Off Grid & Off Shore by Derek Young
photos by Roger Webb
Some say home is where you
hang your hat. Michael and
Joanne Young say home is where
you hang your PV modulesand
your wind genny. As they have
found, you can travel and have all
the comforts of home by bringing
along your own power company.
30 home power 125 / june & july 2008
sustainable sailing
hen Mike Young imagined his dream home, his
fantasy included one mast, two sails, a wind turbine,
and a solar-electric system. I pictured my wife and
myself on a sailboat surrounded by blue water. I saw us
enjoying sunrises and sunsets day after day, breathing in the
salt air while listening to the ocean and watching the sails fill
with wind, says Mike, a native of Springfield, Vermont. I
saw us living independently.
Fed up with Vermonts cold, dark winters, Mike fell in
love with the idea of escaping to the warm, sunny Caribbean
for part of the year. An avid sailor who spent many years
sailing on Lake Champlain and crewing on friends boats, he
had the know-how to pull it off. All he needed was an ocean-
worthy vessel and a good first mate. When he first told me
the idea, I thought he was crazy, says Joanne, his wife of
40 years. But he was serious.
The couple bought Oriona 37-foot sloopand
upgraded its navigational, steering, and safety systems
for ocean cruising. They sold the familys retail propane
business and embraced the idea of early retirement at age
52. In 2000, Mike and Joanne made their maiden voyage to
the Caribbean islands. From Shelburne, Vermont, they took
Orion south to the Hudson River, which brought them to
New York City. From there, they followed the coast south A noisy diesel engine used to spoil the ambiance at dinnertime.
With their RE systems in place, Joanne and Mike now
to Virginia, where they departed on the 11-day voyage to enjoy quiet evenings.
Virgin Gorda.
Testing the Waters day needslighting, refrigeration, and hot water, and for
The first trip gave newbie cruisers Mike and Joanne the small household appliances, the navigation equipment, and
chance to get a feel for their energy needs. They left home communication radios.
with a diesel engine set up to charge a 12-volt, 366 amp-hour Running the engine a few hours each day to recharge the
battery bank that powered the boats electrical loads. Though battery bank burns about 1 gallon of diesel fuelonly about
the engine worked well for cruising when winds were low 90 cents on the islandsso it wasnt the expense that bothered
and produced more than enough energy for battery-charging, Mike and Joanne. It was the fumes and the noise. A diesel
it was less than ideal for generating energy for their day-to- engine likes to be run hard and hot, preferably over long periods
Above: The inverters remote monitor.
Left: Captain Mike with the Orions RE-
powered navigation and communication
gear.
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sustainable sailing
The battery monitor, conveniently located
next to the other electric controls.
Sustainability at Sea
For cruisers, who generally sail in areas where the sun and
wind are abundant, combining solar and wind power is a no-
brainerespecially when the alternative is burning diesel fuel
to charge batteries. When you use the power of the wind to
move your home, Mike says, you feel good. And when you
can power the rest of your needs with renewable energy, it
completes the picture.
In 2003, after talking with fellow cruisers and observing
different wind turbines at work, Mike purchased a wind
turbine manufactured by Kiss Energy Systems (KES) in
Chaguaramas, Trinidad. Designed for marine conditions,
the KISS (Keep It Simple Sailor) turbine is durable yet quiet
enough for the confined quarters of a sailboat. Elliptical blade
ends minimize tip noise, while a 9-foot tower mounted to the
stern provides plenty of headroomnearly 7 feet.
Mike and Joanne saved on labor costs by installing the
Mike and Joannes two-module PV system turbine themselves. Instead of using the mast mount kit
and wind generator have significantly reduced offered by KES, they fashioned a mount from stainless-steel
their reliance on the boats diesel generator. pipewhich cut costs some but added hours to the project.
