Atlantic crossing preparations - SOLAR ARCH | STLT Ep.75

[@nortonmolly]

As a marine engineer I am most concerned about the deck connections. The original deck was not designed to have a tall structure bolted on it. Even though you stiffened the frame with the braces there will still be flex or vibration because you are sailing in a liquid dynamic environment. Every time the yacht rolls port to starboard the frame can flex, you may not see it due to your relative viewpoint, it’s from inertia. In my yacht I would fit or glues in gussets to help transfer the loads from the mounts to a larger area of deck and hull.

[@chrisdickinson1762]

We see this sort of comment on solar arch installations all the time, just because the deck wasn’t designed for tall structures doesn’t mean it wont take it. Flex will happen for sure but again may not be detriment, backing plates would help distribute the loads however from experience we hardly see any of these arches actually fail!! I say well done guys

[@michaeldobson8859]

Arches are very common installations on boats. Some are well designed and some are good installations. It requires both to have a safe secure installation. I would not say the boat cannot handle it but installing a backing plate under the deck and stern would be the correct approach in supporting the arch. I also noted that I did not see any grommets on the cables enterering and exiting the arch tubing. If there are no grommets protecting the cables, your solar cables will be short lived.

[@barrymccrae7242]

Nice nerdy video Alex ...... oh and Mandy of course.

[@seethelittlethings]

Thanks Barry 😉😉

[@VonBluesman]

You need to update the arch with a safe and secure baby swing, they are a life saver and can give you a well needed break at times. LOL 😂 Good job, the boat looks great. Stay safe. 🙏👍😎✌️

[@seethelittlethings]

That is the best idea ever! Don’t know why I didn’t come up with that yet! I will look for one now 😁😁

[@VonBluesman]

@@seethelittlethings You will need one for inside also, a battery powered one is better than the windup kind, it seems like when they just get to sleep, the spring winds down and wakes them up. Please do not get one of those jumper kind of swings that has a spring loaded clamp and is designed to attach to the door frame case molding, they are very unsafe. I had one and my son was less than a year old and he got to bouncing and the clamp lost it’s grip pressure causing my son and the swing to fall on the floor. I love your channel and am really happy and excited for ya’ll.

[@peterfrimas1539]

Guys I love your your sailing videos especially in Greece. I really hope you go back there again . I also love your technical videos a lot. Especially the Green Energy ones. I pray that you have a healthy, safe , happy and prosperous 2022

[@seethelittlethings]

Thanks Peter, that is so nice 😊 happy new year!

[@jmewilson737]

“ at least I’m excited”. Hahahaha. Looks awesome! Great job guys!

[@seethelittlethings]

😂😂😅 Thanks! The result is really not to shabby :D

[@ylemoine1]

Hi guys, great job on the arch. 👌 As mentioned by another commenter, keep an eye for gelcoat cracking on deck and transom from flex around the attachment points. I wouldn’t make any changes at this point, but if small cracks develop it’s probably a good idea to add a few layers of glass and epoxy to the underside to create rigidity. Spread it out pretty wide to distribute the load, but you already know this, don’t you Alex 😉. Low probability you’ll need this I think, but worth keeping an eye out. Of course if the areas are already reinforced, then you’re good 😌. Loving these tech videos, especially as I prepare my boat this spring for launch early May here in Toronto 🇨🇦. ⛵️ Fair winds 💨 . Oh, and Mandy, of course we learned something 🤓. You guys are number☝️.

[@ianb4801]

