Solar Panel at the Rear Mast Carrier

[kurz]

Hello
Did anyone already put some solar cells on the Rear Mast Carrier?

I guess it would not disturb and you could easily put up to 80watts.

But bevore I will install I am interested in your experiance.
If somebody hast done already - do you have photos?

Thanks from Switzerland...

[Ixneigh]

Yea it works great. Resist getting too large a panel. 80 watts max.
Assembly bounces a bit plowing into chop.

Ixneigh

[Boblee]

This picture shows how I did ours by making a new higher and stronger multi purpose arch assembly for 2x65w but you could just put a brace off the existing arch, although you would probably need to remove the panels when trailering due to stability especially for long journeys.

[Divecoz]

My big concern is appearance...
IMHO this project could end up looking like some kids nissan with a cheap, look-a-like , Nascar Wing..Toggle Bolted or Deck Screwed to the trunk lid..
This needs to look Neat, Clean and Optically Non obtrusive/unseen.. no kids swing sets hanging off the back of a sailboat.. Just because its S.S. doesnt mean it looks cool..

[Oskar 26M]

Not on the mast carrier arch, but nearby. http://www.macgregorsailors.com/modt/in ... ?view=1425

[Boblee]

Yeah looks pretty strong oskar surprised at the weight using stainless and thats why I used Alum but I suppose by using the solar panels as cross bracing it would firm it up and you wouldn't need the extra material, wouldn't hold my dinghy though as it's about 250 kg +.

[Mac26Mpaul]

Kurz,
A lot of guys have done it, and more than 80 watts - start working your way through the mods section to find photos of how its been done. I have a 120 watt panel that I am going to fit. Will simply be two pieces of stainless tube bolted or welded to the mast carrier to hold the panel, and to give the mast carrier of heap more strength, I will then use stainless bimini fittings and 1 inch stainless tube to make a brace from each side that goes from the mast cariier to the last lifeline stauntions.

Where are ya Dave (Trip01)?? He was in the middle of installing panels last time I talked to him. Looked like it was going to work well the way he was doing it.

[Oskar 26M]

Boblee
My dinghy only weighs about 32 kg. The stainless davits did not weigh all that much - about 4kg each. The strength comes from the double cross-braced tubes and the SS wire braces which also help distribute the load. Although the davits, panels and dinghy have had no problems at sea, or from high winds in my mast-up storage area, I don't think I'd like to leave them in place when towing on outback roads.

I saw the forces generated by passing road-trains and from bouncing over rough roads on my Shark Bay trip when I had the panels arranged as "bat wings" on SS rods between the cabin stanchions http://www.macgregorsailors.com/forum/v ... 15#p164489. Quite scary at times!

I think your aluminium set-up would be much better for towing long distances on rough roads.

[Boblee]

Yeah that looks great Oskar only thing I would do would perhaps be to bolt the two sides together at the rear for stability, great being able to turn them sideways providing the boat isn't dancing around of course, our arch is fairly multi purpose as a carrier for the aerials and gps receiver, horn, rear light, boat hook, handhold, extended and extendable mast support but now remove solar panels when travelling long distances at least .
LOL the road trains talking to a barman in central QLD about Mexicans (Vics) and their attitude and he said "ah the road trains usually quiten them down a bit by the time they get here" they amaze me at the bottom of QLD they are on a goat track wide enough for one vehicle and they see a road train coming with the rear trailer swaying up to 3' under normal conditions and they TRY to stick to the middle of the road trying not to get their caravan dirty?????
How they think those rigs are going to get off the road for them defies belief.
We got a windscreen broken pulled up 25 M off the Barkley Highway (one vehicle wide bit of broken and very potholed bitumen, or corrugated dirt) when one went past and think thats how I lost two solar panels when I didn't get off far enough for one and forgot to put the retaining pin though but it was 500 k's of terrible roads so wasn't going back to check thats for sure.

[curtiss]

You might want to look at a mod that I posted 2009-12-02. I have a 135 watt panel that I mounted on my arch. I leave it up while towing as I use my panel to power my fridge and lights. I use my Mac as a RV trailer while on land. I made a removeable extension to mount the panel so I can raise my mast while in the water and put my panel back up for use when cruising. I towed it for over 7000 miles with the panel in position including a trip down to Baja California with no problems. Just keep checking that all nuts and bollts are tight. If you look at my pictures you will see that I put on two removeable stiffining struts to connect the front of the panel to some added ss railing.

I take the struts off when cruising so I can tilt the panel to get the best angle to the sun. I have gotten as much as 9 amps on a sunny day. Keeps my beer cold and lights going.

Fair winds

Curtiss on La Vida