Installing New Solar Panels

 Another Solar Panel Upgrade

As mentioned in my article about replacing our Standing Rigging, I have to alter the Solar Panel install on Eximius.

Currently, we have 600W of Bougrv Solar Panels mounted on top of the Bimini laid out with the single panel athwartships in front of the Backstay bridle and two panels on either side of the backstay bridle. 

Because the new standing rigging's Backstay bridle extends higher from the Bimini, I need to change the panel layout and that involves replacing the 3 existing panels.

The new layout will be as shown below.

The gap between the panels is due to the angle of the Backstay Bridle as can be seen in the lower image.

The panel dimensions are slightly larger than the area taken up by the old panels, I figured that out after completing the previous upgrade.

It looks like I'll be able to install a pair of approximately 435Watt panels giving a total of 870Watts of Solar Power. I know, that's not going to happen, but it should be much better than the Max 0f 600Watts we have presently. I would expect to get at least 700 watts. when the batteries need it.

The panels I'm looking at - next day delivery by Amazon, are about $540 for the pair. 

STAR 870 Watt Solar Panel, 2PCS 435W 48V/24V Solar Panels. 

Update: Because those panels would hang off of the stern by way too much, it would be easy to damage them when docking. So I selected these instead:

Renogy Solar Panels 2PCS 320 Watt Solar Panel 18BB N-Type Solar Panel 12 24 Volts Monocrystalline On/Off Grid Solar Setup 640W Over 400 Watt Solar Panels 25% Cell Efficiency for Homes Rooftop RV Boat They are $599 for the pair. :(

From the specs of those panels, if connected in Parallel, the max output would be around 36v and 50amps. Well within the range of my Victron 100/50amp controller.

But if connected in series, the output would be more like 72v at 30amps and that's a better case for the MPPT controller.

For the wiring, I could keep the existing wiring from the panels to the controller, however, those wires are only 6awg and were only installed 3 years ago, they have suffered UV damage, so I'll replace them but with larger cables, 4 awg and I'll run those inside plastic conduit. Basically, I'll install a connector box beneath the solar panels with a terminal block inside, then wire inside of conduit down to the deck and into the side of the combing and to the area where all of the Victron equipment is located beneath the Nav Table. 

Doing that should minimize the voltage drop between the panels and the controller.

Ok, that's the plan. Now I have to decide "Do I repair or replace the Bimini" before installing the new solar panels.

Now, I do have to comment on the whole issue of Solar Panel sizing and installation. From my experience over the past 11 years of boat ownership, I conclude that it's best to go big!  I have purchased 2 Victron MPPT solar controllers a 100v/20amp and 100v/50amp. I should have purchased a 100v/70amp controller or two 100v/50amp controllers.

OK, back to the design of the Solar Panel mounting.

I like the idea of using 4040 Aluminum Extrusion, and wondered if Google Gemini could come up with a plan. Here's what I asked Gemini:-

design a solar panel mounting frame that attaches to a 1inch tubular Bimini frame using 4040 aluminum extrusions

( The text of  the response is at the end of this post ) Here's the result: I made up this image using the suggested plan for the mounting frame. ( I use Google workspace drawing for most of my diagrams. )

Mounting Frame Connection to Bimini Frame

Solar Panel Attachment to Mounting Frame

Frame Construction.

Basically, using a Stainless Steel Hinged Bimini Rail Clamp on the Bimini Rail, use a couple of Nylon Ferrules as a stand off to allow the stainless bolt to pass through the Bimini Canvas and hold the whole thing together with a M8 T-Nut and bolt.

Gemini suggested I make a rectangular 4 sided frame using the 4040 Aluminum Extrusion, joining the Corners using Inside Corner Brackets.

This should result in a nice looking and substantially rigid frame on which to mount the two panels. I could put rubber washers between the Extrusion and the Hinge Clamp to add a bit of wiggle but I think I'll see how it comes out first.

Parts list

2 x 4 Pack of 4040 48 Inch Black Anodized Aluminum Extrusions

8 x Spartan Power Black Solar Panel Z Bracket Mount

8 Straight Line Connector Joint Brackets ( to join the 48" extrusions )

4 Stainless Hinged Clamps

4 x 2.5" M8 T-Nuts & Bolts

8 Nylon Ferrules ( 1/2" OD 1/4" ID)

4 Aluminium 2" Spacers

I feel that this is coming together nicely. I'll go down to the boat on Monday and double check the dimensions of the panels and frame.

With that, I'll end this post, but here's a link to the Gemini response.  

Stay tuned for the next phase.

Meanwhile, I hope to see you on the water.

Paul

Replacing the Standing Rigging. Completion

Completed the Standing Rigging Replacement.

Just about every muscle in my body is aching and I didn't do a fraction of what the Rigger did !!

A quick intro to the Rigger - Dam Rigging, Inc.

Christian ( Chris ) Dam, from Denmark, gave a quote for the job estimating 16-18 hours of work @ $150ph.

We set the work date for March 9th. 2026 starting around 09:30, he arrived on time. Just a quick note here: "HE ARRIVED ON TIME". This is South Florida - that's unusual in two ways - #1 He turned up, @2 He turned up on time!  Good start.

By the time Chris had arrived, I had laid out all of the new standing rigging cables and connectors etc. All by the new Forestay as Chris had initially intended to do the Forestay on Day 2.

