Lucia 40: Lucia 40 Solar arch

[dexterdivers]

Hello,


We will be retiring and moving aboard this October. We are very excited and trying to get things ready to minimize our time waiting for parts upon arrival. Does anyone here have a solar arch off the back of their FP Lucia 40? How about any FP? Looking to have around 2000 watts or so. The thought is to have 3 200w in the standard location behind the traveler and then build an arch off the back to support 4 hard 320w panels. These will overhang the dinghy and be supported by poles on the sugar scoops.



Any insights or pictures would be great. Also, the boat is in BVI right now so I can't measure anything. Does anyone have drawings showing measurements? There isn't anything in the owners manual that I have.


Thanks,
Josh

[Captain Scott]

Hi Josh,
I manage a Lucia 40 for the owner in my sailing school in the USVIs. I can get some measurements for you. Another option (which I did on one of my other boats) is to put the solars on top of the Davits. I did so with a tilting mechanism so I could tip it back to better use the setting tropical sun and block the hot afternoon rays. You can send me an email. scott@visailing school.com and I can get you some measurement. Won't be by the boat until June 23. And then just for two days. So let me know.

My question to you is, Do you have access to an owners manual that has trouble shooting in it? I have a generator that runs but does stopped producing ac. Fuse is switched on. Not sure where else to go with an automatic system like this... Thx, Scott

[dexterdivers]

Hey Scott,


I have someone creating the arch for me and will post pics on here when completed, sometime in October. Love the idea of pivoting on the davits but I'm looking for more solar than that.



Unfortunately, the electronic owners manual I have with me doesn't have any troubleshooting in it.



Sorry,
Josh

[MKB53]

The recess for the panels is too small to take anything larger than a 100W panel, unless someone has started making higher output ones since I last looked.
I fitted 3x 160 W hard panels between the traveller and the end of the bimini (no overhang) and have just fitted another 175W flexi on the bimini port side.
On a previous boat I had panels on the davits and found them of limited value. Frequently shaded.