Wind Generators - Do All Serious Cruisers Have Them?

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

The only reason a wind generator isn't running in a marina is if it's broken. The owners don't care.

What a thoughtful, well researched comment...

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

What a thoughtful, well researched comment...

I'm not trying to be an ass about it. But in every marina I've been in, the wind generators are howling. Maybe a handful of them are turned off (or are regulated off because of the voltage from the shore power charging, which seems more likely), but easily 3/4 of them are buzzing away.

I don't know how much more thought or research you'd like to me to give on what I've seen. I'm not commenting on the rest of the world or things I don't know, but I can speak to about two dozen marinas along the west coast of the US and Mexico spanning ten years or so.

And hell, if that wasn't the case, why would everyone complain about the noise? No one's complaining about neighbors leaving running lights on. And a green glow coming through the portlights. Some stuff folks turn off, some stuff they don't.

[Jacko]

I cant understand the negatives against wind gens. Yes the boat in a marina as shown in this thread is a nerd and would get a full blast from me and my friends but he is running old tech. the air X was a monster and is now a thing of the past. There are many great wind gens that have very livable noise levels and produce great amps. I am a real cruiser and when out ( winter here in far north Queensland) I will quite often be away for months with out resuply so have big fridge and freezers.
I cant imagine life with out a combination of wind and solar.
It really sets off thunderous laughter on board my boat when at sundowners on the beach we hear a cruiser blasting off about the noisy wind gens then they will go back and start a noisy portable gen set to charge the batteries to last over night.
Have you noticed that the new power ( Read Stink) boats are now being built with all power 110/240 stoves fridge freezer ect and when out have the genset running 24/7 thats a noise that gets to me.
I like to look after my batts ( they cost as much as a wind gen now days) so to get up in the morning and see the monitor on 100% after a hot night I go out and salute the blades up on the mizzen

[noelex 77]

I get almost all my power from solar. Quiet maintenance free.

However wind and solar do compliment each other. When the sun is not shining the wind is often blowing.

There does seem to be much more problems with wind generators. Often they do not stand up trouble free to long term cruising, so if you can manage with solar only it is the more preferable option, but this difficult to do unless you are a cat or large monohull.

Often a wind generator will shadow the solar panels slightly. So take this into account when deciding if the added complication is justified.

Small mono hulls you will need both solar and wind. Cats and large monohulls go with a big solar array, if you have room, and plan to cruise where the sun shines.

[Cheechako]

The nice thing about having a wind gen is when the sun goes away, often the clouds mean a front with wind is coming. So when the sun isnt providing amps, the wind may be. However, having had a big wind gen, I would go with one of the smaller more modern units... as just another tool to be used.

[MarkJ]

These type threads are difficult because those with a wind generator that are happy will claim them to be great. Everyone else thinks they are not to be touched.
I dont like them, hate their noise wafting over an anchorage. The only people who can't hear them are their owners and others with them... a bit like dog owners hanging together exclaiming how cute each others dogs are while they sh!t all over your lawn.

They break every maintenance rule of a cruising sailor: moving parts, moving electrical parts, moving parts in the weather, difficult and dangerous in a storm.

Last weekend was the monthly swap meet and, as usual, there were about 3 or 4 wind generators for sale. No takers. No one ever puts their solar panels up for sale! Wonder why?

They generate a negligable amount of power at sea as most cruiisng routes are downwind. Their performance anchored at night when they are most wanted is much less than people expect when they bought then and read their stats. We dont anchor on the windward side of islands do we?

Finally, as the thread title suggests "Do All Serious Cruisers Have Them?" Sounds like a wind vane thread!
NO most serious cruisers do NOT have wind generators!

To the post from Eric re wind generators in marinas...well my limited experience of marinas covers only the last few months in the USA where I did a bit of marina time. YES! people run their wind generators all the time. The only people who cant hear them are.....




Mark

[RabidRabbit]

I keep my boat at a marina all summer and proudly run my Air X and solar. Why should i pay to plug in when I'm 100% off the grid. I'm way more offended by the confederate flags on boats down south.

[RabidRabbit]

I just looked around the anchorage and allmost everyone has some brand wind gen.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by RabidRabbit

I keep my boat at a marina all summer and proudly run my Air X and solar. Why should i pay to plug in when I'm 100% off the grid. I'm way more offended by the confederate flags on boats down south.

You wake up at night from flags on neighboring boats?!

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by RabidRabbit

I just looked around the anchorage and allmost everyone has some brand wind gen.

Location and numbers please.
I was in the Key West mooring field a few weeks ago when there was some similar thread saying everyone had wind vane steering and I counted about none in the mooring field (2 out of 50 boats or something like thant). I would think theres very few wind generators too.

Mark

[deckofficer]

Originally Posted by RabidRabbit

I keep my boat at a marina all summer and proudly run my Air X and solar. Why should i pay to plug in when I'm 100% off the grid. I'm way more offended by the confederate flags on boats down south.

Does your marina charge you to plug in or do they charge you for electricity used? If the latter, lets say you have a good windy day and your Air X is cranking out an average of 150 watts per hour. You would subject your marina neighbors to that noise for a savings of $0.25 per day?

[zeehag]

i have been benefactrix of wind generated electricity and solar. wind is wonderful when cruising in windy and sunny places--one is able to be an energy hog and enjoy sans guilt.
one is also able to run their navigation lights and electronics while using wind as a generating fuel.
the sounds made by wind generators is far less obnoxious in a tranquil anchorage than is a generator. even honda.
the extra juice is blessed.

gulf of mexico, aka sea of cortez, has wonderful winds to charge with.

i use marinas in summer to try to remain out of the way of named storms, and i do use the electricity , as it is a tad warm here in summer, and humid as hades....i use my air conditioner for the hottest months to wring out the air and lend a slight cool to it--always on lowest settings.
i have yet to notice any major charge for electricity, despite being in marinas that charge as used(metered slips)....

[RabidRabbit]

Nice, tough crowd, I dig that. Soo actually the confederate flags do keep me up at night, stupidity keeps me awake. As to the anchorage, I'm next to fleming where the cruisers anchor. Very high turn over rate, people only stay a week or less and split. I have no idea what goes on in the mooring field, but over here I can count 8 wind gens and thats the boats that actually come and go.

[RabidRabbit]

My marina wants 200 bucks for power, not metered just 200, and A/C or ice makers cost a additional 300. Its vermont where a 4 month season is very possible, they gotta screw you somehow.

[44'cruisingcat]

Zeehag, I disagree. I find our Honda, when we do use it, to be quieter than at least the "Air" branded wind gens. And very few would run their petrol generator all night.

And if it's cloudy and still, the wind gen owners end up running their Hondas anyway.

However there are certainly some very quiet wind gens. The Silentwind and the D400 are very quiet.