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Discover the Best Boating Experience
Welcome to Marine Off Grid - Your Trusted Boating Partner
At Marine Off Grid, we are dedicated to helping you get the most out of your boating experience. From our selection of high-quality boats and accessories to our comprehensive maintenance and repair services, we are your one-stop shop for all things solar boating. Our team of experts is passionate about all things boating and will work with you to find the perfect boat for your needs and budget. We pride ourselves on providing exceptional consulting service and building long-term relationships with our customers. Come see us today and experience the Marine Off Grid difference. Our prototype is located in Wilmington, NC at the Cape Fear Marina
Discover the Best Boating Experience
Solar Array
Almost a quarter century ago the original MOG 30 foot boat was equipped with 20 of the BP Solarex 60 watt modules. This array provided nearly 1,200 watts and was add to by an additional 960 watts of modules for the 500 plus mile trip from Annapolis, MD to Wilmington, NC, a total of 2,160 watts. This amount of power (less than two hand held hair blow-dryers) outdistanced all other craft in the type and size class.
Today those 20 modules are replaced (they are still working elsewhere) by fewer than 10 modules that have greater capacity, higher efficiency, cost less per watt and have the same 20 year warrantee for 2,145 watts.
The next set of modules will be much less than the 2 inch thickness and weigh less than one third the the 44 pounds per module.The older modules had to be wired, soldered, coated and taped on each connection. Water ingress along with salt air and spray from winds and 5 hurricanes threatened electrical continuity.
The new units just snap together with self sealing o-rings, watertight seals and wire that is weather and UV resistant. The technology is far superior and should be even better in just a few years. The OutBack photovoltaic (PV) charge controller and the better solar modules make the 2,145 watts more easiy utilized by the battery system and thus increases the overall usefulness of their sun to electricity gathering.
The modules do not lay quite flat in-order to drain water from their surface but even more importantly the angles compliment the ships rolling. Unlike house mounted PVs, these are always moving and must act to accommodate the wave action as much as possible.
Future modules will have special grooves in the transparent surface to allow better collection during movement of the boat, rather than expensive active gimbling systems that consume power and are somewhat prone to failure.
The roof has ample space for more power generation but I like laying on the roof at night in a desolate area observing the Milky Way.
