How do you get electricity on a sailboat?

Question

how much does it costs?

Answer 1

get a nice V8 with an alternator for 12v. also, put on a 12o v alternator. then, remove the sail and rigging. finally get a prop, driveshaft, and transmisson to hook up to the v8. now you can drive the boat easily with the turn of a key and the move of a lever. Lot less work!! also, you will be able to make better time.

Answer 2

It depends on how big your sailboat is and what kind of power requirements it needs.  You also need to work on reducing your loads.  Use LED lights instead of incandescent as an example.

Answer 3

generator dude. solar is good as a supplemental system but you gotta have the generator. they range in price so check some out on the internet.

Answer 4

There are several ways... there are three types of "generator" options ie: wind generator, water generator, or a gas (usually diesel) powered generator.  Also, solar panels, and batteries with 12v to 110v inverters... All are expensive and all have their pros and cons - To estimate your cost, you will first need to know what your useage is going to be... and knowing your useage will probably limit your options... my son recently sailed from Galveston, TX with his girl friend... they were "out there" for 11 months... he has a small diesel generator, (used about two hours a day to recharge his batteries). He has two "banks" of four 12v batteries with an inverter.  On board, he has navigation lights and equipment, two laptop computers (one used exclusively for navigation), a desalinator (turns seawater to fresh drinking water)  and his marine radios. His stove, and refrigerator run on propane. For his engine, he has one dedicated battery with has a small solar panel to keep it charged... There are sites on the internet, and books at a marine store that can help. But, you can't figure cost, until you know how much - and what kind - (12v or 110v) electric you need.  Hope this helps!

Answer 5

We have a good bank of 12v batteries (800 amp hour) that powers the tv, fridges, lights, toilets, communications and nav gear, as well as other basic 12v appliances such as phone chargers etc. then we have an inverter to give us the 240v power (if you are in us get a 120v inverter) so we can use the microwave, coffee machine and that kind of stuff. to charge the betteries we have the altenator on the motor, and a small generator (2kw) as well as solar pannels, the generator is always the last resort. the best way is to talk to your local marine electrician and they can taylor a solution to your needs becuase if the system you use is not good enough you will damage the equipment you are using as well as the equipment making the power. in australian dollart the inverter was $600, solar pannels $1900, generator $1600, batteries $1100, the rest was on the boat from new. Make sure thaqt yout power inverter and or generator makes pure sign wage elecricity otherwise you can damage sensative equioment like laptops, lcd tv's etc

Answer 6

What size boat are we talking about here?  that'll determine what the best source of getting electricity to you will be...  you can have solar or wind or generated electricity...  my brother went to Pep Boys and got a 1.5kw mini generator for $150...  not a bad deal and provides enough power for him.

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