After a quick review of the work, Chris got his gear together including his climbing gear  -  that's a 4:1 purchase block and tackle that he used to climb the mast almost unassisted. Neat bit of kit. It had a jamb cleat on the lower block so he could hoist himself up the mast unaided. To climb down - more like just lower himself down - he just held the line out of the jamb cleat and eased it out as he quickly, but controlled, descended. 

Nice setup.

He soon had the lower shrouds on the dock and measured the old and new shrouds. After making up the new Shrouds to length, Chris was back up the mast and installing them.

That's how the day went: Secure the mast in order to remove one or more shrouds, measure up, make up and then install. Despite it being the 2nd week of March, it was hot enough to have us both sweating. 

Then it was time to work on the Forestay with the Furler. This is the longest stay and the most challenging but it was obvious that Chris had done this many times. It really went very smoothly. I was surprised that we got all of the Shrouds and the Forestay completed and was able to wrap up for the day by 5pm. I helped as much as I could but Chris did most of the work.

Tuesday, start was at 10am, time to work on the back stay. 1st snag. Our backstay has the Delta Plate ( the triangular plate where the split backstay bridle joins the main backstay that connects to the mast head) is about 6" above the Bimini and the bridle wires pass through a gap in our two aft solar panels. Well, the new Backstay seems to be for an adjustable backstay, the Delta Plate is about 8' higher and so the bridle cables are much further apart. The old backstay bridle was 6" wide at the Bimini, the new is 33" !!! In order to install the backstay I needed to remove the two aft solar panels. While I did that, Chris worked on preparing the rigging for tuning. Once the solar panels were out of the way, I made a hole in the Bimini canvas where the new backstay bridles would pass and we completed the install. Chris had his Loose Gauges out and diligently went around the boat adjusting the rigging.  We were done.

Everything was wrapped up by 4pm, so a total of 14 hours. Chris originally quoted 14 - 18 hours but I guess my help cut some of that.

Total cost of the work, new spreader boots and travel time came to $2,400.40. The stress of someone that knows what they are doing and able to work around the issues that most likely happen on every boat, all made sense and I slept really well that night.

Catalina Direct for the Rigging supplies: $3,824.95  - Catalinadirect.com

Dam Rigging Inc. for the installation: $2,400.40      - damrigging.com

Total cost $6,225.35 Plus sandwich lunches for two for two days.

Value: ENORMOUS ! Pease of mind - invaluable.

To continue, I'm going to reorganize the Solar Panel install. probably going to replace the 3 x 200Watt panels with 2 x 300+ panels, perhaps a total of 800 wats. I have to measure the area available over the Bimini, it's going to be just two panels, one in front of the Backstay bridle and one astern of the bridle.

I'll have to do a significant rework of the Bimini canvas, it's due! Move that job up the priority list.

We could take the boat out right now, bit of a make shift condition, but should be done in a couple of weeks. But hopefully we'll see you on the water.

Paul 

Replacing the Standing Rigging. P iii

 

Replacing the Standing Rigging. ( Part 3 )

( Here's the link to Part 1 )

Having fixed the issue with the Mast Mate, and had it tested by a sailing buddy that has a Catalina 36 - same spars as Eximius, I removed the mainsail slugs from the mast track and hoisted the Mast Mate. Then the weather decided to offer a challenge, it got cold - in the 40's and windy - in the 20+ knots in February 2026. I'm not going to commit to climbing the mast 16 times in those conditions. So leaving the Mast Mate setup on the mast, I took a those couple of weeks off waiting on a weather window. 

Good weather returned mid February - and with it I came down with the flu ! Argggg! That took me out of the picture for another two weeks. Now we were within our next sailing club event, it's a big one - the Change of Command Circle Raft Up February 28th 2026. So I pulled the Mast Mate back down and put the mainsail back up. We participated in the Circle Raft up - rotten weather, so no actual circle rafting but we still had a good time with sailing friends on Lake Boca.

Now Peggy was getting a bit antsy about preparing the boat for the Insurance Survey that needed to be completed before renewing our Marine Insurance early May, this Year!  So I bit the bullet and hired a company to do the standing rigging change out. It's going to cost around $3000 for the work. I do have all of the rigging, so this should speed things up.

So, yesterday, Thursday March 5th, I went down to the boat and removed the Genoa from the Furler and withdrew the Furling line from the Furler drum. I also removed the shoddy horizontal support brace that was connected to the lower end of the Back Stay above the Bimini that connects to the Radar Pole on the Port side of the Cockpit. Not sure how I'm going to replace that brace but it will not be Aluminum nor will it connect to the Standing riggings.   

Today I'm taking all of my standing rigging supplies from Catalina Direct. I'm not certain of the ETA of the Riggers on Monday but I'll be down there by 07:30 unless I hear from them to be there earlier.

While down at the boat I checked each piece of the new rigging just one more time. The only thing that is slightly different from the OEM rigging, is that the Original Back Stay has a single turnbuckle just above the split ( which is just above the Bimini ) and the new rigging has no turnbuckle above the split but has a turnbuckle on each leg of the split. So when the backstay is put together, the length of the Stay is fixed and each leg of the bridle are adjustable. Not that we'll ever need to adjust them.

I also checked that the Dock 11Ov Power supply was working - we never use it as we have our onboard supply that easily meets our requirements on the boat.

On Monday, I will take Gasoline to run our Honda eu2000i generator just in case shore power goes out.

I think we're ready. No pressure - right!