Self-Sufficiency In Power

by Colin September 1, 2008
A Superwind wind generator and solar panels on an OVNI 435 aluminum sailboat.

When we were planning our new boat, one of the first aspects we discussed was our preferences for power generation, and our desire to have as much “free” energy input as possible. There were three reasons for this: our desire to avoid the complexity of a diesel generator; our own commitment to renewable power after [...]

Electrical Systems And Aluminum Boats

by Colin November 1, 2008
Electronic panels on an OVNI 435 aluminum sailboat.

All of the yachts I have sailed over the last 20 years have been simple boats with fairly minimal electrical equipment. Not one of them (even up to 80ft) had an autopilot—sail training vessels often don’t, as they are set up to be sailed “handraulically” as we say over here.

Peace At Last?

by Colin May 3, 2010
Superwind

Readers of my previous post on the subject will be aware that we try to generate as much power as possible via renewable resources – wind and solar. This is driven by a desire to keep the boat as simple as possible, and to avoid the need to run our engine at rest for charging [...]