What's on your Arch or Stern?

[michaelratinter]

Wingssail,

How long does it take to cross the ITCZ without extra fuel? How much diesel capacity do you have?

[Discovery 15797]

Originally Posted by michaelratinter

Wingssail,

How long does it take to cross the ITCZ without extra fuel? How much diesel capacity do you have?

I’ve crossed both ITCZ’s in 20-25 knot winds, and also both in less than <10 knot winds.

So, the time it takes depends on the winds at the time, or the distance divided by avg. speed of your boat under power then calculate for fuel consumption.

[Idaho]

Any advice on mounting two 72" x 40" panels?

Its a ketch rig and the davits need reinforcing or replacing for a heavy 10.5' f/g dink.

Seems like the best place is a sturdy aft arch.

Mounting them 12' wide would keep the LOA reasonable for slip fees, as the boat has a nearly 14' beam.

I am sure I'm missing important factors here. What could go wrong?

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Idaho

Any advice on mounting two 72" x 40" panels?



Its a ketch rig and the davits need reinforcing or replacing for a heavy 10.5' f/g dink.



Seems like the best place is a sturdy aft arch.



Mounting them 12' wide would keep the LOA reasonable for slip fees, as the boat has a nearly 14' beam.



I am sure I'm missing important factors here. What could go wrong?

There were some great ideas discussed in this thread. Some might be helpful to you.

Illustrated Guide to Solar Installations on Boats
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...d.php?t=179638

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by michaelratinter

Wingssail,

How long does it take to cross the ITCZ without extra fuel? How much diesel capacity do you have?

The ITCZ varies in width, from maybe 125 miles to 500, or maybe zero. You watch the surface analysis and try to pick your point of crossing.

But the ITCZ does not mean you have to motor. You will get a variety of winds, often different speeds and directions on the same day, and squalls ands calms. If you are patient and sail when you can, plus conserve fuel by motoring dead slow (just to keep steerage), you don't need to use much fuel.

We used 27 gallons from one tank crossing the Pacific Acapulco to Atouana, much of that was running the engine to charge the batteries and make water. We put a total of 90 hours on the engine, about 40 of which were for charging.

Our fuel capacity in tanks is 60 (two x 30gal) and we arrived in Atouana with 33 gals remaining in the tanks. On that trip we took two jerry cans of diesel (12 gal). We didn't need it but we were new to ocean passages of that length and we didn't know.

A lot of how much fuel you need to take depends on how much you sail rather than motor. We sail when ever possible and our boat sails very well (no accident, we chose one which would).

If your boat can sail you don't need much fuel. Our friends Tom and Vivien on Imajica sailed from Fiji to California AGAINST the wind by sailing in the ITCZ all the way. On the other hand we met a couple on a steel boat called Rumple Steel Skin LOL, who ran through all their fuel about half way from Galapagos to Marquesas and had to sit in the heat for many days until they got some fuel from a ship, They were so tired of their heavy slow boat that they said they were going to scuttle it in Tahiti (which they did not).

You can read exactly how we sailed across the ITCZ in these log book pages:

Log Book Pages: Acapulco to Hiva Oa-Pacific Crossing-p1

Log Book Pages: Acapulco to Hiva Oa-Pacific Crossing-p2

Log Book Pages: Acapulco to Hiva Oa-Pacific Crossing-p3

Log Book Pages: Acapulco to Hiva Oa-Pacific Crossing-p4

Log Book Pages: Acapulco to Hiva Oa-Pacific Crossing-p5