| Wind generators. An increasingly common
sight, these days. To quote Our Steel Boat editor, Chris Price: "You'll see them on oil production platforms, monster yachts, and tiny boats with hardly enough room to stick up a fishing rod, never mind put up a
propeller. The best I've seen was on a catamaran in Essex,
in south-east England. It has a huge airplane propeller on the front of the mast
instead of having sails. Apparently it goes very well to windward with an electric motor driving the
prop".
Well that surprised us as an answer to a question about
wind generators! We hadn't realised there was any other kind apart from
the sort, often seen mounted on yachts, that trickle charges a
battery!
Do you use a wind generator, or even two? Are you satisfied that you are getting value for money or are you
disappointed? Either way, we'd love to hear all about it. Can you share hints and tips with other
readers, on the best way to deploy wind generators and maintain
them?
Anything relevant will be very welcome. We
are considering arming MarineZine's floating office with one or more, to
supply some of the computers and their peripherals with power. Have you
any advice for us? Would you combine wind generators and solar panels for
this purpose or have separate systems? How should we calculate our
requirements? Is there a formula we could use to ensure that we do not end
up underpowered? We'd really appreciate your comments.
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