Very interesting work you did here and I had a chuckle when you discovered that clash with the Hydrovane as well. I had slightly different problems that way, having an arch, an panel inter-frame fabricated too - all in England with lockdown intervening. About your issue with the arch rocking another way is to have the forward and aft "rectangles" of different sizes - so the flexing patterns are different. On my boat, a Hallberg-Rassy 38, the stern is way narrower, and "converging" than your boat so I had a different set of engineering problems than you did. Crude advice to owner of older, blue-water boats like mine is "get a wider boat" (joke, the rounder bilge shape and steer shape give me advantages over newer, broader nd flatter steered designs in many ways. But my mounts are different too, having 4-holed flanges about 1500mm across with the frame tubes passing right through the deck as well. For bracing, a simple diagonal brace between top and forward frame was plenty good enough Different boat in many ways as my boom comes much further aft than your's and I had to allow for the backstay that runs between the panel inter-frame (no, if catastrophe takes the arch clean off, the backstay is not going to be taken away too - it is no "enclosed' within the arch frame at all. I said "no" to suggestions to have the pushpit removed so it could be loaded into the building jig for an integrated solution, for 2 reasons - so the arch could be removed one day and also I feared impending lockdown which might mean that I would lose my pushpit! Other issues that come into the design are how far back the boom comes and how the reefing lines run. Not much space for me so I had to configure my system to run a pair of large panels basically lengthwise across the stern, giving me any overhang issue width-wise. But having overhang across the very square stern was worse. With panels running more fore-and-aft, every possibility of snagging a reefing line and ripping a panel off that way. Other things, I have my panels mounted 7 feet high so my HydroVane clears underneath - but I do have a clash issue on one point of sail; can't help that as the way my stern and backstay sit then "perfection" was impossible. Another difference is that I have a seperate MMPT for each panel and I only switch/breakers on the "outside" of the MMPTs; fuses on the inside near the major set of bus bars. Having two seperate sides helps with redundancy and breakers on both sides of the MMPS's are overkill I think. But, number one - your system works, well done.

[@johnshobbies4224]

My favorite dependents 😀, nice nerdy video. Your stepping up your graphics. I know that look Mandy gave you 🥺.I’m dealing with wrist pain from using a nail gun every day. Got a cortisone shot Friday afternoon. It feels a little more tolerable. Great explanation of how everything came together. Take care of yourselves and stay safe. 🍻🌲🍹except for 👩🏼🙃

[@seethelittlethings]

mate stop using a nail gun every day 🙃 Take care 🥃💉cheers

[@johnshobbies4224]

@@seethelittlethings if I stopped using the nail gun everyday I’d have to disown you 🙊😉

[@geneberry7114]

I'm really liking the nerd stuff Alex : )

[@seethelittlethings]

Thanks Gene! Happy you enjoy those parts too 🌹

[@kendenman6000]

Just to add to Andrew's comment, instead of the diagonal braces, "gussets" or "webs", even if necessary, with a radius "cutout" for the curved corners of the frame, would have minimised obstruction, given better visibility and probably be stronger.

[@motioncontroller]

I love the fan bracing on the arch. Nice job explaining your process!

[@seethelittlethings]

Thanks Andrew! ❤️ we love it that you love it 😁

[@middelbas]

Looks like a very sturdy arch. Good job guys! Thanks for the update. And remember its good to be nerdy! 🤓

[@seethelittlethings]

Hihi thanks Bas 😬😄 we wouldn’t know it any other way!

[@DriftfishCo]

Nice Hydrovane! You guys should do a video about that.

[@brettagostini8025]

😂😂😂😂

[@KeithCarmichaelInFL]

LOL

[@seethelittlethings]

Great suggestion!

[@sailingtroublemaker]

Nice job! The result is amazing!!!

[@seethelittlethings]

Thanks Tiago!! We are super pleased ourselves hihi

[@peterfrebold]

..... Awesomeness ...... love to see people that are so efficient with performing their trade .. I would have also liked to have seen their shop if they were constructing for me ... the pics were good .... a question .. will you have water build up below where the solar wires exit or is there a drain hole at deck level, or maybe you just sealed it ..... the single bolt securement below the foot sure is compact and clean ...... hearing a hurrah from Mandy now that the panel is out of the salon ..... thx for the peek into your Atlantic crossing preparations Mandy and Alex ..... as always .. never stop dreaming, just dream bigger .. have fun be safe, save our oceans .....

[@harveyg845]

Great video guys, some humor, some nerd tech, and a little DIY . This one might be hard to top... It only bothered one of us...LMAO !!!

[@seethelittlethings]

Haha yeah I just like my space you know! And there is already not much of it on a 36 foot boat (but maybe more importantly I am so clumsy I NEED the space in order not to constantly hurt myself 🙈😅)

[@davidokelly413]

Great video as usuall Thanks guys

[@seethelittlethings]

Thanks David! So happy you keep enjoying them 🌹

[@peterengel7885]

It was good you have a very excellent contractor. They were very experienced and had good customer service. There are some horror stories out there about other contractors.

