little less than 2 AMPS at 10 knots and about 4 at 15 knots.

Now here is the output curves of a bunch of vanes. As you can see...you would need two Rutlands to equal the output of a single one of the better large blade units. (NOTE:This curve is from the 4 winds site so there may be some puffery here...BUT look at the other large blade units too.)

[SimonV]

RUTLAND 913

This is the link for the unit I would consider.

[camaraderie]

Dawg...I just disagree. You can rig a nice stable pole mount off the back of any vessel and the room required for panel mounts on a small monohull is typically excessive and requires solar stik type solutions. If you can pull 4 amps 24 hours a day that is 90+ amps out of one device. I think the chances of 10 knots of wind or better are about equal to a good sunnny day in THIS case. Might differ elsewhere as you point out.

[SimonV]

I tried to post that graph but couldnt, thanks. It true what they say "size matters" the Rutland is only 910mm/3' dia and 10.5kg/23lb.

[SimonV]

Using a rough estimit 2x 120W solar panels for 7hrs at 50% gives @ 70Amps, and I need to find
space of 57' x 50' to mount them. all on a 34 to 37' boat

[sailingdog]

Cam-

On a CD25, it might tough to fit a Four Winds as the blade diameter is 60" or so IIRC, but you could probably get a couple of smaller panels in easily enough.

Your boat is big enough to handle Four Winds and a center cockpit design, so that an aft mounted wind gen isn't a constant hazard.

It might help if SimonV said what kind of boat he was on.

[EscapadeCaliber40LRC]

SimonV - Take a look at this realworld experience with a Rutland 913 albeit in 2002:

Ocean Solar

Theirs disintegrated at high wind speed. I don't know these folks just walked through their website which was pretty impressive.

Personnally I have had good experience with the wind gen I bought last summer on ebay. Its ugly but it is quiet and has handled gust in excess of 30knots nicely. My total investment was about $600, including pole, wiring, paint, unit.

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