| The debate between wind generators, towed | | | | purchase are even more efficient. |
| generators, solar power and the so called 'gensets' | | | | The average yacht these days is more often than not |
| has been raging for years. | | | | fitted out with a wide range of electrical equipment to |
| The fact is that in these days with all of the | | | | help make navigation simpler, safer and more |
| environmental issues surrounding us, installing a genset | | | | enjoyable for the skipper and crews onboard. These |
| is just a non issue. A combination of air, solar and | | | | all take a drain on the ships batteries and that power |
| water power generation is the only solution for most | | | | needs to be replaced as efficiently and quickly as |
| cruising sailboats. By most, we are referring to yachts | | | | possible. |
| up to 50ft. approximately which would comprise 90% | | | | Anyone who owns a yacht already owns a large |
| of cruisers sailing our oceans. | | | | wind energy generator, and that is the yacht itself. The |
| All these options draw their energy from the natural | | | | average wind turbine suitable for mounting on a yacht |
| elements we are passing through whilst sailing - with a | | | | may span 7 - 10 square feet of air stream, whereas |
| nil carbon footprint. They take up little room (excepting | | | | the sail of a typical cruising yacht will of course |
| solar panels) and are silent - perfect! Stack this up | | | | intercept an area far greater than this. |
| against the diesel generator which is noisy, requires a | | | | As a result an easy and efficient way to maximize |
| lot of inboard space, uses diesel fuel, needs constant | | | | power generation for your battery whilst cruising is by |
| attention (servicing), and with a poor power output - | | | | drawing energy from the yacht's movement through |
| you do not want a diesel generator running all day! I | | | | the water rather than directly from the wind. |
| personally used a combination of a wind generator and | | | | This is where a towed generator comes into its own. |
| a water towed generator. The wind generator is fine | | | | Many yachtsmen consider towed water generators |
| when sailing to windward, but output drops off a lot | | | | too much trouble, but this is an efficient way to get a |
| when sailing downwind. So the back up was a towed | | | | lot of energy out of the wind, particularly when on long |
| generator which produced 9 - 11 amps constantly | | | | passages. |
| when sailing downwind at 8 - 9 knots. | | | | Originally these towed generators were designed just |
| This pumped enough power into the batteries so that | | | | for towing but since the first were developed things |
| would run all the boats' power needs effortlessly, | | | | have changed and there are all sorts of varieties |
| including the refrigerator and water maker, which | | | | available to choose from to suit your needs. The most |
| enabled us to arrive at every port with full water tanks. | | | | modern designs can be used as a towed generator |
| I ran (towed) it during the day, retrieving it onboard | | | | whilst sailing and can then be adapted to work as a |
| again at sunset | | | | wind generator when anchored and stationary. |
| Technology has moved on and the units you can now | | | | |