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Sails Built with Integral Solar Panels
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dlandersson
- Admiral
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- Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
- Location: Michigan City
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mastreb
- Admiral
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- Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
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Re: Sails Built with Integral Solar Panels
Yeah. I fail to see why going to all the expense and hassle and weight aloft of integrating cells into the sails makes any sense compared to a solar bimini, which could do a kilowatt using far more traditional materials, lower aloft weight, and essentially zero disadvantages.
If the sail material itself was generating the power, that would be one thing. But these are just flexible cells sewn into sailcloth, which creates a number of disadvantages that a hard bimini abaft the boom doesn't have.
If the sail material itself was generating the power, that would be one thing. But these are just flexible cells sewn into sailcloth, which creates a number of disadvantages that a hard bimini abaft the boom doesn't have.
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Paulieb
- Engineer
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- Location: New Windsor, NY * Airbender 2002 Mac26X, Honda 50 *
Re: Sails Built with Integral Solar Panels
Yeah. Totally agreed, this is totally unnecessary. This is the combo DVD/VCR of sailing. If the solar panels fail, do you get new sails, if the sails tear you need alternate charge source. Not to mention - no sailing, no charging. I prefer to let the sun charge my batteries when I'm not sailing, because I would rather pay attention to sailing while I'm sailing.
I've been bitten by too many combo devices in the past, never again...
Pailieb
I've been bitten by too many combo devices in the past, never again...
Pailieb
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dlandersson
- Admiral
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- Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
- Location: Michigan City
Re: Sails Built with Integral Solar Panels
Hmmm...I have a combo DVD/VCR 
Paulieb wrote:Yeah. Totally agreed, this is totally unnecessary. This is the combo DVD/VCR of sailing. If the solar panels fail, do you get new sails, if the sails tear you need alternate charge source. Not to mention - no sailing, no charging. I prefer to let the sun charge my batteries when I'm not sailing, because I would rather pay attention to sailing while I'm sailing.
I've been bitten by too many combo devices in the past, never again...
Pailieb
Re: Sails Built with Integral Solar Panels
No one will watch VHS in 10 years...
(or now)***
(or now)***
Last edited by Jonair222 on Sun Jan 03, 2016 1:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Sails Built with Integral Solar Panels
And DVD will become a dino (or already is****)
Prepare for modern energy storage
Prepare for modern energy storage
Last edited by Jonair222 on Sun Jan 03, 2016 1:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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dlandersson
- Admiral
- Posts: 4931
- Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2010 10:00 am
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
- Location: Michigan City
Re: Sails Built with Integral Solar Panels
On a more relevant note, while sails with solar panels may not take off, it's a pretty slick 2 fur 1 idea. The sail needs to be there for the wind to push against anyway, and the square footage loses nothing by being also used to collect solar energy. Like the combo printer/scanner/fax units that are everywhere. I'll' be the first to admit that it could be better. And you know? It WILL get better.