Measuring, cutting, and fitting the turbine mount took
several days. What made the installation more difficult was
that we did it at anchor. It would have been much easier if the
with a heavy load. But when its used as a generator only, the boat was on land or docked, but we managed, Mike says.
engine doesnt operate at its optimal temperature and burns Three blades make up the 58-inch-diameter rotor.
inefficiently, producing more pollution per energy output. The aerodynamic fiberglass two-piece housing is hand-
To add insult to injury, the warm Caribbean temperatures molded in KESs Chaguaramas shop, as are the blades.
doubled the energy requirements of the refrigerator and The manufacturing of the three-phase, permanent-magnet
freezertwo of the largest and most critical demands on the alternator is subcontracted to local fabricators. The alternators
batteries. Because they wanted to avoid paying for electric three-phase AC output is, in turn, converted to DC for battery
hookups at marinas, Mike and Joanne found that they needed charging. In typical 15-knot (17.3 mph) winds, the turbine
to run the engine at least twice a dayabout an hour during can produce up to 7.5 amps for the 12-volt nominal battery
the day and an hour at nightto charge the batteries and bank. If batteries are full, the wind genny can freewheel or an
meet their electrical loads. electrical brake can minimize the rotation in winds up to 30
Have you ever heard or smelled a diesel engine? Mike knots (34.5 mph). Stronger winds require the freewheel mode,
says. There was no room in my sailing fantasy for a smoky, and a thermal switch reduces the output and prevents the
noisy diesel engine and all its pollution. The engine ruined alternator from overheating.
one too many cocktail hours on the deck. I looked around and Because the turbine does not include additional regulation
saw other boats with solar modules and wind turbines, and other than the thermal switch, manually furling the turbine
knew what I had to do. is necessary to prevent excessive battery voltages. Mike does
32 home power 125 / june & july 2008
sustainable sailing
Young Off-Grid PV & Wind System
Photovoltaic Array:
Two, Shell SQ80,
80 W each at 17.5 Vmp,
wired for 160 W total
at 17.5 Vmp Wind Turbine:
KISS, 58-in. rotor diameter,
7.5 A at 12 VDC at 15 knots (17.3 mph)
Charge Controller:
Morningstar SunSaver, 10 A
DC Array
Disconnect: AC Load Panel:
Inverter/Charger:
15 A To 120 VAC loads,
Xantrex Freedom Marine 10,
breakers automatic
1,000 W, 12 VDC input,
neutral/ground
120 VAC mod. square-wave output
DC Battery Bank: bond internal to
Load 12 VDC, xantrex inverter
Panel 366 AH total
Battery/Inverter AC IN AC OUT
H N G H N G
Overcurrent
Protection:
200 A, class T fuse
To
Generator
or Shore Power
Note: All numbers are rated, manufacturers specifications, or nominal unless otherwise specified.
PV & Wind Systems Tech Specs
Overview Rated energy output: 7.5 A, 12 VDC nominal, at 15 knots
(17.3 mph)
System type: Battery-based solar- and wind-electric
Rated peak power output: 25 A at 12 VDC nominal
Location: New England to Trinidad
Mount: Home-built stainless-steel pipe, rubber-mounted on
Solar and wind resource: Varies with location
the stern
Photovoltaics Energy Storage
Modules: 2 Shell SQ80, 80 W STC, 17.5 Vmp
Batteries: Two Deka 8G4DM, 12 VDC nominal, 183 AH,
Array: Two modules in parallel, 160 W STC total, 17.5 Vmp sealed gel
Array installation: Self-fabricated flush mounts made from Battery bank: 12 VDC nominal, 366 AH total
stainless-steel tubing, installed horizontally over the boats
cockpit
Balance of System
Orientation: Varies with the movement of the boat
Charge controller: Morningstar SunSaver, 10 A
Inverter: Xantrex Freedom Marine 10, 1,000 W, 12 VDC
Wind Turbine nominal input, 120 VAC modified square-wave output
Turbine: KISS (Keep it Simple Sailor)
Battery capacity metering: CDM Systems BT2000
Rotor diameter: 58 in.
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sustainable sailing
Because the position of the boat is always changing and
shadows are inevitable, the placement of the modules is not
critical to the systems overall performance. On a boat, its
usually a matter of finding free space where the modules
are out of the way and wont get damaged, says Mike, who
chose not to tilt the modules, and instead, flush-mounted
them to the bimini frame. I probably could have gotten
slightly better performance if Id made the mount adjustable,
but the sun is so strong and the days are so long here that the
slight gain didnt seem all that important.
Off-Grid Self Sufficiency
When traveling in remote places, you are forced to become
a jack of all tradesan electrician, plumber, diesel mechanic,
and handyman, all in one, Mike says. My best defense is to
be prepared for anything. Ive done my research, and I can
handle most repairs that arise. So far, so good.