[@seethelittlethings]

Yessss we definitely got lucky! These Guys were very good. And quick. We were very pleased with them!

[@crikycrocky]

Great job you both and good points about the size of the tubing used. As an engineering trained guy myself I would add that design is everything. Depth of section is a key element in how rigid a structure can be for a given use of steel or any material for that matter. (you could also have added sheet steel webs at different places, like they do in I beam girders). Corrugated cardboard and monocoque car body structures are typical examples of this principle. Things have moved on a lot from when triangulated structures were the only solution, Just look at modern bridge design... Your reinforcing triangles maybe could have been wire as these elements, one or the other are under tension loads at any one time. Best wishes from the UK at the moment but hoping to be able to now get my own boat on it's way back to the water now restrictions are easing here.

[@carlobottigelli8955]

As an engineer (and designer+boatbilder of my 34' wooden cutter 20 yrs ago), I agree with only-wire bracings for the reiforcing triangles: a rigging look and less weight... toward the stern. Fair winds (sailing and in life....)

[@z_actual]

Interesting, I need to do this on my Pearson 365, so I am paying attention to existing works. Like you, in my head I began with stainless, which I have the ability to do, but I thought I might go with Aluminium tube around 2" (50mm) diameter. My reasoning is it wouldn't need diagonal support, it is easily stronger for accessories much like you intend. In this way I need to think about using it for the dinghy as a crane, mounting antenna and possibly radar just to lessen the number of parts on the back of the boat. cheers

[@seethelittlethings]

sounds good, keep in mind that you'd need mounts for all the accessories planned and for attaching them it's very likely you need some extra 25-30mm tube to clip in the standard mounts. not much readily available for a 2" tube that i know of. also, be aware of electrolysis if the accessories you plan to attach have stainless mounts. the connection of the metals will get ugly if there is no plastic washer in between. We attached the bimini frame to the aluminum toe rail and one year later the bolt was seized and the toerail ugly. Video of this coming soon :)

[@z_actual]

@@seethelittlethings and then antenna should be insulated anyway, and solar panels I have come with aluminium frames. What is it they say, 'its complicated'.

[@jerrybailey3095]

I like it guys looks good and will really help you out, big time. Take care and be safe...two thumbs up from Canada. 😎🐈👍👍

[@seethelittlethings]

Thanks Jerry! So far it has been amazing! Haven’t regretted it for a second :)

[@ackack612]

.....ok.....YOU WIN! Initially, not to sure about this channel when I stumbled across it.....Mandy, early yes, Alex, not so much. But, I kept watching. AND, props to you both! The vids and you have continued to improve. I thought this one was particularly good, outa the park Alex! Well done and looking forward to next up. Newport, RI.

[@seethelittlethings]

Hahahah YES! 💪💪 Alex is very loveable, he just needs a little time to warm up 😊😊 cheers ! 🍻

[@ErnestV]

Oh yes, I'd really like to subscribe. If I only had a button for that - but for quite some time YT only shows me "subscribed" ;-) And you know why - your vlog is the one I am most looking forward to every week, for me it is the most technically sound and at the same time most inspiring vlog I am following. You're a great help with my own refit plans, and with some ideas how to go forward once my little boat is ready for it (which I hope will be this summer). The only thing I am constantly confused with is your time warps - you manage to surprise me every time and I need to restart guessing what time of the year it was when you took an episode... Keep up the good work, and tell us about your crossing to the Canaries. Best wishes, alles Gute and het allerbeste as usal, Ernest

[@seethelittlethings]

Ooaaw thanks Ernest, so sweet of you!! So awesome to hear we can help you out here and there by sharing and inspire you too 🥰 Yeah our times are sometimes a bit back and forth. But mostly we are in our 5 months behind on real life time line. All the best to you too and good luck on the projects 💪 cheers!

[@davyp2993]

Another "most excellent" video. Alex: I loved the way you ignored Mandy's disgusted look, as she passed, at the beginning. I feel it has not been the first.! Mandy: He loves you really, he just has a funny way of showing it sometimes.! That was a good way to get people to subscribe, suggest that "big brother" is watching them. I appreciate your explaination as to the construction and the struts. I know some will say it was childish but your explanation was "idiot proof". To be honest I would have probably braced between 2&3 and not thought about the wiggle at the foot, thanks. Most of the solar arches I have looked at, either have the cables coming out of the leg like yours or the cables are just tied to the leg. You will know the next time. Im glad you went for the full height, so you do not have to duck underneath. It's looking good. Don't feel inadequate, the guy who invented that solar electrical connector never had to install it.! By the way, I am subscribed.! I have not illuminated the notification bell, will that make a difference to the "algorithm"? Keep up the good work.

