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Deividas · 04-02-2021, 11:56

https://noa.se/eng/products/solar-pannel-fitting don't know if available in the US.

CommodoreDoug · 04-02-2021, 12:19

Online metals for the aluminum to make the frames, Sea Dog nylon rail clamps screwed to the frame and the panels follow the sun.

**newhaul** · 04-02-2021, 12:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by CommodoreDoug

Online metals for the aluminum to make the frames, Sea Dog nylon rail clamps screwed to the frame and the panels follow the sun.

Nice install.
Is that the cap sante marina in the background?

CommodoreDoug · 04-02-2021, 12:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by newhaul

Nice install.
Is that the cap sante marina in the background?

Thanks Newhaul.

It was a surprisingly (for me) painless and enjoyable task. And the panels from Renogy are super-efficient.

That is the John Wayne Marina on Sequim Bay you see in the background.

"The more I learn about people, the more I like my dog"

-Mark Twain-

mitiempo · 04-02-2021, 14:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by DenisHeinrichs

I have 2 sets of panels on my rails. I am using Magma BBQ rail mounts for them. Easy to loosen and adjust

https://www.amazon.com/Magma-Product.../dp/B0018Y8LL2

I also use these. I have installed many solar panels using them. Last summer I installed 190 watt panels with 2 of the Magma bbq mounts per panel. Easy 1/4 turn to lock or unlock and no strut needed.

I bolt an aluminum strip (usually 3/16 x 2) across the panels with the desired spacing. Then the bbq mounts can be installed anywhere on the strip.

kmcshane · 04-02-2021, 18:53

In a word: Tef-Gel

Tef-Gel, TG-02, 2 OZ Tub Anti-seize, Anyi-gull ... - Amazon.com

amazon.com › Tef-Gel-TG-02-Anti-seize-Anyi-gull-Lu...

Product description. ULTRA Tef-Gel Lubricates and eliminates corrosion between dissimilar or different metals by preventing saltwater electrolytes from getting to the surface of those connecting metals. Prevents seizing, galling, and friction welding of stainless steel, inconel, and other nickel alloys.

**newhaul** · 04-02-2021, 19:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by kmcshane

In a word: Tef-Gel

Tef-Gel, TG-02, 2 OZ Tub Anti-seize, Anyi-gull ... - Amazon.com

amazon.com › Tef-Gel-TG-02-Anti-seize-Anyi-gull-Lu...

Product description. ULTRA Tef-Gel Lubricates and eliminates corrosion between dissimilar or different metals by preventing saltwater electrolytes from getting to the surface of those connecting metals. Prevents seizing, galling, and friction welding of stainless steel, inconel, and other nickel alloys.

A sea dog rail mount uses all stainless and plastic parts so no dissimilar metals

waterman46 · 04-02-2021, 22:59

Solar panels mounted to the rail with only one axis of motion will not allow many hours of good angle to the sun. The panel on one side of the boat or the other will nearly always have significant shading from the boom or mast, especially on a ketch. And when the boat is close to alignment with the sun, the angle is bad anyway.

I made mounts that will allow panels to go to almost any angle, then stow right down against the lifelines. I have two panels of the 100W size (about 22" x 46") that can easily be deployed to extreme angles like this.

Panel can be adjusted to get perpendicular to sun from almost any direction.

Next picture shows the aft end of the panel mount. A SS tube is clamped vertically in parallel with the stern rail. That clamp is home-made. Standard bimini SS collar piece is used as a slide to allow one end of the panel to move to the top of the vertical tube as the panel is deployed.

In the picture above, you can see the lower end of the diagonal brace when panel is deployed. The angle of the diagonal in the vertical plane can be adjusted and the brace can also rotate outward away from the boat.
Another bimini SS collar piece slides horizontally under the panel to become the upper end of the diagonal brace. So there is another SS tube running under the center of the panel where this second slide is mounted (not shown). The panel can rotate around this lengthwise axis as well as taking almost any angle from the diagonal brace.

The sliding parts that take the weight of the panel and the stresses, are all SS. They are held in place in whatever adjustment is desired, by standard plastic clamps (black items just below the slides) with thumbscrews. No tools required.

Here the panel is secured to the lifelines for sailing.

It is hard to picture all the detail but if anyone is interested I might be able to make a drawing that would be more clear.

**newhaul** · 04-02-2021, 23:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by waterman46

Solar panels mounted to the rail with only one axis of motion will not allow many hours of good angle to the sun. The panel on one side of the boat or the other will nearly always have significant shading from the boom or mast, especially on a ketch. And when the boat is close to alignment with the sun, the angle is bad anyway.

I made mounts that will allow panels to go to almost any angle, then stow right down against the lifelines. I have two panels of the 100W size (about 22" x 46") that can easily be deployed to extreme angles like this.

Panel can be adjusted to get perpendicular to sun from almost any direction.

Next picture shows the aft end of the panel mount. A SS tube is clamped vertically in parallel with the stern rail. That clamp is home-made. Standard bimini SS collar piece is used as a slide to allow one end of the panel to move to the top of the vertical tube as the panel is deployed.

In the picture above, you can see the lower end of the diagonal brace when panel is deployed. The angle of the diagonal in the vertical plane can be adjusted and the brace can also rotate outward away from the boat.
Another bimini SS collar piece slides horizontally under the panel to become the upper end of the diagonal brace. So there is another SS tube running under the center of the panel where this second slide is mounted (not shown). The panel can rotate around this lengthwise axis as well as taking almost any angle from the diagonal brace.

The sliding parts that take the weight of the panel and the stresses, are all SS. They are held in place in whatever adjustment is desired, by standard plastic clamps (black items just below the slides) with thumbscrews. No tools required.

Here the panel is secured to the lifelines for sailing.

It is hard to picture all the detail but if anyone is interested I might be able to make a drawing that would be more clear.

To some degree yes the panels are not harvesting to optimum however as I and several others have mounted they can always harvest even in heavy seas without worry. While your mount looks great and is functional I would be afraid of deploying in heavy seas on a passage.

Also they would require almost constant attention .

JeffOnTheBoat · 10-02-2021, 22:28

Waterman 46, Your design looks very interesting. Ya I would like to see a drawing of it, or some pictures of the back side. I am looking for a creative solution that does not require adding a hard rail to mount to.

alaskanviking · 12-02-2021, 10:04

I second that, I'd like to see more pictures of the mechanism and a drawing. I can see several applications this would work well with.

waterman46 · 12-02-2021, 12:14

Yes they do require a little more attention - but you can get better output than a fixed mount would provide. If you just leave them in one position it's still better than a fixed mount since you can set them up for whatever you think will be the best sun angle for your boat and leave them that way.

I do agree the most protected positions for use underway are over an arch or davits at the stern or on top of bimini if you can fit there. I did this mount before I had davits and can't fit any solid, non-flex panels on top of the bimini since there is not enough clearance to the boom.

We are underway probably less than 5% of the time we spend on the boat, and have been in heavy seas or high winds very seldom that would limit the use of these panels.

For those interested I will try to put better pictures with annotations in my "Album" here on CF as soon as I can figure out how to do it.

coopec43 · 13-02-2021, 01:49

I've read through the comments and maybe I've missed it but didn't see where the life raft cradle type clamps have been mentioned. I bought a cradle the other day and received the clamps to mount the cradle on the pushpit. They are very similar to these.