Mindful of the elements, Mike took extra care when
wiring both the wind- and solar-electric systemstwisting,
taping, and heat-shrinking all connections. The salt air can
be brutal on mechanical systems of any kind, he says. So
long as the wire connections are sealed properly, then you
have very few problems and the systems are easyvirtually
maintenance free.
Well, almostThere are a lot of seagulls, and we have to
clean the droppings off the modules. If were lucky enough to
have fresh water, then we just hose off the modules now and
again, he says. But its not so bad. Ill take bird droppings in
Living the good life.
the Caribbean over Vermonts snow and ice any day.
Thanks to their wind- and solar-electric systems, Mike
not worry too much about overcharging the batteries, since and Joanne enjoy all the comforts and conveniences of home
hes never far from the boat for long. On the rare occasion with cleaner, quieter power sources. Solar does great in
when the turbine needs a break or, in trade winds, makes the daytime, Mike says, but at night, when energy needs
too much noise, he stops the rotor manually by switch. If are much higher, the wind takes over. The sun is fairly
were lucky enough to make that much
energy, its time to do some ironing,
Indoor lighting and television, powered by renewable energy.
use the microwave, or make some other
use of it, he says.
Solar in Safe Harbor
Its a double-edged sword with wind,
Mike says. We like the wind, and we
need the wind, but we also like to get out
of the wind. Before, anchoring in low-
wind spots or seeking shelter in harbors
meant that the couple had to rely on the
diesel generator. For that reason, Mike
chose to supplement the wind generator
with a simple solar-electric systemtwo
Shell 80-watt PV modules mounted
horizontally on the bimini (awning) over
the cockpit. He purchased the modules
from Marine Warehouse in Trinidad,
and sourced from a local hardware
store the electrical cabling and other
partsstainless-steel tubing, mounting
brackets, and nuts and bolts that resist
the corrosive effects of salt water.
34 home power 125 / june & july 2008
sustainable sailing
consistent, but when there is not adequate wind, Mike and goods. Though the couple only saves an estimated $15 per
Joanne still must offset energy usage by running the engine week by offsetting their diesel fuel use, every dollar helps
to charge the batteries. On its own, the solar-electric system perpetuate their cruising lifestyle.
produces about 55 amp-hours (AH) per day on averageshy For the rest of the year, the couple returns to their home
of their 70-AH usage. One more PV module, and wed be in Springfield, Vermont. We have the best of both worlds
perfect, Mike says. I just need to make room for it. right now, Joanne says. When this all started, he had to
Currently, the 12-gallon hot water tank is fitted with a drag me down here kicking and screaming, but now I love
heat exchanger that uses waste heat from the diesel engine this lifestyleseeing all the different places, meeting the local
to heat water for domestic use. When Mike and Joanne need people, and hanging out with fellow cruisers. Living by the
to replenish the hot water, they run the engine, usually every wind and the sunI wouldnt have it any other way.
third day for about an hour. Though the engine only burns
about a half gallon of fuelabout 45 cents worthin that Access
hour, thats one hour and one half gallon too much for Mike. Derek Young (seagoatmusic@gmail.com) is a freelance writer and
He has devised a plan to add a custom solar hot water system musician who dabbles in renewable energy. He lives in a solar-
off the stern. Tapping into the existing plumbing will be fairly powered camper in an undisclosed, off-grid location in Vermont.
easy, he says, but coordinating the shipping of the unit to the
System Components:
islands will require some patience. This, he says, is the last
East Penn Manufacturing Co. www.eastpenn-deka.com Deka
piece. Then well be totally independent.
batteries
On the Horizon Kiss Energy Systems www.kissenergy.com Wind turbine
For the past eight years, Mike and Joanne have spent every
Morningstar www.morningstarcorp.com Controllers
winter island-hopping around the Caribbean. By living
simply and relying on renewable energy, they keep their SolarWorld www.solarworld-usa.com PV modules
expenses down. They anchor at out-of-the-way places and
Xantrex www.xantrex.com Inverter/charger
catch their dinner most nights. One yellowfin tuna feeds the
couple for days, and they trade what they cant store for other
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