[@sailingwind326]

I just love you guys y'all are So beautiful together ❤ notice that NC slang

[@seethelittlethings]

aaaah thanks! we send you love back ❤

[@davidclarke7728]

The victron controler does only one battery set I think, mine does two sets and charges one set to 70% before changing to the other , and has an app,which I really like, great video

[@seethelittlethings]

Yeah this one indeed only does one. That is correct. That is too bad. But man does it work amazingly good. The Victron devices all have apps too. The older models need an extra piece for Bluetooth but if you get the newer “smart” models that is integrated. It’s really fantastic! Thanks for watching 🌹

[@PeterJames143]

interesting project. Wonder what you think about just replacing the bimini completely with a solar panel structure.

[@seethelittlethings]

yeah we've seen that! Not sure if we'd do that. It is nice to be able to take it all down and see through our little window in the bimini to have sight of our sail. Alternatively we probably couldve put two panels on the arch. We also dont really need a lot more energy though (at the moment).

[@rondeane2003]

Good job, well done!

[@seethelittlethings]

Thanks Ron!

[@juan6168]

Congratulations for the Chanel. Gracias.

[@seethelittlethings]

Thanks Juan :):)

[@sailinggoeast5437]

Well done... Good Job! 😉

[@seethelittlethings]

Thanks guys ;) we’ve been missing you btw. Although we left now too. So yeah. Life goes on I guess! But we meet again. I am sure 😁

[@rickyroth4239]

You guys rock!!!

[@seethelittlethings]

Ooaaaw thanks Ricky 🌹

[@perrydiddle3698]

What about water seeping into the cable holes at the bottom. Won’t water accumulate and promote for corrosion? Or do you have drainage at the very bottom?

[@seethelittlethings]

eagle eyes.. Yes we have a little drain on the bottom of the bottom

[@richardwagner4443]

Hello Mandy and Alex, can you wrote me the price from the arge and tell me the matiriel is it stainles A4, have a good time and trip.

[@KeithBaileyEsq]

That's awesome guys. I have the same Rutland windgen that you had, and although I'm in the significantly less sunny UK, I find it annoying, noisy and barely produces any usable power. I guess you don't miss yours now!?

[@seethelittlethings]

No we don’t 😄 We’re happy with dead silent solar and we plan to cruise where the sun shines :)

[@markzieg3593]

Good job guys!

[@seethelittlethings]

Thanks Mark!

[@Davidhamnett]

I know I’m subscribed.. I still checked thou 🤣 love your channel

[@seethelittlethings]

Ha Made you look!! 😆😂

[@michaeldobson8859]

It looks to me that the tubing is not a large enough diameter to support the panels. That much flex demonstrates the fact.

[@kirstyjjamieson]

So funny you two 🤣

[@seethelittlethings]

Haha happy we could make you laugh ;);)

[@sailingmivida3093]

Well done

[@seethelittlethings]

thanks Mario :)

[@ppp9126]

Is that plywood you mounted Victron on marine grade or normal plywood?

[@KeithCarmichaelInFL]

Big and bad is never as good as small and smart! My favorite part of the story!

[@seethelittlethings]

Hahahaha 😁😁😁😬😬

[@sailing-artemis37]

Hi, very nice arch! I´m planing something similar on our 37´SO. What did the guys charge for the arch?

[@seethelittlethings]

Hey Dave, I’d calculate between 2500-3000 eur, depending on the design and material costs (tube diameter)

[@Kinimodus]

Another great vid. Why did you install breaker on both sides of the Victron ? I thought one fuse near the battery bank would be enough?

[@seethelittlethings]

It probably is. We just wanted to be able to cut the connection between the solar and the charge controller if we want to work on the controller. Also it it nice to have the breaker towards the batteries in case the load gets too high. One is probably not per se needed. But we like having the option and it wasnt very expensive nor a lot of work to do it this way :)

[@Kinimodus]

@@seethelittlethings thought so too, then I realized it would be easier to put a blanket over the panels :) do you have a link for the breakers you've been installing?

