Solar Stik Experience Offshore?

danielgoldberg · #1 (**permalink**) 02-09-2008

Anyone have experience with this product? We are installing one on our boat, and are going offshore this coming June. The manufacturer claims that it can withstand some fairly vigorous conditions, even fully deployed. Anyone have experience with whether that claim has merit?

xort · #2 (**permalink**) 02-09-2008

Welcome to Sailnet!

There is an excellent thread on all things solar & wind on this Gear & Maintenance board. It's titled "Effectiveness of Solar & wind". It should be only a page or two back from the first page of the Gear board.
Tons of good stuff there. Makes great reading. Plenty of info on the solar stik. Good luck

camaraderie · #3 (**permalink**) 02-09-2008

Daniel... practical sailor did a review recently as well if you have access to the 2007 issues. Bottom line...rugged and well made...does not deliver the Amp-hours promised but due to the MPPT controller and adjutments delivers significantly more than a typical 100 AH installation. Quite expensive as you can buy the panels and the mppt controller for less than $1k.
Member HelloSailor actually had one for testing and can fill in any blanks for you if you PM him.
Personally...I would not deploy them at sea except on relatively flat days as nothing is going to stand up to a wave breaking on those panels in a deployed state.
The "stik" thread here is a matter of some noteriety but if you can dig through it, you will find a lot of very detailed information.

danielgoldberg · #4 (**permalink**) 02-09-2008

Thanks. I have the PS article and spent a lot of time inspecting the unit and speaking with the inventor and manufacturer. We bought it and are installing it, so we're going to give it a go. I have some level of confidence that we'll do well with it in port, but just curious on experience with it at sea. Agree entirely that in heavy conditions I would not deploy. When deployed the panels are going to sit about 4 feet above deck. Weather that could lead to a wave breaking that high above deck is the kind in which we would have those panels retracted long before. I'm more thinking about the up and down motion or yawing that the boat will do, and whether anyone has experience with how the panels do in those conditions.

I'll PM HelloSailor. I'm having trouble finding the Stik thread, but will keep looking. I take it there was a bit of a food fight on the subject. Thanks again.

DG

xort · #5 (**permalink**) 02-09-2008

Here ya go:

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/gear-maintenance/30050-effectiveness-solar-wind.html

Get back to us when you've finished your required reading. See ya in 2010.

denby · #6 (**permalink**) 02-09-2008

Daniel,

If you post on solar and wind thread some old grouch may reply,

don't pay any attention to him.

Welcome aboard, you will find a lot of information and knowledgeable people on Sailnet, and some fun.

danielgoldberg · #7 (**permalink**) 02-09-2008

Ugh. Because I don't yet have 10 posts I can't PM HelloSailor. HS, if you see this, please PM me or email me. Thanks.

danielgoldberg · #8 (**permalink**) 02-09-2008

So, I see the issue of the Solar Stik really has not generated any interest or reactions from anyone. Sheesh, you'd think someone posted that Hunters are better bluewater boats than Valiants or something.

Anyway, sorry for posting on a topic that was beat to death. I'm new to Sailnet and hadn't found my way around yet.

denby · #9 (**permalink**) 02-09-2008

Give it time Dan, seems kind of quiet today.

xort · #10 (**permalink**) 02-09-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by danielgoldberg

So, I see the issue of the Solar Stik really has not generated any interest or reactions from anyone. Sheesh, you'd think someone posted that Hunters are better bluewater boats than Valiants or something.

Great! Started Hunter bashing already.

If you're a real man you'll start bashing Catalinas!

It's a quiet day, you'll get some commentary eventually. Most folks don't have direct experience with the rig so they're not necessarily going to post.