135 watts is the smallest they are manufacturing, but we have a few of the 85 watt panels left.

We usually have the 135 and 140 in stock.  The 135 has wires coming out the back with MC4 connectors.  These are waterproof, sunlight resistant connectors with O-ring seals that are designed to be installed on the roofs of houses but work well on boats.  We have the tools and wire in stock so that we can make “extension cords” with the same connectors and sunlight-resistant wire for cables that go from the panels to inside the boat.  We also have “Y” connectors that make it easy to wire the panels together.  The 140s have a junction box on the back.

Data sheets for 135 and 140 watt Kyocera panels: http://www.kyocerasolar.com/assets/001/5134.pdf

d400

Now available from Hotwire, the D400 has proven to be a popular choice for cruising sailboaters. Producing more power than the KISS in higher wind speeds, it is quiet and reliable.

Manufacturer’s manual: http://www.duogen.co.uk/d400/images/D400man.pdf

$2195.00  call (727) 943-0424

The 20 to 60 watt panels are good for fitting solar into the space you have available, like stern rail mounting.  We have the mounting systems you need for putting these on the rail.

Both the 70, 80 and 90 watt panels are the same size, 19.4 inches by 47.4 inches.  This makes them a good choice for rail mounting or a good fit for bimini mounts away from the boom.

Sopray uses MC4 connectors on the end of “pigtails” (short wires coming out of the junction box on the back of the panel).  We have extension cords for these wires made of UV resistant outdoor wire and O ring sealed outdoor connectors or the type typically used on the roofs of houses and businesses.  Cords are $0.70 per foot and $5 per installed connector, and available in 10 or 12 gauge.  These are a great way to get the wires from the panels to inside the boat or to the controller.

Sopray 5 watt.   A quality panel, glass top, aluminum frame, perfect for keeping the batteries charged on a boat on a mooring, slip, or stored on a trailer.  Works just as well for an RV or stored car to keep the battery from becoming discharged or damaged from low state of charge.  No controller required, but you should have a fuse near where it attaches to the battery, to prevent a short from burning up the wires (and whatever is nearby).  We can set this up with a cable and cigarette lighter plug.  We also have some nice cigarette lighter sockets ($6, no brass)      $20   BUY NOW

Soparay 20 – 60 watts $2 per watt

Sopray 70 watts $139

Sopray 80 watts  $159

Sopray 90 watts $179

Sopray 140 watts  $279

• There are several advantages with NOA’s anchor holder:

1. - Safe stowage of the anchor 
2. - Easy access
3. - Ergonomic design
4. - Saves precious stowage space

The anchor holder is manufactured in aluminum and stainless steel.

If you use an anchor chain, NOA recommends that you complement your anchor holder with NOA’s chain container.  The container has a hole in the bottom to allow drainage of water.  There is room for 6 meters of 6 mm chain and 4 meters of 8 mm chain.

The chain container is made from anodized aluminum and is 550 mm x 80 mm.

Anchor holder (NOA fittings included)  $123.00
Chain holder (NOA fittings included)      $121.00
Please call to order:  727-943-0424

Boom Holder & Boom Eye

Teak Seat

Made by NOA in Sweden, this folding seat will add another valuable place to sit when you are sailing as well as when you are in the anchorage sipping your drinks!

  This finely crafted teak seat is fastened on the stern rail or push-pit with NOA aluminum fittings and can also be mounted in a corner with a diagonal stay.   It is made with built-in isolators to separate the aluminum fittings from your stainless steel rails.  The single leg can be adjusted to fit your boat and has a built-in spring which automatically folds the leg against the seat for space-saving when the seat is not in use and is folded to vertical position.

mounting options

Teak Seat  $213.00         
Diagonal Stay  $28.00       Please call to order: 727-943-0424

One of the issues facing cruising sailboaters is having enough room for all the solar panels needed to run the boat.  The Sanyo HIT Double, a bifacial panel, makes the most energy per square inch of any solar panel available.  It does this by gathering light energy from the bottom as well as from the top.  So, if you are installing the panels on an arch or on davits, sunlight reflected from the water and/or from a white dinghy can be made into electricity.  These panels are rated at 195 watts, but that does not include the power that comes from the bottom because of the standard used to test panels. The back face of a HIT Double panel generates electricity from ambient light reflected off surrounding surfaces, and combines with power from the front face of the panel. Depending upon system design and amount of reflected light, this results in up to 30% higher power generation (more kWh) per square foot.

HIT bifacial solar cells are hybrids of single crystalline silicon surrounded by ultra-thin amorphous silicon layers, available solely from SANYO. The crystalline silicon is the most energy-efficient, and the amorphous is more shade tolerant, so this is a combination of the best of both worlds.

