Mounting a rigid 100w solar panel on a CP 16

[Chris D]

Hey Everyone,
I have been brainstorming (slightly) on how and where to mount a solar panel on a 16 and have it remain out of the way. One idea was to fabricate a tall stern rail to mount it to, (cause there isn't enough weight back there already),  and then run the wire through the rail to the charge controller in the cabin.  So, I was wondering if any other Compac-o-nauts have waded into these sunny waters?

Chris

[Bilgemaster]

I've got a bimini shade on my Com-Pac 16/III, so I'd flop a nice flexible panel or three up there--the ones with those grommets on the corners, easily secured with bungees.  The sliding companionway hatch cover on the Com-Pac is a little small for the 50 watt panel I have on my Macgregor 26X's hatch, but a smaller one might do, say a 20 watter like this one, which is just 22 inches long and 13½ inches wide. Just bungee it to the corners of the hatch.

I have no plans as yet for solar on my Com-Pac, aside from maybe a little watt-and-a-half battery tender like this one, but if I were going bigger that's how I'd go.  If you're interested in my Macgregor's ultracheapo 50 watt (currently expandable to 100) setup, then you'll find all details with links to purchase the gear over on the Macgregor Sailors Forum here and here.

[Chris D]

I appreciate the input Bilge. Maybe it is not worth the trouble of such a large panel on such a small boat, the flexible panels sound interesting though. Does your bimini fit under your boom? Do you keep it up while you sail? So many questions..... The links are great and in reality a smaller panel would probably do the trick.

[Bilgemaster]

I appreciate the input Bilge. Maybe it is not worth the trouble of such a large panel on such a small boat, the flexible panels sound interesting though. Does your bimini fit under your boom? Do you keep it up while you sail? So many questions..... The links are great and in reality a smaller panel would probably do the trick.

Indeed, both my Com-Pac's and Macgregor's biminis pass well under the mainsail boom, with the Com-Pac's having the added advantage of a sliding track at its base, so it's very much "adjustable"--set forward it folds nicely down around the companionway hatch.  Both would be fine up while sailing, but remember: I'm still a bit of a noob to sailing--I want to see everything going on.  In fact, having only had my Com-Pac "Foundling" back in the drink once since rescuing her from the engulfing vines, as described here, I've not yet even had her bimini unfolded.  As for the Macgregor, I usually break out the bimini when I'm just charging around with her 50 hp Honda...occasionally just rolling out the jib.  What can I say?  she's a "hybrid" power-sailor, and I'm down with that.

As far as your guess that a smaller panel than a 100 watter might do the trick, that would certainly be the case with my spartan Com-Pac.  Even a thirsty old incandescent masthead light draws only about half an Amp per hour, with similar draws for the bow and stern navigation lights.  Running, say, 10 hours, that would still be only 15 Amps total. Add to that a couple-few hours of the interior cabin light and maybe a marine radio or stereo (though this little battery-powered Baofeng handheld does the audio entertainment and communications job for me), and you're still likely to handily get away during a longish cruise with just a 40 or 50 watt panel with plenty of juice to spare, even using a little 2-stroke fussbucket outboard like mine with no alternator.

Of course, your wattage needs may vary.  For all I know your Com-Pac 16 may boast amenities such as an icemaker, a Slurpee machine and Margarita mixer or an on-board jacuzzi.  Reckoning wattage needs is a popular topic with longterm cruisers, but a quick and handy guide to the matter is found at http://www.sailboat-cruising.com/boat-electrics.html.

[Chris D]

You crack me up! My kids would would probably sail more if I had a Slurpee machine and a jacuzzi. Do you or anyone on here know how to give Karma?

[Tim Gardner]

Chris, One cannot give Karma until one has made 50 posts.  Keep posting!
TG
PS, Have you made it out to SML yet? Oh, you might want to change your moniker to "swvcd"

[Bilgemaster]

Do you or anyone on here know how to give Karma?

Like Tim says, that superpower just appears one day, but for now you get a little Karma bump just for asking.

[Chris D]

Thanks Tim, I figured I would just change it to my name, seemed easier that way and no, I haven't been out yet, but I have noticed the wind has been mighty present recently. I need to get my boat down here... that would help. A lot. And Thanks for the bump Bilge. One can always use more good karma. Beating to 50!

[tmw]

I've been curious about this, as I'm personally interested in the electric motor route, although the "good" batteries (e.g. lightweight Li Ion) are crazy expensive in sizes that compare to SLA.  However, I'm sure that will change with time, as Tesla and their battery company and electric cars become more mainstream.

I'd thought about a panel as like a mini-bimini, which has the challenges of the low clearance to avoid the boom, potentially making it challenging to to stow the mast horizontally at the same level when not in the water.  The benefit is a bimini, and shade.

The other option is off the stern, aft of the mainsheet rigging.  The drawback is more weight aft (although the panel itself is less than 20 pounds) and being so far from the batteries up front.  Good news is the electric trolling motor is lighter than the gas alternative.

The foredeck seems pretty crowded to put in a solar panel the size of 100 watts, and I wouldn't want something on which the jib could snag.

I'm curious what happens with your quest.  My back-of-envelope estimate is a 100 watt system could generate (in theory, divide by 12 volts for amps, multiply by 12 hours of sunlight in a day) 100 Ah of electricity per day, more realistically around 50 Ah, which helps determine appropriate battery sizing and demand.  For my little motor, that's less than 2 hours fully open.

[Chris D]

TMW, I love the idea of a full solar bimini. What would be better than that other than full solar sails! Think of the possibilities. I suppose one drawback would be that the shadow of the boom would lower the panel's voltage to the most shaded cell in the panel, if not an entire row. And the last thing my 16 needs is more weight aft. But maybe switch out the Tohatsu for the electric trolling motor....