wind turbine or solar

Just throwing it out there for some debate on the pro's and cons of turbine v solar. Who prefers turbines over solar or vice versa. I am considering fitting both .

 

Where are you installing them?

 

I am looking at fitting a hard top over the cockpit for sun protection and putting solar panels on top. Where a turbine will go I am not sure Because of the ketch rig. Maybe on the front of the mizzen. Can't pole mount it on the stern like normal because of the mizzen boom.

 

I don't have actual experience with either yet but I have a wind generator I intend to install this summer on my Gemini to keep the batteries up while the boat is unattended on a mooring so I can keep the ice cream frozen. It seems to me that when folks can only have one source it is usually solar. Common sense would suggest that if you can have both you can still be charging at night or on sunny windless days. Its getting easier to place solar panels now with advances in technology to where you can now install them on soft dodgers. I have seen wind generators mounted on the mizzen as long as that bit of real estate is not already claimed by the radar dome.

Steve.

 

Oh, I just recently saw that solar panels built into the top of the mainsail are becoming a reality.

Steve.

 

I agree steve. I think having 2 sources of power is a good idea. I don't have radar so thats not a problem. Solar panels in the mainsail is an interesting concept.

 

Yeah, im not so sure im onboard with the solar in the sail idea but I just saw it recently online, seems like it would fatigue any kind of wiring to me but who knows, im sure there are smarter people than me working on it. I will be building a hard dodger for a Hans Christian 38 over the next month which will have solar panels. The boat already has a wind generator and panels on the stern.

Steve.

 

After many years living at anchor, solar beats wind on all occasions, except trade winds.

This is actual data from my battery monitor.

 

Im sure that's the case in Florida.

 

No comparison really. Solar - because you don't even have to think about it for the next 20 years.

 

How much capacity do you have on board. I thought the wind genny might be good here over the winter when its overcast most days for about 2 months.

 

Good point although a quality generator should be relatively maintenance free. Thats only a guess though.