Thank you all for the replies and sugestions when I was planning my Marine Kenetics wind generator a while back. After a first class job by a stainless guy in La Paz I was unhappy with the amount of power it was generating. The engineer at M K was always available and knowledgable. The replies were that the unit needed to break in and that when I read windspeed at the top of the mast, the actual wind at genset level is less. I agreed about wind but was leery about "breakin time" Well last week we sailed all night with wind close reaching 25-40 knots. As expected dawn broke with the batteries at 14.0 volts. Since then the unit produces better in my readings. I am a satisfied customer however I can see Steve's point about low winds in Pacific Mexico, and Brian's comment about avoiding shading. I did what I could about shading and We are planning to head East to the Caribbean next year. My batteries are better charged a few mornings a week and occasionally topped up in the morning. but we have no freezer and a small fridge. Folks with higher useage probably would not see much help most days. The unit is quiet up to when the wind gets over 20. At 35 knots there is a roar but then noise comes from everthing then.
Tom Evans
SV Tappan Zee
Bahia de Los Angeles, Baja