How high should solar panels be mounted off the back for offshore cruising

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by secrabtree

I sailed around the Sea of Cortez between 2005 and 2009 and I didn't want to burn rotten dinosaurs or put up with the noise to recharge my batteries. I sailed up to San Diego and had a bimini frame built. Then I installed four solar panels as the bimini cover. Between those and two on the dodger I had 420 rated watts, easily enough to operate everything on my Cal 39. 12 volt refrigeration. 200 GPD watermaker. Radar. Laptop computer and plotting software. And more. It's high enough to be out of the way of any shade (except the mast) and both high enough and inboard enough to any reasonable seaway. My experience in the large following waves heading to Hawaii isd that the ass end of the boat lifts up at what seems to be the last moment before getting pooped. Solar panels at that height, but on davits aft of the boat, would not have been high enough.

Good grief... is dat you, Sam???

Fancy meeting you here after all these years!

Jim Cate, ex Kookaburra (Catalina 22), Dominique ((Yankee 30) and Insatiable (PJ Standfast 36).

[secrabtree]

Jim - Yes it IS me. And I have been "following" your escapades. Enjoyably. Keep having fun.
Those days in the Catalina 22 racing against you were great days. I look back on them very fondly, but at 80 I no longer feel as capable as I once was.
Before we left for Mexico in 2005 I "sold" my Catalina 22 to my son. He still has it in his yard in Clovis. And he keeps it in better shape than I ever did. And, when he has time, he sails it better than I ever did.

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by secrabtree

Jim - Yes it IS me. And I have been "following" your escapades. Enjoyably. Keep having fun.
Those days in the Catalina 22 racing against you were great days. I look back on them very fondly, but at 80 I no longer feel as capable as I once was.
Before we left for Mexico in 2005 I "sold" my Catalina 22 to my son. He still has it in his yard in Clovis. And he keeps it in better shape than I ever did. And, when he has time, he sails it better than I ever did.

Well, I'll be... welcome to the halls of CF, Sam. And yes, I too look back on those days fondly. I learned a lot from that boat and had a hell of a lot of fun in her.

I'm a mere 77 now, so will try to be respectful to you, but old habits die hard!! Looking forward to some exchanges of ideas. I take it that you still have Catch the Wind; that's loyalty in spades, and good onya, mate.

Cheers for now,

Jim, using Ann's computer, lying in Iluka on the Clarence River, NSW