Hydrogenerators

[Sevi]

Hey all-

I am studying the available hydro generators and am considering the Watt&Sea as well as the one by Duogen. Can anyone share their experience to help me choose?

Thank you.

[Stumble]

I can't make a specific model recommendation. But I am hesitantly to recommend hydrogens at all. The cut in speed on them is usually at or above the average speed of many cruisers, making them frustratingly almost useful. On a fast cruising boat they are awsome.

[Bleemus]

Watt and Sea is popular with the Vendee Globe crowd but be aware that under 5 knots they are pretty useless.

[Emerald Sea]

You can search this forum for data/performance on and about the W&S.

We purchased ours in January for passage support and while there are many factors that influence its performance, we found it very effective for maintaining our batteries during the night passages (we have solar, no wind gens).

There is NO appreciable reduction in boat speed as mentioned above.

We've spent a lot of time with a cruiser friend that has a Duogen and he's reported that its better as a wind gen than a hydro gen. He's had some issues with it in the water. It wasn't encouraging. Do you research on this type.