Sailboat wind generators are a way to capture the energy of the wind and use it to charge your batteries and power electronics aboard your vessel. Contact online >>
Sailboat wind generators are a way to capture the energy of the wind and use it to charge your batteries and power electronics aboard your vessel.
A large part of the appeal of living on a sailboat, for many people, is being more or less self-sufficient – using the wind for propulsion, and the elements to generate all the power you need.
Solar panels are a wonderful technology, literally magic, but the sun doesn''t shine every day. In fact, of the most popular cruising grounds in the world aren''t even that sunny. It rains three to four days a week in Barbados or Antigua, for example (don''t even get us started on the English Channel).
And what about night sailing – keeping critical loads like autopilots and instruments online after the sun goes down?
A marine wind generator fills in those vital gaps in the energy picture, and eliminates the need to generate or run the engines to keep your electronics online.
In this expert guide we take a deep dive into sailboat wind generators, covering everything you need to know – from how they work through to the very latest technological advances.
With thousands and thousands of miles under the keel, we have lived off-grid using technologies just like this for almost a decade now. We''ve rewired more boats than anyone should ever have to. We''re marine electronics nerds, basically, and specifically very passionate about renewables like wind and solar.
That’s why we couldn’t wait to write about this topic, and why you’ve got a good 4000 words on it! Sorry about that! But feel free to skip and just read the information you’re interested in, we don’t blame you!
So, let''s take a close look at sailboat wind generators, how they work, what makes a good one, the best sailboat wind generators that we think deserve a place on your next nautical expedition.
If you are in the US, the choice for the best budget marine wind generator is easy – it''s this guy, the Nature Power 500, which West Marine have sold for donkey''s years with eternally solid reviews.
It''s a 500-watt turbine that is natively compatible with both 12V and 24VDC systems. It''s made from marine-grade aluminium that''s also coated in a thick, durable coating to help it withstand years at sea.
This wind generator is rated for winds up to 110mph – well into hurricane territory – and it comes as a complete kit including a charge controller using the latest MPPT technology. The controller even has an electronic brake, even though it''s a manual one.
Honestly, this is just a lot of value for the ~$700 they''re asking, and very easy to recommend for the best budget sailboat wind generator.
Readers in the UK or Europe could look at something like a Rutland 914i. You''ll pay a little more, around £850, but a Rutland is a proper piece of kit – they''re been manufacturing marine wind generators since the 1970''s, long before solar panels were even seen on pleasure yachts.
This is a genuine marine wind turbine built from quality parts and specifically designed for the aggressive saltwater environment. It comes with very few compromises, from the bundled MPPT tracker to its extremely quiet operation.
The charge controller supports a small solar panel as well, which is sort of nice – but we''d highly recommend using a top-quality, stand-alone MPPT charge controller for any solar panels if you can possibly afford it.
That''s because they start at about €2,100, which is a considerable sum for a 420w wind generator. But what you do get is an incredibly refined package – one that picks up and starts generating with as little as four knots of breeze, and remains whisper-quiet right up into the high RPMs.
The Silentwind Pro uses hand-laminated carbon blades that are rated to withstand hurricane-speed winds, but that are also highly efficient across the curve. This is definitely one of the most engineered solutions on the market today.
Models without an electronic brake of any kind are frankly dangerous, because you have to lasso them to stop them – which is how the gentleman broke his arm, and wind generator, in the earlier example.
Other than Silent Wind, there are a few slightly cheaper options that are still very good. For readers in the US, one option made locally is the Air Silent X made by Primus Wind Power. We don''t have as much experience with these, but we have met a couple of happy owners and have heard similar things to Silentwind.
Primus claim they have the bestselling wind turbines anywhere in the world; we''re not sure about that given that Marlec / Rutland have been around nearly two decades longer, but either way their site states they''ve sold more than 150,000 wind generators since ''95, into over a hundred countries.
Primus make six different models at different price points that are all potentially worthy of consideration, but the Air X Silent or Air Breeze are both solid choices.
Rutland wind generators also remain easy to recommend across the board, particularly to readers in the UK and Europe, and a premium option would be something like a Rutland 1200.
At around £1,500, or $1900, the Rutland 1200 can produce up to 480W flat out, and will hit 300W in only 20 knots or so of breeze. It''s a proper marinized unit built to withstand the rigours of life at sea, and that should provide years of low-maintenance service.
A sailboat wind generator, also known as a marine wind turbine or wind charger, is a device for capturing wind energy and turning it into electricity.
Sailboat wind generators typically have 3 or more long, aerodynamic rotor blades attached to a central hub. The blades translate wind energy into rotational force and spin the hub, sometimes at near-supersonic speeds.
The hub is attached to an electrical generator – a lot like the alternator on an engine – that generates electricity as it spins.
A wind turbine is an electrical fan operating in reverse. The fan takes electricity and uses it to spin a motor, attached to a hub and some blades, creating wind.
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