Wind Power

Our solar panels have been energizing our house batteries well since we installed them last fall. Bright sunny days are routine here and solar is perfect for our daytime needs.  But many a night we’ve listened to strong breezes pulse through the rigging and decided to augment our solar system with a wind generator.  If a cruiser needs any substantial work done on his boat, St. Martin is the best place location because of its many well-stocked chandleries, excellent machine shops, haul-out yards, mechanics, and duty free pricing.

We learned that for the size of our solar panels plus the expected wind power, our house battery bank was undersized.  Getting the set to Exit Strategy was not difficult task.  Lifting the batteries out of the dinghy and into the boat was.  Those little battery lifting straps are handy enough, but they’re not designed to counter balance when the handler is being rocked about by rough currents.  When I saw how hard it was for Capt. Dan to get the first battery safely onto the boat, I suggested, “Should I get a duffle bag for you to put them in?”  The Captain’s response was heatedly negative.  The very next battery slipped off the lifting strap and down about nine feet to the bottom of the bay.  *@#^%! (The Captain’s American-French continued.)  Then he quickly donned his mask and fins to search for his lost treasure, as the current was making ES dance about on her anchor.  Finally surfacing he demanded, “Get me the bag and a rope!”  The rest of the batteries were transferred onto the boat without incident safely within the duffle, dried meticulously, and expertly installed by the ever masterful handyman Dan.