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Hello Glenn,

On your first question about the Litex product, I have never used this product, but these products are generally called "skim coatings." I did some online research (litexinc.com) and found that these finishes are designed for home applications. They cure to a very hard finish, and hard inflexible finishes on a boat are a problem. I do not recommend using this product; at the end of the day you would be covering old material that is failing (chipping) and it will continue to fail underneath the skim coating. In addition, the specific Litex finish will be inflexible and as the hull flexes, cracks will form and then you have a real problem. Although it's a lot of work, your best bet is to strip the area down using a chemical stripper and then sand smooth, prime and repaint. Then you know you have done a job that will last for years to come and look good.

Regarding your second question, wind generators are easier to install than solar, but personally I don't like them. Wind generators create extra drag, are not that attractive, and are noisy. Many people swear by them, but the constant hissing of wind generators is annoying to me. I've actually moved anchorage to get away from a boat that came in after us and had a wind generator. Wind generators however will produce more power, so if the objective is long term cruising, then perhaps wind power is the way to go.

Solar is more complex and requires a solar inverter, but creates no extra windage, makes no sound at all and doesn't detract from the lines of the yacht, although the solar cells themselves are not that attractive. So if you simply want a trickle charge to keep the batteries up during your absence, then I would go with a small set of solar cells installed in inconspicuous place.

As for a resource center for wind and solar power for yachts, I would recommend eMarine Systems at this link: www.e-marine-inc.com. This site has a lot of information about both wind generators and solar systems and is a good place to start.

Best of luck,

Captain Craig Bliss