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.

Wind Free - Solar Power Is The Way To Go

Sim working hard at his little work bench

While we have been a little quiet on the social front, both having been a little under the weather  - we (I should say mainly Sim) have been working hard at becoming wind free!

Now both wind generators have gone – we are wind free.  After much researching, organizing and running around, the first two, of three humongous solar panels have been installed.

 

Two of three panels - just have to move the radar now.

Much thought and time has gone into this little project; working out how big we can go without looking like we have grown wings and are about to take off. Not to mention the steps we have taken in order to obtain two simple pieces of aluminum angle to add support to the frame work. For those that are interested in shipping easily into Grenada there is a company called Ezone on the Dusty Highway behind Spice Island Marine.  They offer a very good service, shipping by air from their address in Miami and dealing with the brokerage this end.  They charge by weight. You need to be a member, which is usually offered on a yearly basis but they also offer a short term rate of just EC$25 for a two week period.

So now we have two fairly large Solarworld 100cm X 168cm, 235 watt 30V solar panels.  They are big power providing machines. Not quite latest, latest technology but pretty close and certainly more efficient than our last ones.

Our third solar panel will arrive next month giving us a total of 705 Watts compared to 430W from our older panels.

To say this is exciting is an understatement.  One of the biggest bores about living on the boat is constantly having to watch our power consumption.  Do we have enough power to use our laptops and charge all the necessary items that go with modern day cruising. What about the fridge, freezer or just having lights on at night.  You hear plenty of stories of cruisers who wear head torches at night to read by to save on battery power.  The days of living in the dark ages have gone for me.

 

The lovely cockpit table

In other news we have a lovely table for the cockpit – a very important addition. It was already on the boat but had no legs or did but only one which didn't really work.  The other end rather cleverly latches into the main sheet winch with its own adapted winch handle.  Sim has made some new legs for it and hey presto we have a beautiful cockpit table. Lounging in the cockpit has never been so comfy.

Sim enjoying the fruits of his labour.