I also have had great results from an Aquair towed generator on long pasages. It gives me about 6 amps at 7 knots. The only problems are securing it on the rail and the difficulty of recovering it without almost stopping the boat.

Our experience has been similar to the above comment. In our first boat with minimal electrical demands (no freezer, water maker or washing machine) a good battery bank and solar panels and our big alternator on the main engine worked fine. I never used a wind generator for 2 reasons: first they make a lot of noise and second we have been in anchorages on 3 occasions where they shed their blades and in doing so caused significant (but so far not lethal) injury requiring hospitalization twice and major damages to another boat nearby. Few mention the safety hazards associated with wind generators but a 3 foot plastic blade rotating at high speed in a 25 kt wind will go a long way and hit very hard and nearly always where no medical help is available.
However, once we moved aboard our second boat full time things changed. Our electrical demand is much higher and an even larger battery bank and alternator for the main engine is ok while under power but there simply was not enough room for an effective array of solar panels. A diesel genset harnessed to 2 big battery chargers putting out 25% total battery capacity works great. We usually run the gen set either once a day for 1 .5 hour, or every other day for 2 hour. The output is sufficient so we can power a 26 gal/hr water maker and the clothes washer and charge the batteries at the same time. I may be wrong here but in my own opinion I think many of the problems with diesel gen sets result from them not being used frequently and I believe this is why som many small boats with diesel gen sets fail. Diesel engines and water makers both benefit from frequent if not near daily use. Our 25 kw gen set burns 0.6 gal/hr and once a year preventive maintenance results in a lot of energy.
s/v Waterwitch

It looks like with solar panels, wind generator, towing generator and diesel generator you have covered all the energy sources on a boat. We have used those 4 at different moments and each has it 's own window of use. While under way we have found that the solar panels and water towing generator have been the most efficient. Our solar panels are located both on starboard and port side of the boat allowing us to have most of the time one panel giving us close to full output. The towing generator is a very good source, 5 amps at 5 knots. Only problem is to bring is back on board. I had to literally stop the boat as the torque was to hard on the rope (and my hands). Some people have suggested to rig a big funnel on the line and to drop it in the water in order to stop the twisting of the prop. I have not tried it yet, but it make sense. Anyway, I think that by having the 4 systems on the boat you should always have a source of energy. Good luck, christian, s/v I wanda

Has anyone ever had a serious problem with BIG FISH attacking a towed generator? I ve never had a problem.

Has anyone ever had a serious problem with BIG FISH attacking a towed generator? I 've never had a problem.

JGBailey,
As I had mentioned earlier, it would have to be a hell of a 'big fish ' to go after a towing generator blade, and then it would regret it ! Think Great White Shark or Killer Whale.
It 's more myth than any reality. :silly:

I was using an Aquair towed generator on an Atlantic crossing and lost the impeller. The line was severed just ahead of the impeller and I assumed that it must have been a big fish that took it. They was no reason for the line to have chafed at that point.

John Franklin

Frida, our Ocean 60 has a Watt & Sea hydro-generator fitted for 2 1/2 years.
It provides all the energy we need and much more, above 7 knots.
I could cross the Atlantic twice, forgetting the freezer (yes, we had ice creams in the middle of the Atlantic), fridge, auto pilot and so on...
We could freeze the gigantic wahoo catched on second day, and enjoy it up to the Azores.
I can 't remember using the diesel generator during passages !
Really a revolution in cruising, not only for Vendee Globe racers !
Watt & Sea is a small French start-up, from La Rochelle, my home town.
There are two different models for cruisers, one for lower speeds, and the one I use for speeds between 6 and 10 knots (up to 20).
No concerns with big fishes !
Our wind gen. is a D400, it could top up batteries in windy trade wind anchorages (steady 20 knts), with only one fridge in use.
Not bad, but with lighter winds, we had to set the diesel gen. up for one hour or two each day. Noise is not a concern, something like a light "woosh", not the terrific whistleling of others.
Our service battery bank is AGM, 450 Ah 24 V.
I carefully monitor the bank voltage, and start charging when 24.8 V is reached.
We use two 50 A Victron Skylla chargers in parallel for quick charge.
If shore amps is poor, or diesel gen busy we only use one charger (8 A)
Charge voltages are adjusted to the batteries and temperature...
No solar pannels...

Interesting.

I am aware of a number of boats with this Watt & Sea kit. Some, smaller than your boat, have had difficulties with the mounting on the transom which has failed - and has now been remade in thick stainless steel.

Did you do any modifications to yours when you fitted it?

I saw one of these installations on one of the boats in the pool at the recent Southampton Boat Show. The mounting system looked to me to be very lightweight and my initial assessment was that I would not trust it in heavy weather conditions. In heavy weather there will be a large shear force on the transom mounting caused by the transom moving laterally in relation to the water as the boat falls off a wave.

The performance looks excellent; only the mounting concerns me. How does the mounting on the "cruising" version compare with that of the ocean racing version, which is presumably well tested?