As temperatures rise, HIT Double solar panels produce more electricity than conventional solar panels at the same temperature, due to their low temperature coefficient.  So they work very well for tropical and subtropical areas!

Technical Info   BUY NOW

Note:  Solar energy is going through some rapid changes right now (spring 2012).  Prices are volatile with lots of uncertainty in the world market.  A consortium of manufacturers have sued the Chinese for dumping, several companies have gone out of business, the world wide shortage of purified silicon has gone away, and incentives come and go.  Right now prices are about 50% what they were a few years ago.  It seems likely that the price will start going back up again this year.

In order to determine what you need for solar, answer the following:

How do you use your boat?

Boat kept in a marina (or on a trailer at home) with shore power and a battery charger…
If you want to be able to maintain battery power while out for a weekend, the best solution is to add another battery and, over a day or so, let it partially discharge. Then when you return to the dock, the battery will have a chance to recharge. No need for solar.

Occasional use of a boat stored on a trailer or a mooring where there’s no electrical access…
If you’re using a flooded, deep cycle battery, it will discharge over time. A small solar module provides what is called a trickle charge so that the battery is fully charged when you need it. A small solar module (panel) is all that is needed to keep the battery from discharging prematurely failing. To determine the size module needed, look on your battery label to find the amp-hour capacity (NOT the cold cranking amps). The battery can tolerate up to 2% charge over that with no problem without a charge controller if the battery is flooded (wet, the kind you can add water to). Multiply the amp hour capacity by 1.2% to determine the maximum number of amps you’ll need for trickle charge and then refer to our output column on the solar module page to identify which module comes close to your calculation without exceeding it. This will be sufficient to maintain your battery without overcharging it and without the need for a charge controller.
If you’re using AGM or gel batteries, they’ll hold a charge very well and trickle charge is less likely to be needed. You’re less likely to need a solar module. If you decide to purchase one, these battery types are more sensitive to overcharge and would be more likely to need a charge controller.
For a boat on a mooring with an anchor light, the best solution involves an LED anchor fixture or bulb replacement (see our anchor light options), so that a smaller solar module can be used.
If you’re unsure of your calculations or your choices, please contact us for assistance. We’ll be happy to help you.

Weekend use with the battery discharged when you return…
You’ll need more than a trickle charge. You want to recharge. You’ll need a larger solar module for a larger output, and you’ll need a charge controller to prevent overcharge. However many amp-hours you’ve removed from your battery (or battery bank), you’ll need to replace those amp-hours for healthy battery maintenance and for a reliable charge when you’re ready to take the boat out next time. To determine the size of the solar modules, you’ll need to calculate the amp-hours used on the weekend, then size the array so that the batteries get topped off before the next weekend. Contact us for help with the calculation.

Cruise for a week or two, or a month or two…
You’ll be using your engine sometimes, and a good high output alternator can charge your batteries better than the alternator that likely came with the boat. Please see our alternator page. Solar power works anywhere that the sun shines. You can install a small solar array and be recharging your batteries silently during daylight hours. Figure out where you can put one or more solar modules where they’ll be unlikely to be shadowed most of the time. Figure out the dimensions of what you can fit into that location. Figure out how many amps the system will be capable of producing, and select a charge controller that has a large enough amp capacity for your array. Consult a wiring chart to determine what size wire you’ll need to use in order to get the best benefit from your investment in solar. Or contact us for assistance with these decisions. We can talk you through it, helping you with the details and suggesting the most effective products for your situation.

Live aboard, heading for the trade winds (Bahamas or Caribbean or beyond — HOORAY!)
If you’re headed for wind territory, a wind generator is more cost-effective than solar, but we recommend a hybrid system (wind & solar together) for the “insurance” of being able to charge regardless of weather conditions. The KISS High Output is the wind generator of choice for a great many cruising sailors because of its quiet running, high power output and simple design. It takes up a smaller “footprint” than the number of solar modules needed for its equivalent output. If you have a mizzen mast, that’s a great place for a KISS, high where the wind is good. If you don’t have a mizzen mast and you’re going to the Caribbean, plan to install your wind generator on a tower on the port side of the stern. Think about it: winds from the east (bow pointing east), sun south of you most of the year, solar on the stern and/or starboard side, wind generator on the port side where it’s less likely to shadow your solar. Make sense? So you have great winds (10-15 knots in the summer, 15-25 knots in the winter), great wind power for those windy days and supplemented by your solar array, and the solar constant on those rare days when the wind doesn’t blow. Makes GOOD sense!