[@ooweesaler]

Nice job and thanks for sharing. I am getting prices in the uk of around £8k for the arch on our 36 foot boat. What was the cost in Spain?

[@seethelittlethings]

That’s obscene. We paid around 3k€ and found it expensive at the time. In Greece it can be done at around 2k

[@ivyshy98]

is that a bifacial panel? if it is, good choice with that kind of installation.

[@seethelittlethings]

Yeah it is! And it is soooo incredibly good. The best yield we got was over 500 watts on a 400 watt panel. Pretty epic 😎

[@ivyshy98]

@@seethelittlethings smart! surprised more people don't use it more for marine. all the light reflecting off the ocean! :D

[@alexbrenan6084]

PHHHHYSICCCCS AGAAIN!

[@seethelittlethings]

YEEEESSSS!!! And it NEVER gets old does it! Aaaaaah the power of physics ❤️

[@allynonderdonk7577]

Good controller upgrade. German engineering at it's finest!

[@barrymccrae7242]

I thought Victron was Dutch.

[@allynonderdonk7577]

@@barrymccrae7242 I meant the person doing the install.

[@seethelittlethings]

@Allyn Onderdonk @ Barry McCrae : German & Dutch is just the best combination. Nothing can go wrong there anymore 😉

[@allynonderdonk7577]

@@seethelittlethings Being a Dutch/German American I can't disagree.

[@paulgilliland2992]

There are two types of people in this world , welders and everyone who wants to be be a welder.

[@seethelittlethings]

Hahahaha had not thought of the world like that before 😁

[@stephenreardon2205]

Never angle grind with no goggles. Crazy

[@michaelanderson1788]

👍👍👍👍

[@pauljamison3340]

How many watts is the new solar panel?

[@seethelittlethings]

400 watts. But it is bificial. We have had as much as 550 watts coming in 😱 still can’t believe it. But it really works that well!

[@pauljamison3340]

@@seethelittlethings What brand is it?

[@seethelittlethings]

Its an LG Bifacial. In you Google it you’ll find it. They are not super easy to get and they only sell them in big sizes. But so worth it!

[@pauljamison3340]

@@seethelittlethings 👍♥️🙏🇳🇿🇩🇪🇳🇱

[@t540985]

You may need a bigger panels - I guess is that you need at least 1.5 - 2x bigger - also I find the EPEVER MPPT working better then Victron - but this is my own feeling and Victron (except for the price) is good...

[@seethelittlethings]

Victron just fits really well in our setup because we already had batteries and an monitor. We wanted to keep it one brand once we upgraded :) But the panel is amazing! It’s a 400watt LG bifacial panel and gives us 20-30 amps when the sun is right. Also before the sun comes up we already have a couple amps coming in. That thing is sooo good. Since we installed it we never had to look at energy again (and our fridge is basically a freezer now 😂). But we will do a video on our electrical upgrades soon!

[@t540985]

@@seethelittlethings I have 530w + Wind Turbine 400W and defiantly would love to have 800w solars - wind gen is not good - no matter what you do and what type of blade you use it is VERy annoying...

[@salgiron]

Now you have a place to do "chin-ups"! But can it hold the dingy?

[@ianb4801]

Not the wisest thing sometimes - a dinghy suddenly filling with water can bring the whole thing down!

[@seethelittlethings]

hahahaha yes, he has started trying that.. 😁 We think it will defo hold a dinghy if we want to add that. But for now we decided not to yet. Also when the Hydrovane is in use that really doesnt work hehe

[@svscatterling5538]

Hey guys....would you mind messaging me your budget for the arch only?

[@seethelittlethings]

Hey, between 2500 and 3000, we had some rework done later

[@VictoriaWargaming]

"Only bothered one of us" - glare. LOL.

[@seethelittlethings]

😁😁🥶

[@gregrood9736]

Why do you have BANANAS on board?????

[@richsander1118]

I was mesmerized by the knee holes in his jeans. I thought that was nice you wore them out but the realized the rips are in the wrong spot. You bought already ripped jeans. Lost some cred... All good, just kidding.

[@billgomez06]

GOOD JOB

[@seethelittlethings]

Thanks Bill!!!