In 2017 I installed three new batteries. One type 31 for starting and two type 30 of 88 amp/hrs. each. During the winter of 2018/20 I decided to add some solar charging power for the house batteries as we had decided to do a 700km trip up north and I wanted to be sure that my refrigeration, etc. would not be lacking for power. We do have a 100 amp alternator but I don't like running the engine to charge batteries. Moreover it's hard on the engine running at 'no load'.
We had just put a new dodger and bimini on the boat and I was not keen to mount solar panels there. In any case the boom would shadow part of them. I came up with the idea of adding a pole at the very aft of the boat. Initially my plan was to put 50 watts of panel and see if that was enough to bring the batteries back to full charge after running the fridge, lights, etc. all night. Based on my calculation 50 watts and an output of 2.1 amps by the panel would not be adequate so I designed the whole structure around having a total of 3 - 50 watt panels (20" x 19") possible. As I thought 50 was not enough in the first part of the summer so I added 2 more panels and my batteries now recover by 10-llam in the summer light.
I designed the structure of the pole and mount to enable all three panels to turn and change angle depending on the position of the sun. After initially installing it with all 3 panels I locked it in a south westerly direction at an angle of 45 deg. in the marina and never changed it and never had to plug my boat into shore power again.
Upon arrival in the North Channel for four weeks and always anchoring we adjusted the panels to straight up and occasionally at an angle to catch the lower sun in the late afternoon. The batteries were always up by 10 or so in the morning.
The panels cost me $90.00 each plus tax and shipping and I added a PWM charge controller at $45.00 and MC4 cables . The structure is almost all aluminum. The pole is a pipe and tube combination that allows for turning. The lower part ( 2 1/2" ) goes through the deck and is fiberglassed to the bottom of the boat hull. The tube ( 2" ) inserts in to the lower pipe. The angle adjuster plates sit on either side of the tube with a 1/2" bolts securing them to the tube. The mount is 1/8" aluminum angle that connects to a steel plate that is mounted on top of the angle adjuster plates. The whole structure is very strong. The first solar panel is mounted to the top of the steel plate and the other two are hinged off of that panel and held up by rods. When not required the latter two fold down and lock.
 |
| Anchored the North Channel north of Manitoulin Island |
 |
| Manitoulin |
My initial plan was for solar only but as I built it up in my shop I realized that I could add an outboard motor lift very easily. In the shop I used a light 4 to 1 advantage pulley system to lift my outboard which weighs 55 lbs. That worked well but for actual boat use I ordered a much heavier tackle from Garhauer with 1/2" rope to make it easy on my hands. Most of the time the lift arm simply drops against the support tube and is out of the way. In the pictures above it is extended with the tackle on it. Like the solar array it turns to lift anywhere off the aft rail of the boat.
Aesthetics
The only negative of the pole structure is that it does take away from the Alberg's beautiful lines. From a practical standpoint is works well and if I ever decide to put a new radar dome on it I can simply replace the upper panel which can then go on a third side.
The aluminum pipe and tube are rather neutral in appearance and I suppose it would be good to either paint them white or polish them. Another option is to replace those two pieces with stainless steel pipe and tube. I shudder to think what that might cost.
