Live aboard a sailboat powered by solar for appliances, lights etc.

by Sandra A.
(RI)

My fiancé Jim, small seadog Smudge and I plan on living aboard our 37' Irwin Sailboat.

It has a diesel engine with 2 batteries and one backup battery. I am a 100% service connected army veteran and my husband to be works in the marina environment.

He works for a powerboat industry though, much to my dismay (only because of my passion for a green/blue planet).

We bought our sailboat as a refitting project and we want to make it mainly energy self sufficient. Our children attend URI and their school has a boat foundation,this is where we purchased it.

We want to be able to help support our children’s future and their beginning adulthood with URI. Actually this is what I wanted to take on as a project as I am unable to work and I do enjoy the earth and what it gives us.

I want to give back to earth or at least conserve for future generations. I want to utilize the earth’s gifts as best as we can. Looking back on my life I always wanted to be able to rely on nature and what it gave me.

My fiancé’s dream was to live aboard our sailboat and cruise. He has done this before and got great tremendous happiness from it even when there were pitfalls. So our dream together is to be a live-aboard couple surviving mostly on what the earth provides for us.

We live on the northeast part of the east coast so heat is a factor for us. This is going to be my pet project so I want to do the best I can. I have been researching the web and talking to people that use solar energy as well as wind energy for their boats.

Unfortunately I am really starting from the beginning. I have 4 grown children, no grandchildren for me yet and my fiancé has a daughter and 2 grandsons.

I want them to have the best of everything which includes whatever nature can provide for them.

They are all excited for us as we start this endeavor and are very supportive. Jim is doing a lot of work on the boat such as replacing valves woodworking and such; I am doing the reupholstering of the cushions and curtains.

But now I want to take a productive role in implementing our Solar/Wind/Earth's system.
I would like any information you can provide to me regarding anything from initial implementation to revamping the whole thing.

As a disabled veteran I have time (I hope) and I have the passion to do this. This is our dream together. Oh by the way our boat's name is Miracle. How fitting for both of us, and our small 10 pound seadog, Smudge.

Any help in the way of information, websites etc. would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Sandy, Jim
And Smudge from
Our new home "Miracle"

Energy Audit Training – A Green Career, Whether The Economy Is Up Or Down

Download a free preview copy of an effective home made wind generator plan here.



How To Build Your Home With Straw





The Great Green Movies Guide