Customer Comments

John, I'm about a year late with this E-mail but I have had a busy year. Just wanted to let you know how well my solar panel and charge controller worked out.

Keep in mind that I have a Frigiboat brand 12 volt reefer in the boat. Cindy and I took a two-week trip down to Cayo Costa and Captiva last May and the 125 Watt panel totally kept up my AGM battery bank the whole trip. Not once did I run the Perkins nor the Honda generator to charge the battery bank.

The Solar panel made my gauges look like I was plugged in to shore power during the day time. We did have beautiful weather the whole trip though with the only rain coming at night. I made a custom bracket that put the panel above my davits and it worked perfectly.

"Greatly Appreciated"

"Thank you!! ... Your time and effort on our behalf is really appreciated! Hotwire is THE GREATEST!!" Dean & Nancy Whitsett
s/v Pegasus

"Everything Works Great"

"Everything works great! Without you guys, we would not have been able to do it."

"The KISS is quiet"

We just installed a KISS on our IP42....The KISS is quiet. We've been in 15 knot winds at the dock, and in the cockpit with a bimini, dodger, and transition between the two (no side panels), we can't hear it. We can barely hear it forward of the mast.

Directly underneath (in line-of-sight) it sounds like slightly amplified wind. I tried holding a handheld anenometer near the KISS and have an amp-meter on the output wire. I couldn't get comparable readings because of the refresh delays of the two pieces, but 4 amps around 10 knots (as they claim) seems real.

Output was surprisingly variable depending on actual puffs and calms. (SF Bay isn't famous for its consistent winds, except that there's always too much in 'the slot' each afternoon in the summer.)...The blades are constantly changing speed with every wind change....We're partially blanketed by a large power boat interfering with the prevailing winds. A rare, steady breeze (10 knots) from our beam (not shadowed by the power boat) gives me the performance I expect.

"Never Have to Run the Engine"

"The Kiss is still going great! Here in Los Roques with it and a solar panel we NEVER have to turn on the motor to generate volts. We have ice for the martini's and unlimited time on the computer. Thanks again for a great product. (You can use this for an endorsement if you wish.)"

"A huge difference"

"I've got to say that we really enjoy the fan we have. What a huge difference it makes to blow outside air on us rather than just recirculating the air inside the cabin. ....Thanks for all of your help."

"Very quiet and great power"

"I purchased a KISS back in January....It works as advertised. Very Quiet and Great power output."

"More than met expectations"

"I have ... added, the KISS Wind Generator which has more than met my expectations. A folder on the Island Packet Owner's CD-Rom called KISS_Wind_Generator has a pictorial of our wind generator installation. Some of the same photos, although at a lot lower resolution are on Hayden's Island. (Island Packet Photo Site)"

"For those willing to spend the extra bucks you can do this type of install yourself (or not) and add the dual 120vac/12vdc hot water element and controller so that additional energy (when the batteries are topped off) produced by the high output KISS Wind Generator will spill over to the hot water heater and make hot water. The downside is that the element is around $100 bucks [$95.00] and the controller is two to three times that amount ($155.00 from Hotwire). However, still a great alternative for the extra energy output."

"As my career path winds down and takes a more and more leaning towards the joy of sailboat deliveries, canvas work and equipment fit-ups, I am now considering adding this KISS system install to my job list if there is any interest. "Have Van, Will Travel", most anywhere on the east coast."

~~_/)~~~~Bruce Gregory, IP 32-84 Morning°Star
~~~~_/)~~Website http://www.fullkeel.com
~~_/)~~~~IP Deliveries Anywhere
6/21/2003

"Wow!"

"WOW, the Servobrake now installed on our 1959 Samurai sloop is fantastic.. makes all the difference running before the local onshore SW winds which is the afternoon return-from-daysail mode. The first adverse gust showed it's utility as it slowed the rise and swing of the boom to a slow-motion dance!!"

"Many thanks for the device. We are for now running it to the genoa cars so as to find the optimum angle(s) and then will fix something for pulleys at the rail.. (making both ends adjustable for now).. Very good item.."

"Thanks for people like you"

"The KISS is awesome. We're making ice!"

"You guys, the KISS is awesome. We're making ice and stuff. I just wrote and sent a product review for the magazine [Latitudes & Attitudes]. It will show up in an issue soon. Thanks again for everything."

"Port Fans are excelent"

"I have just returned from Bermuda and must commend you on your Port Fans, they are excellent!"

"KISS beats small noisy generators"

"We didn't see any others of these units [KISS High Output wind generator] when we first started cruising but we are now seeing them more and more. Beats the small noisy alternatives! Thanks for your help."

An Ode to KISS

One of our customers, Ken Filina, sent us this nice compliment -- and a poem about his KISS!

We're sitting here in Honduras making lots of juice with the strong Easterly trades. Thank you for being so professional and helpful, fully standing behind your product, and we have let our many cruising friends know of your fine services.

We are so happy, I wrote this poem, and also have put it to music, thought you'd like it.

KISS Wind Generator Poem

Sittin' on my boat, checkin' out wind generators,
I see all kinds of models and makes.
There's two blades, an' there's three blades, four, maybe six,
one or two, even have airbrakes.
Some are mounted on the mizzen, other's stuck high on a pole,
waitin' just to do what they're told.
Here in Mario's Marina, there's no prevailing wind,
the Frenchman's got his flag, it's painted on the tail fin.
The Aussie, and the Brit, built theirs from a kit,
while I myself prefer a KISS.
It's efficient, and it's quiet, doesn't sound like a riot,
even when the winds pick up a bit.
My KISS, a great unit, was made in Trinidad,
built by smart people , who help, if things go bad.
They'll e-mail you with tips, shipping parts if they're needed,
and maybe even ask, "is your new bearing, in and well seated?"
Every now and then, thru the marina we get a blow,
and I love to watch those wind/gens, as they start up and go.
Pumpin' out the amps, like heavyweight champs,
when the wind up and dies, they'll start to slow.
After hurricane season, all the boats they leave the Rio,
everybody's goin' cruising', even old Captain Leo.
Headed to a favorite anchorage, where the winds they blow so strong, Sittin' with a sundowner, listen'in to his wind/gen's song.

It's a great way to make energy, by harnessing the wind,
'cause it's free electricity, when those three blades spin.
My wind/gen's a good addition, to our cruising sailboat,
and keeps my family happy, while spending our lives afloat.

Ice Cream in the Freezer