Transitioning to a Sailboat with Solar Panels

Before we lived on a sailboat we lived off grid in Northern Arizona, traveling around our RV. Our sailboat is a Pearson 323. When we moved onto our new home, we brought our solar setup along. Here’s how we have it installed.

We removed our bimini and mounted our (2) 225 watt solar panels on the existing stainless steel pipe.

The panels then connect in parallel via Y splitters and the wire runs down the pipe.

It then enters through a vent and into the storage area below the aft cabin seating.

We have a 350 watt inverter and a 40 amp charge controller. The solar panels run to the charge controller, which then powers the inverter and charges the batteries. You can see the black and red power wires leading to the inverter and the white wires leading to the batteries. The orange cord leading from the inverter, plugs into the boat, to run it off of the solar. We plug it into the same area where we connect the shore power.

Our solar panels are used while traveling, sailing, and while we are anchored. We can live off grid as long as we have fresh water, food from the sea, and a sun shining down on us. Farming the sea is another form of homesteading, some call it seasteading. We look forward to sharing our new sailing adventures with the thehomestead.guru!

Sunset

Living on a sailboat comes with its advantages. After a long days travel we are able to enjoy the sun setting while watching the shadows of the other sailboats fade away into the night.

Written by Alma Sommer

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I used to live in Flagstaff, Northern Arizona is beautiful. Your new adventure seems awesome too :D

I am so thrilled to see this post I am not certain I can properly express my delight! Solar panels on boats are something I thought about in the past and wondered why it wasn't something I had seen just yet. As I said, absolutely delighted to see this manifestation! Thank you kindly for sharing;0)

Congratulation homestead-guru! Your post has appeared on the hot page after 1min with 4 votes.

Okay you have sparked the junkyard engineer in me :-) That's pretty nifty work my man.
@adamkokesh resteemed this great post. Thanks to both of you guys!

Nice post
I found this informative and educating
Thanks yo you

what an idea man.... outstanding... light i know how it works.. gonna try soon

This we call from sun to the sun. Using sun technology to get a sun beautifully. Congrat sir. God Job and God Bless you

I admire your lifestyle. I am sure it isn't easy to adapt to if you have not experienced living this life.

with crude oil prices skyrocketing again it is the best for everybody to switch to solar which gives clean energy, many countries current account deficit will improve

So awesome!! My husband will love this. We're living off the grid full time in our VW camper van which he rigged out with solar. We've also been intrigued by sailboats! We spent the winter in FL this year and took a trip down to the keys. The captain of our charter basically sold us on the sailboat idea. As he lives full tiem out of one as well. You could travel the world that way!! Keep up the posts!

Nice project you got there...
Aleays wanted to live off the grid in countryside or camper.

How many batteries do you have installed? I hear certain kinds can vent hydrogen. Always made me a little neevous about installing a solar system.

You probably will never have to worry about energy whilst travelling.

Farming the sea sounds great. I'm a big lover of food, what percentage of your diet is fish? I imagine it'll depend on whether you're at port or not.

Very inspiring, I am experimenting with solar power too, and thinking about some kind of tiny home or mobile living set up. I'll follow you to see how you do, very interesting.

very cool! happy to see your setup! :)

This is just amazing! I know people living in mobile homes, but to take those homes across water is the next level. Most of our planet is covered in water and it opens up new avenues to be able to have a house that can traverse the seas. You must have so many adventures on that boat. The solar panels look great too!

Wow, that is amazing. I have always desired to have an eco-friend house at some point of my life, so I liked your post a lot. Congratulations!

Very cool :) Also recently saw a solar powered boat in Stockholm, check out solliner

Awesome! I learned alot from this and the off grid life

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