Product of the week: The trickle-charger for sailing boats

7:53 PM Sat 24 Oct 2009 GMT

'Rollable solar sail in place on a bimini and working' .

Last week we brought you a solar panel which can trickle feed your battery while you are not on the boat. This week we bring you one that is a little more expensive, but ideal for sailing boats.

The product is called rollable solar film. It attaches to the canvas of your boat, and when you don't need it or want to remove the canvas - a bimini for instance, the film can be rolled up and safely stored below.

The film is made of silicon, which is abundantly available in the world.

Rollable solar panel ready for storage - .. .

The panels are monolithically integrated, which eliminates the need for damage-prone manual connections of individual solar cells.

When you buy this product it comes with full instructions, and is very simple. The hardware in the product is made from UV resistant PVC with stainless steel fasteners suitable for maritime use.

For images of the connectors and a diagram to show how the they work, see the pictures below this story.

There are four sizes, from from 7-watt panels to 28-watt panels, ranging from $138 to $338. For more information, or to purchase online, go to www.solarforsail.com

by Lisa Mylchreest