Arch for solar panel. Bolted to the hull or attached to the balcony?

[mferon]

Hi,
I am planning on adding an arch for solar panels/wind generator on my Oceanis 40 (2008). There are two main designs for arches: bolted to the hull (usually 40mm tubes) or attached to the balcony (usually around 30mm tubes). My preference goes to the bolted design as it seems stronger to support the solar panels and wind generator (and various antennas). However, I already have davits installed so wouldn't it be an overkill to go for bolted as it is much more expensive exercise?
Thank you for sharing your view on this.

[robert sailor]

I have no idea what a balcony is on a sailboat but maybe you meant bimini ...your better off bolting it to the hull but your right it is more expensive...

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by robert sailor

I have no idea what a balcony is on a sailboat but maybe you meant bimini ...your better off bolting it to the hull but your right it is more expensive...

+1. Also not sure what the balcony is, but it also depends on how much solar you’re talking about adding

[mferon]

Hi again,
By balcony I meant pushpit.
Thank you

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, mferon.

[Boatguy30]

100% to the hull.

Or remove pushpit and have one unit made with nice seats, etc and railing/lifelines.

Cheers

[Suijin]

If you mount it to the pushpit you're going to almost certainly have to reinforce it with legs fore and aft as well as perhaps some diagonal struts to stiffen the whole assembly laterally. It will be significantly cheaper to fabricate than a new arch, but at the expense of strength, clutter, and aesthetics.

Another option, depending on the design of your davits, is to mount a solar panel frame across the top of them and then a separate pole for the wind generator. I'd call that the "middle ground" solution if it would work.

[dave777]

Photos would help a lot. One or two of the boat, and maybe some of the size arch & equipment you want installed.

Another question, does one location offer much better route for running the solar power wires?

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by Boatguy30

100% to the hull.

Or remove pushpit and have one unit made with nice seats, etc and railing/lifelines.

Cheers

+1 Not only will it support your solar, etc, but you can install some great "hunter" seats as well...best seats in the house! Build it as solid as possible...the next owner will thank you.

[Quadrille in JB]

Mounting to the hull is definitely stronger. My idea was to mount to the hull and brace to the pushpit but my welder/fabricator suggested removing the pushpit and replacing it all with 50mm aluminum tubing.
This came out a lot stronger and much more aesthetically pleasing. As you can see from the attached pic, it provides mounts for 2-360watt Sunpower PV panels, a weather station, radar, and Sirius weather antenna. It also serves as davits for both the dingy and outboard motor. There would be no problem attaching a wind generator to it. All wiring is routed inside the tubing.
I don’t know where you’re located, but Joe Pesch of Riverside Marina in Ft Pierce, Fl built mine for about $3k, around 50% of the cost of other quotes I received.

[David B]

Originally Posted by mferon

Hi,
I am planning on adding an arch for solar panels/wind generator on my Oceanis 40 (2008). There are two main designs for arches: bolted to the hull (usually 40mm tubes) or attached to the balcony (usually around 30mm tubes). My preference goes to the bolted design as it seems stronger to support the solar panels and wind generator (and various antennas). However, I already have davits installed so wouldn't it be an overkill to go for bolted as it is much more expensive exercise?
Thank you for sharing your view on this.

Both. Rather than have something that looks bolted on, we integrated ours with the pushpit. Essentially the arch replaces two of the pushpit stanchions, so your pushpit becomes much stronger, and aesthetically, it looks like it came out of the factory that way (well that's what we feel, and going by the comments we get, there is no disagreement).

Here are some photos of our installation on our Oceanis 50.

I hope that helps with your considerations. Note also that we have as well as solar, davits, WiFi, 4G and Navtex mounted on the arch

[robert sailor]

Originally Posted by Quadrille in JB

Mounting to the hull is definitely stronger. My idea was to mount to the hull and brace to the pushpit but my welder/fabricator suggested removing the pushpit and replacing it all with 50mm aluminum tubing.
This came out a lot stronger and much more aesthetically pleasing. As you can see from the attached pic, it provides mounts for 2-360watt Sunpower PV panels, a weather station, radar, and Sirius weather antenna. It also serves as davits for both the dingy and outboard motor. There would be no problem attaching a wind generator to it. All wiring is routed inside the tubing.
I don’t know where you’re located, but Joe Pesch of Riverside Marina in Ft Pierce, Fl built mine for about $3k, around 50% of the cost of other quotes I received.

Attractive enough for sure but everything you install above the panels has the ability to shade them, sort of the 2nd best idea in my opinion.

[daletournier]

Have you thought anodized aluminium? Atlantic arches make a nice product.

[mferon]

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and photos.
bolted seems to be the answer, and integrating the arch with the pushpit could be a good option. I now need to find a place near Port Leucate in France where I can find a good arch "maker".

[David B]

Originally Posted by mferon

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and photos.
bolted seems to be the answer, and integrating the arch with the pushpit could be a good option. I now need to find a place near Port Leucate in France where I can find a good arch "maker".

OK, so we were receiving quotes in France for EUR8-9000. Ours was made in Port Yasmine for a little over EUR2000. It is an overnight sail from where you are. Might be worth the trip (nice people too). This time of the year, you could probably get it made in around two weeks. Typically, they come and measure, return a few days later with the rough bends done. Do some more bending on-site, then tack-weld everything up, and take away to complete and polish. A week later they arrive, and spend most of the day welding into the pushpit, polishing the joints etc.

Final job for us was 95% to my satisfaction (and I doubt it would have been 100% anywhere else either - quite particular as to how things are done).

Wherever you get it done, we look forward to updates and photos.

Good luck,

David