Making a floating office so I can escape my landlocked existence.

Hi all, I'm a fan of sailboats and off-grid living. I want to make my way out west, but I refuse to pay those mental realestate premiums out there. So, looking to make a live aboard that I can work from and sail around the PNW. Currently rebuilding her from top to bottom, she is tiny but classy 27 ft classic plastic boat. Eventually it would be nice to find some land out there to make an offgrid workshop on, but you have to crawl before you can run. Anyway, For sure doing some interesting things on her. Im planning on go LiFePO4 battleborn(possibly a diy alternative, if I can find a cost effective way to match the battleborns). She will be all LED lighting, Solar, with a possibility for a Wind Gen and Water prop to regen. I will have the engine as well, but I want to keep to offline as much as possible with renewables. Im currently trying to figure out my energy needs vs storage vs solar array ect. Its tough cause I will be using a PC , with at least 3 screens or 1 large ultra wide. With space being limited, Im going to have to figure out how to stick 400 AH most likely in a small compartment, and then design (most likely) a 48V system, depending on what I find in my research here. I hope to be posting pictures of my project once I get started. This year its all about saving the money for the system I want to create, which is going to be pricy but worth it imo. Anyway, that is my little story, hope to be bouncing ideas off you all shortly !

Sailboats have a nasty habit of throwing shade on solar panels. Make sure you plan for the shading when you wire the panels and with the amount of solar panels you use. The size of your boat may be a limiting factor on the amount of solar you have so adding wind and prop regen is a good idea. Are you planning propane for cooking or inductive electric? What about refrigeration? Will you have a water maker? I assume you plan on anchoring for free instead of using mooring buoys or slips to save money. I have no idea what the PNW is like for sailboats as my experience is all in Florida and the surrounding areas. Good luck!

Bolo, yeah its one of the things Im looking into with solar panels, shading. Not to mention PNW tends to be cloudy, but its not unheard of to work off of solar alone up there. Fridge unit will be small and minimal draw I can find, the only thing I really eat that requires fridge is a pack of lunch meat and cheese, probably try to find space for some broccoli and the chopped up onion and tomato I will have left over from sandwiches. Only other thing I can think of is space for some fish I catch. I'm most likely going diesel heater/stove, as it does get chilly up there, and as much as I enjoy electrical heating, it wont be possible. Watermarker is not a concern as there are plenty of ports in the area and refills wont be too crazy, the boat comes with 20 gal storage tank, but I can add a one or two juggs if I plan to be out in the wilderness for extended stays. The PNW doesn't have much ( that I Know of) in free morrage and or anchorages. Though a public pass for the park anchorages are pretty cheap. I will have a marina I will be based out of. Yes its more of a cost, but I am completely new to the area, and I'd prefer, at least to start with a home marina, until I find out about all the anchorages and accessibility. Its a lot more regulated up there in the PNW compared to Florida, it seems very similar to the great lakes( which I currently sail). Thanks for the luck! Honestly if I didnt have to have a two computer screens to work on for my jobs, I would be set with a 200 AH setup ez, but monitors and a computer suck a solid chunk of power.

I am doing a smiliar thing but instead for a 40 foot Albin Trawler. I really like Will's video for the "2000Watt, 24V Solar Power System w/LiFePO4 Batteries", it even has the transformer to knock the output line out to 12 VDC for all the Marine 12VDC needs, but he warns against using it with "an alternator", although for your system and mine it just makes sense to send some charge to the batteries when the engine(s) are running. (Need to carify why Will says this)... Also, as you are, I need to determine that ACTUAL power use, and RECOVERY time, to see if I can use the 200AH of Will's system mentioned above or if I need to double the batteries and go to a 400AH system. Also, I plan to have 1950 Watts of solar panels, making a roof over the aft deck made out of these solar panels. (thus dual use; sun and rain protection and a solar roof! I have a food truck now and I derive 100% of my electric power from solar/battery bank. I found that knowing actual power generation per day is as essential as knowing wattage usage. The sun comes up and recharges. Even when I use a lot of power at a big event I still have never lost power! Anyway, I hear you about a Marine System. We are doing similar but different things.

St34mPunkPrivateer said:

Im currently trying to figure out my energy needs vs storage vs solar array ect. Its tough cause I will be using a PC , with at least 3 screens or 1 large ultra wide.

Click to expand...

Figuring out the needs is the right place to start!

If you have the computer and screens, the best way to figure out their draw is to measure it using a Kill-a-Watt or equivalent watt meter. (If you don't have a watt meter, it is a good (mandatory?) sub $50 investment for DIY solar projects.

This thread has a tool that might help you plan.
https://diysolarforum.com/threads/energy-audit-and-system-sizing-spreadsheet.3552/

St34mPunkPrivateer said:

With space being limited, Im going to have to figure out how to stick 400 AH most likely in a small compartment, and then design (most likely) a 48V system,

Click to expand...

400 AH at 48 volt is a LOT for a sail boat. You might find you can get away with a lot less.

FilterGuy said:

Figuring out the needs is the right place to start!

If you have the computer and screens, the best way to figure out their draw is to measure it using a Kill-a-Watt or equivalent watt meter. (If you don't have a watt meter, it is a good (mandatory?) sub $50 investment for DIY solar projects.

This thread has a tool that might help you plan.
https://diysolarforum.com/threads/energy-audit-and-system-sizing-spreadsheet.3552/



400 AH at 48 volt is a LOT for a sail boat. You might find you can get away with a lot less.

Click to expand...

Yea, I was thinking the same. I have a FOOD TRUCK with a full size industrial refrigerator and pump and appliances and my battery bank is MUCH smaller than yours. 24 volts at 225 AH. A couple of computers and some screens does not draw more than industrial refrigeration, water pump, appliances, lights for a FOOD truck!