Is Solar Power For Cruisers Worth The Cost?

Most cruising vessels are equipped with a genset. So, why would solar power for cruisers be advantageous and worth the investment?

Before we started cruising for extended periods I couldn’t see any real need for supplemental solar power. But, when we began spending days on end anchored out it became apparent that solar would offer real benefits.

Sailboat cruisers discovered the benefits of solar chargers a long time ago. Even if they also had onboard generators. But, very few power boaters have incorporated solar charging into their power mix. I have my thoughts on why power boat cruisers are not taking advantage of solar power and perhaps the following discussion will help you decide if the investment is worth it to you.

What We Learned While Cruising The California Coast

Before we started cruising most of our outings were short duration. Between one and three days. Mai Tai’s battery banks stored enough energy to support all the functions onboard for these short outings. We would only have to run the genny once or twice to top up the house batteries.

When we started cruising more and spending days on end away from shore power we were more reliant on the genset. Running the genset consumed fuel and required regular monitoring of batteries. At one point in our epic coastal cruise we experienced a genset breakdown leaving us no options but to run one of the main engines for extended periods.

The issues we experienced revealed our vulnerabilities and the value of redundant systems.

Solar As A Back-up Charging System

Spending more time cruising and away from shore services lead us to the conclusion that a passive energy system would solve two problems. The first being a supplement to the genset in case of it’s failure. The second is to conserve resources, like fuel and wear and tear on equipment.

A solar charger met all our needs.

We purchased a single, 100 watt solar panel with controller and deployed it on our cruise to Catalina Island. We were there for about 10 days and never needed to start the genset. Our house batteries never dropped below 12.5 volts.

We did notice later on when we were anchored off Santa Cruz Island that the single panel was barely fully charging the battery bank by the end of the day because of prolonged morning and evening fog. We added another panel (a total of 200 watts) and never experienced another shortage.

I am planning to add another 100 watt panel soon to accommodate the use of more appliances, like a TV or more powerful sound system.

The Case Against Solar Power For Cruisers

Sail boaters have found all kinds of ways to mount solar panels. They are hung on railings, mounted on dodgers  and radar arches and sometimes even just laid out on the deck.

Power boaters on the other hand seem to have an aversion to mounting anything on their boat unless it has some aesthetic value. I have to admit that I really didn’t want to hang those panels anywhere out in the open. The railing was a possibility but would block some of the view from inside which I didn’t like.

I could relate to the power boater faced with the proposition of attaching these things to their boat and running a bunch of wire.

So, I finally settled on a location. The only place that had unobstructed exposure to the sun. On top of the bimini! They are out of site, out of the way and optimally positioned to gather the most solar energy.

And, it just so happens that my bimini is wide enough to support three 100 watt panels side-by-side.

Benefits Outweigh The Problems

The addition of solar battery charging provided piece of mind and resulted in a better boating experience. We could now spend a week or two on the hook in a paradise like the channel islands without a single worry about our batteries running down.

The complexity of installation of the panels and running the cables was not beyond my amateur skill level. The total cost was equivalent to adding another battery to the bank (which I didn’t have room for). And, the aesthetics of the boat were not compromised.

Who Should Consider Solar Power?

Anyone contemplating an extended cruise that involves hanging out in isolated places and does not have a backup power generation system.

Where Can You Find Panels And Parts?

Of course you can find solar panels and parts in many places, like Amazon, West Marine and the like. I prefer to work with Renogy Solar.

They carry a complete line of solar panels and parts all in one place. Their website is easy to navigate and technical help is on hand.

Solar Panel Composition

100 watt panel dimensions

Flexible panels are also available through Renogy. They provide more options for mounting and may appeal to some boaters.

Solar Panel Flex

Hopefully this article provided some insights to aid you in making a decision to buy or not. If you have any questions please leave a comment below.