I'm starting to look into
solar panels for my
boat, and looking for some
advice. I have a large, flat hard-top
bimini that seems like excellent real-estate on which to place a new
solar array, but I do have some concerns. First off, the boom sweeps fairly low across the
bimini, so I need fairly slim
panels so that the boom does not catch. Also thinking I might need a rail along the back to ensure that the boom never gets low enough to connect with the
panels. I also need to be able to occasionally stand on the bimini when hoisting the main or reefing.
Are there any low-profile panels that you can also stand/walk on without damaging them? I've looked online and it seems that most panels stand 1.5"-2" off their mounting surface, which is pretty high for my needs.
Here's a picture of my
boat that shows the bimini - as you can see it's hard, flat and large - ideal for
solar panels if I can resolve the issues with the boom...
Regards,
David