Space on deck is scarce, even on larger sailing yachts: A solar panel must therefore not block it, the area has to remain usable. On the Jeanneau 449, this was solved by a custom-made system – fully walkable and integrated into the deck.
As the yacht is offered for bareboat charter, the system had to be reliable and durable. The cables, which together with the junction box represent the mechanical weak point of a solar module, were therefore routed through deck below the panel, invisible and protected. The textured surface provides slip resistance and is highly resilient.
With 176Wp, this system provides about 50-80Ah (@13V) of daily charge in summer, which is usually sufficient to run the refrigerators and in any case greatly extends the battery runtime. This gives charter guests the opportunity to spend several days at anchor without having to start the engine and cool drinks with renewable energy – in combination with moving around by the wind, this allows for a vacation with minimal CO2 emissions.
A cell layout optimized for the shadow from the boom with five panel-integrated bypass diodes ensures high energy output and shade tolerance despite coverage by sails and rigging. Configuration and monitoring can easily be done via the Victron SmartSolar MPPT controller’s bluetooth interface.
In addition to the Jeanneau 449, this system can also be installed identically on the Jeanneau 409.
The Jeanneau 449 shown here can be booked at Sailisfaction for sailing trips in Croatia and Cape Verde.
Technical data:
Power: 176Wp
Panel series: SP
Weight: 2,8kg
Battery voltage: 12V
Battery type: AGM
