Thanks for the responses everyone! I figured I’d answer a couple of questions here. I am based out of the
PNW and we would be
living aboard and locally cruising, spending many weeks at a time away from the
dock for the next 5 years. After that time we will begin cruising a wider area. There may be some longer moves involved - like to Virginia where we’d be cruising almost directly there during those 5 years. Neither my wife or I are particularly fond of civilization, and would like to spend extended periods in
remote areas. As long as fuel and
water permit.
We have entire months here where the sun doesn’t shine much. I was planning on around 400 watts of solar. I still have to mock everything up. This is will use all the available space above the
dinghy davits and two 180 degree hinged
panels mounted on the pushpit.
My loads include 3 hydronic
heater fans, pumps and the
heater itself which on paper together should draw 9-12 amps and run at least half the time on no sun days. We also have
Radar,
refrigeration,
freezer,
lighting,
water maker, etc. I would also love to replace the range with
electric if it’s feasible, but if it’s the only difference between
generator or no genset... I’ll toss in a kerosene
stove. (It has
propane, which I rate poorly as a
marine fuel personally, especially in more northern latitudes)
By removing the
propane tanks and locked I’d open up enough room to install a 5kw genset.
The house bank is currently only 200ah lead acid, so they’ll probably be upgraded. The issue is that I am really not sure how well solar will keep up to the loads during the
winter.
I love solar for
refrigeration loads especially where the demand will likely be proportional to the supply. However, when we are running the electrics for
heating the opposite is true, and same with the
Radar unit it currently has. It consumes a lot of
power, and it’s normally cold, overcast and dark when we’d need it. G
The
engine currently has a 105A
alternator on it with integrated controller. This on a
Perkins 4-108. I’d only like to run the engine if we are becalmed. The engine is at least half way through its
service life. I suppose though, as others have pointed out. The methanol
fuel cell is expensive enough I could probably
budget a $8,000 engine replacement (doing all the
work myself) and be ahead $s.
Latitude we
cruise currently is predominately 47-50'N but have planned trips to
Alaska making it as high as the low 60s in latitude. Granted we won’t be making the 60th fall or
winter.
I still need to measure the loads while they are running, although I won’t have too much of an idea of winter time solar production around here until winter.
I am a bit concerned about windage as well, as in the course of normal winter
weather around here can be a bit harsh in terms of
wind and gusts as well. I can’t glass
panels into the decks, they’re
teak. The house has dorades, butterfly hatches, the main sheet traveler and a few other things obstructing the house decking and prohibiting solar there. Though I have put some thought into a semi-rigid
dodger and perhaps could mount flexible panels there.
A
wind generator could be in the cards I suppose but local cruisers have complained to me they don’t
work most of the time and when they do really work they’re outrageously noisy. Perhaps that technology has improved?