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Changing from Wind to Solar Energy

July 10, 2016

When I moved my new Nicholson 32 sloop, Alibi of Bridham, from a marina to a mooring this summer I also had to rethink my power requirements, since the change meant severing my umbilical to the grid. Although I had a powerful (read: noisy) wind generator as an alternative power source, along with a small photovoltaic (PV) solar array to keep the engine’s cranking battery topped up when the wind dies, I’ve since decided to lose the noisy windmill and go wholly solar.

Installing a Pole Mounted Solar Panel

April 25, 2014

I had to find a way to charge the batteries in my absence, which meant wind or solar power. I toyed with the idea of installing a wind generator, but it seemed like too much expense and hassle; and, lacking a bimini, there was nowhere convenient to place a solar panel where it wouldn’t be either in the shadow of the rig or in the way of the crew…

Flexible Solar Panels

November 16, 2011

Maintenance-free and weatherproof, Ganz Eco-energy semi-flexible solar panels provide clean, quiet, reliable power offshore

At the Helm: Sailing Across the Atlantic

Passagemaking is requires its own special set of skills.

On to New Horizons

You’ve read about the misadventures of the J/122 Alliance over the past two years, from an eventful Annapolis-Newport in 2023 to her ultimate sinking in

Gear: Folding Chocks

Accon Marine releases a new line of streamline folding chocks for an uncluttered look on deck.

First All-Female Crew Completes the Annapolis-Newport

The J/42 Allegiant set a new milestone in the Annapolis-Newport Race this year as the first all-female team to complete the race.

Seaglider Saved!

A cruising family and two friends have recovered the University of Washington’s Seaglider in the Pacific, after learning about the plight of the damaged automated underwater vehicle from a story in SAIL.

Today’s Trivia: Need for Speed

Named for the author of Around the World in 80 Days, the Jules Verne Trophy commemorates the fastest circumnavigation on record. Which of the following

Cruising: Maine to Newfoundland

A sail to Newfoundland, and a summer spent cruising there, expands one sailor’s horizons in every way.

Wavetrain: A New Documentary Film, 76 Days Adrift

This passage reflects on the enduring impact of Steve Callahan’s remarkable survival story—his 76 days adrift in a life raft after his sloop Napoleon Solo

A Father, Son and a Custom Boat

“It was almost standing waves, and we were hobby horsing. The bow was going whoosh, and we were going nowhere,” says Kevin Starnes, 62. He’s

Dufour 48 Top 10 Best Boats 2026 Nominee Review

The latest from Dufour should help achieve the French builder’s goal of encouraging people to get on the water and sail, sail, sail.

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At the Helm: Sailing Across the Atlantic

On to New Horizons

Gear: Folding Chocks

First All-Female Crew Completes the Annapolis-Newport

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