Solar Panels on Hire Boats

[The Black Jack]

It seems odd that many hire boats are happy to include 230 volt appliances like toasters, hair driers, TVs and microwave ovens which can flatten leisure batteries quite quickly. When the engine can't be run after 8.00pm, I'm surprised more hire companies don't fit solar panels. This also might encourage less diesel usage per hire.

[IanD]

51 minutes ago, Mike A R Powell said:

It seems odd that many hire boats are happy to include 230 volt appliances like toasters, hair driers, TVs and microwave ovens which can flatten leisure batteries quite quickly. When the engine can't be run after 8.00pm, I'm surprised more hire companies don't fit solar panels. This also might encourage less diesel usage per hire.

A lot of hirers on holiday travel for hours every day which charges the batteries fully during the day, more so than most liveaboards. Having solar panels doesn't then help with power in the evening, what you need then is enough battery capacity in good condition -- which is where quite a few boats I've hired fell short... 😞

[booke23]

They don't fit solar panels on hire boats because of the large amount of hours cruising they do a day. Most hire boats do at least 6 hrs cruising per day thus easily fully charging the batteries.

[The Black Jack]

Just now, booke23 said:

They don't fit solar panels on hire boats because of the large amount of hours cruising they do a day. Most hire boats do at least 6 hrs cruising per day thus easily fully charging the batteries.

Yes I can see that but wondered that if solar panels were installed it might encourage longer stops or more leisurely cruising perhaps.

[booke23]

7 minutes ago, The Black Jack said:

Yes I can see that but wondered that if solar panels were installed it might encourage longer stops or more leisurely cruising perhaps.

 

I see where you're coming from, but even the most leisurely hirer probably does more than enough cruising to keep up with power demands and the hire companies don't want to invest in solar that isn't necessary. I can also see how on a hire boat, solar panels would be prone to accidental damage.....an eager but inexperienced crewmember walking on them or a hammer/mooring pin carelessly thrown onto the panels would wreck them. Unfortunately it's a fact of life that hire boats can have quite hard lives and anything that makes the boat more fragile just isn't attractive to hire companies. 

Edited November 13, 2023 by booke23

[The Black Jack]

Yes, I suppose if it made good business sense, they'd probably be doing it. The only time a hirer might want to stay put is on a rainy day when solar would be a complete waste of time anyway.

[booke23]

Just now, The Black Jack said:

Yes, I suppose if it made good business sense, they'd probably be doing it. The only time a hirer might want to stay put is on a rainy day when solar would be a complete waste of time anyway.

 

Exactly. 

 

I wouldn't be surprised if some hire companies fit a small panel (say 20w) to keep the batteries topped up when the boat is not used for extended periods off season. Something like this would be inexpensive and would potentially pay for itself very quickly by the extended life the batteries would have.  

[Ronaldo47]

When a group of us used to hire a boat in the summer, the roof was often used for sunbathing. 

[The Black Jack]

Those Jackery solar generators are pretty impressive (but expensive).

2 minutes ago, Ronaldo47 said:

When a group of us used to hire a boat in the summer, the roof was often used for sunbathing. 

Pity humans can't store electrical energy in their body tissues.

[Naughty Cal]

Broads hire companies have been fitting solar panels to their newer boats for a fair few years now.

 

https://www.barnesbrinkcraft.co.uk/hire-boats/brinks-tempo/