When we met in January ’94, John said, “I’m leaving in 9 months to cruise the Caribbean on my sailboat, and I’m looking for crew.” Within a month, Libbie was buying her foul weather gear! We spent 4 years cruising in the Caribbean aboard s/v HOTWIRE, our steel Bruce Roberts 36′, and continued to live aboard in the Tampa Bay area for another 8 years while we were growing the business.

When we started cruising, our energy needs were very basic. The longer we were out, the more comforts and conveniences we added. By the time we decided to sail home on business, we were using lots of electrical gadgets, keeping the batteries charged with a KISS High Output wind generator and a solar panel, rarely having to start the engine.

Since we returned to the U.S. in late 1998, we’ve been using our education backgrounds and cruising experience to help other cruisers put together energy systems that will make life easier and more comfortable for them, sticking to the KISS principal: Keep It Simple, Sailor! We know we’re doing something right because so many of our customers have become our good friends and our best referral sources! (You guys are GREAT! Thank you!)

Our knowledge and experience with small systems evolved into consultation, design and installation of the larger residential and commercial solar electric systems as well.

John has extensive experience with power-related systems and is available for FREE consultation, helping you to design a working system to meet your energy needs. (But even Libbie has learned more than she ever thought she’d want to know about alternative energy and is now able to guide customers on basic issues.) Please feel free to contact us with your alternative energy questions or use us as a sounding board for your ideas. We’d love to hear from you!

Based on a very high quality electrical equipment fan, the Port Fan is about 4 times more powerful than the average computer fan, yet still very quiet (39 Db). Ideal for a cruising sailboat, we used a 12 cabin fan like this on board HOTWIRE when we were cruising. One night while we were asleep, our cat Shiner fell overboard. We were able to hear her plaintive calls for help even with the fan on high. 

The Deluxe model includes 3 mounting options!   Basic fits into a port or hatch and can be mounted with Velcro (included)

The Port Fan can be installed in any size or shape opening port  like a window fan for your boat!  Bring cool air in at night rather than blowing warm air around.   It mounts with a bungee loop around the port lens (or the hinges) for quick removal when the rains come. Turn it facing out to vent the galley or the head. Or use them in pairs in opposing port holes, one to blow in, one to vent out, for terrific cross-ventilation!   Works to bring in cool, fresh air even when the awning is up.

The bulkhead  mount is a universal bracket which allows the fan to point 360 degrees in any direction. Install it on any flat surface.  With an extra bracket, you can increase your mounting options for a single fan.  (If you have a broken Hella fan, you can use its old bracket. Call to special order our Port Fan without the bulkhead bracket at a discount).   Also, works great for OTR trucks!  Also works great in an office cubicle with the 120 volt adaptor! 

Self-adhesive Velcro mounts the Port Fan to the inside of a hatch, like a ceiling fan, for great circulation whether the hatch is open or closed, the only 12 volt cabin fan with this option.   If you’ve got a heater or air-conditioner on board, the Port Fan works wonderfully for circulating air throughout the cabin. We find that a high position and pointing to blow down seems to work best.   Use the Velcro under a cabinet or wherever your imagination chooses.

Stand the Port Fan up on a shelf or table or countertop to cool you wherever you’re working, or  in the cockpit when you’re entertaining on a still night, or on the floor of the cockpit to blow the mosquitoes off your ankles, or inside your engine compartment (for those hot maintenance and repair days). Toss one in your duffle bag if you’re heading out on a charter. Keep thinking!  The most versital 12 volt cabin fan.  The longest lasting 12 volt cabin fan (70,000 hours!!!)  You’ll come up with many ways to use our fan!!

Powerful and safe:  On high speed, the Port Fan blows about 106 Cubic Feet of air per Minute (CFM) yet draws only about 0.5 amp on high speed and about 0.25 amp on low, so you can run one all night without draining your batteries. The 6′ cord has a male cigarette plug with a fuse inside.  (We have good cigarette lighter sockets if you need them, $6.)  Or, you can cut the plug off and hard wire it to an existing lighting circuit, like other 12 volt cabin fans. 

Rated for 70,000 hours, almost 8 years continuous use.  Compare that to brush-type, less expensive motors (and some that are more expensive) that are rated for 5,000 hours.  And our brushless 12 voolt cabin fan will not interfere with your high frequency radio signals. 

The Port Fan is available in 12V or 24V, or with a 110 volt adaptor (works great in a cubicle).

If you need ventilation for a boat in storage, contact us for the scoop on a no-frills fan to operate on a 5 watt solar panel and no battery!

Also available at: Sailorman in Ft. Lauderdale and from Sailors Solutions and Trans Marine Pro    Dealer inquiries invited

Deluxe  $64.95    BUY NOW

Basic $55.oo (call us) (727) 943-0424