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My First Solar Powered Boat Project

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  • yes I hope you can immediately finish the project you're doing. if you can you for photos of your project.

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    • Originally posted by SolarCanoe View Post
      I had to take some time off from the solar boat project while we moved to a home in the country with a waterway running through the back yard. I have the solar canoe back in the water and I have started to put more thought into the bigger catamaran project. I have 1280 watts worth of solar panels that will make a canopy about 14 ft long and 7 ft wide. I have two 55 pound thrust trolling motors to mount on the back of the pontoons. I plan to bow mount a 45 pound thrust motor. There are some tricky passages between some of the lakes so the bow mounted motor will allow me to stand at the bow to navigate through the rocks.

      I have three 160 watt panels that will form the center section of the canopy for the catamaran, but in the meantime I am going to mount them on the canoe canopy to replace the 200 watt folding panels I have been using. This should give me 10 or more amps of solar power alone. I also ordered one of the Kipawa Propellers to see if I can get more speed out of the 45 pound thrust motor.

      So the adventure will resume and I will post some photos and results of upgrading the panels and prop.
      I've read this whole thread and it has been a heck of a lot of fun to see what/how you guys approach this. I wonder about a hybrid approach - perhaps using a small sail where appropriate. But I guess that's not the point. In any case, Ahoy!

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      • What a supurb thread, what started off as a seemingly impossible task has through hard work and actual experience resulted in a triumph for solar powered watercraft. Solarcanoe, are you still tinkering with solar watercraft? If so have you a site that's dedicated to it, utilising people's experience actually making real working boats. I have been considering building a solar powered craft but after reading lots of threads it came through loud and clear that it is not a viable form of propulsion. Thanks again for persevering, innovating and proving that solar propulsion is within everyone's grasp.

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