Sailing With Solar

Our solar panel array

We have installed the last of our three humongous solar panels, which now provide us with over 700watts of power.  It has been less then 24hrs since the installation and the skies have been grey and overcast, not ideal conditions for solar power but the batteries are keeping up where previously they would start to dwindle.  Oh the joy! The freezer is running, our laptops are on charge and we have even run the water-maker without having to run the noisy engine. Which is just as well as yesterday our engine wouldn't start.  Typical.  Just as we are set to leave Grenada and be on our bonny way north for the new sailing season, with all our tasks neatly crossed off the to-do list and goodbyes said  - we are not going anywhere.

Sim identified the problem as a faulty solenoid – the question is can we find one here in Grenada or will we have to ship one in?

Later the next day….my truly amazing, super human husband has taken the solenoid apart, cleaned it up, put it all back together and hey presto the engine started sweetly first time.  We are now set on looking at a Grenada departure in the next couple of days, sailing in company of our friend Jon on Imagine of Falmouth as we make our way up to Carriacou and islands beyond

The dirty solenoid wouldn't engage

Its been grey and squally all week.