Setting sail sooner than expected

[Ex-Calif]

Congratulations and well done. I love your photo gallery. She is certainly a beautiful boat.

[imagine2frolic]

Can you share with us how she handled, weather encountered, and avg speeds in what conditions? Are you chartering the boat around the world?.....i2f

[Southern Star]

Congrats Andreas! Any reason you are making the passage to Grenada and back up to the VI's so quickly?

Brad

[Southern Star]

PS Andreas, I see that you are using an Air Breeze wind generator - how has it performed (and in particular, how bad is the noise in higher winds)?

Brad

[Stella Polaris]

Originally Posted by Southern Star

Congrats Andreas! Any reason you are making the passage to Grenada and back up to the VI's so quickly?

Hi Brad,

I have charter guests with me. 10 days from Martinique to Grenada and then 10 days with a new couple for the return trip. I have to pay off this boat somehow...

Originally Posted by Southern Star

I see that you are using an Air Breeze wind generator - how has it performed (and in particular, how bad is the noise in higher winds)?

First noise: Not really a problem, because when there's lot's of wind, the wind tends to make a lot of noise too. I can also turn it off and then it's quiet, only spinning occasionally.
Performance wise: Crap. I've been using it since I bought the boat and in less than 16 knots of winds I get a negligible output from it. It needs winds of 20+ knots to give me anything and even then it's never more than 10amp hours per hour.
I'm waiting for a reply from them, because it really should generate more, so we'll see if I can tweak it.

[Stella Polaris]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

Congratulations and well done. I love your photo gallery. She is certainly a beautiful boat.

Thank you. I really think so too, but who doesn't love their baby?

[Stella Polaris]

Originally Posted by imagine2frolic

Can you share with us how she handled, weather encountered, and avg speeds in what conditions? Are you chartering the boat around the world?.....i2f

If you read through my blog entry on the crossing you'll find all of that information, plus more. Go to my website and go to my blog from there.

[Southern Star]

Andreas, good to hear that you have already booked some decent charter parties - you really are moving forward with your plans at an astonishing rate! And thanks for the review of the Air Breeze - it has caused me to reconsider purchasing one. As you are no doubt aware, the 'raison d' etre' of this unit, apart from reduced noise, was supposed to be its enhanced performance at lower wind speeds - and based upon your experience, it seems that they have missed the mark by more than few nautical miles!

Brad

[Stella Polaris]

Originally Posted by Southern Star

As you are no doubt aware, the 'raison d' etre' of this unit, apart from reduced noise, was supposed to be its enhanced performance at lower wind speeds - and based upon your experience, it seems that they have missed the mark by more than few nautical miles!

You bet. Right now I'm tempted to saw it off, to offer it to Neptune. I'll let you know if they (Southwest Windpower) are able to offer me advice and it miraculously starts performing. After sailing 5000nm with it ... I doubt it, but I've been wrong many times before.