Solar
Panels
on the stern.
The Solarex sun panels provide the energy necessary to
drive the autopilot. With two large 100 ampéres batteries, the consumption
of electricity is roughly 20 ampéres per day, mostly by the Navico
autopilot.
The 2 fixed
panels on the stern provide 20 W each. In addition, Reima has a third orientable
solar panel at 30 W. He also carries a little 350 W Honda generator that
weighs only 6 kg to be able to produce power should the solar panels prove
to be unsufficient.
"Suddenly
I see the silhouette of another Mini just off to port - looks like Toma,
the race favourite. He's going about 3 knots faster than me, with his masthead
kite up still. Incredible sight, as all I can really see is the outline
of the boat and the white spray which is reaching up to the first spreader.
It doesn't last so long - he buries the boat in a wave, huge wipe-out,
and the kite self destructs as it flags violently against the rig....and
then ends up in the sea. Wow."