Why are we driving around in the bed of a truck in Mexico? Our solar panel broke.
21 January 2026 · 14 min · 219 views · La Paz
Crew installs solar panel on sailboat Hiraya at anchor.
What this video covers
A failed 200-watt solar panel on a Tartan Marine 34 C forces a solar array rebuild at anchor in La Paz, Baja California. The panel, only three years old, had been troublesome for four to five days before the crew confirmed it was dead, cutting the boat's 500-watt array to 300 watts — a 40% capacity loss that made running onboard internet difficult.8:47 The crew located a solar store a few blocks from the anchorage, bought a replacement panel, and rode in the bed of the store's pickup truck to ferry the oversized panel back to the dinghy.6:22 Because the new panel's dimensions differed from the existing ones, the entire bimini-mounted array had to be reconfigured: all four panels came off, the frame was redesigned, and the layout was rotated to accommodate the larger panel.9:20 Sourcing mounting hardware in La Paz proved slow — stores often lacked needed parts.10:42 After a couple of days of work, the rebuilt array totaled 620 watts.13:54 The episode also covers sailing off the anchor at Bonanza Bay on Isla Espíritu Santo and a 21-mile passage into La Paz, where the crew attempted to check in with the Capitán de Puerto without success.2:09
Boats in this video
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