| Having power while on the hook is an absolute must | | | | I know there are a lot of pre-packaged marine solar |
| for my cruising family. Power is essential for hot water, | | | | panel kits on-line or at the marine store but, do you |
| keeping the refrigerator cold, and keeping the | | | | really want to spend $700 or more for a single panel |
| electronics working. Marine solar panels coupled with | | | | kit? I don't know about you but I could use the $$ for |
| batteries, and a power inverter quietly provides | | | | other projects on my boat. |
| electricity for all these power needs. | | | | With a couple of free weekends you can build the |
| Sure you can run the engine(s) or use an onboard | | | | panels and install a custom system for your boat. As a |
| portable genny for your power needs but at what | | | | matter of fact if you think about it, customization is |
| cost? I imagine that for some of you the solitude of | | | | generally needed even for an off-the-shelf kit. |
| being on a remote anchor is one of the main reasons | | | | Look, it is pretty simple; you can spend $4000 plus for |
| that you boat. Let's face facts: even a quiet genny can | | | | an onboard generator, $1000 for a portable generator, |
| defeat that purpose because you know as well as I | | | | or the wear and tear of running your engines (not to |
| do it will get a little loud if under load. | | | | mention the glares from your "anchor neighbors") for all |
| The neat thing is that if you are in any way | | | | your power needs while on the hook or for less than |
| mechanically competent, you can build marine solar | | | | $200 a panel you can have an efficient and quiet |
| panels yourself; and chances are if you own a boat | | | | marine solar panel system that manufactures free |
| you are probably beyond the minimally competent | | | | electricity. Make sense? |
| threshold mechanically. | | | | |