The dream of adding new solar panels just got so much bigger than anticipated.  

Instead of just buying and installing new panels we decide to build a new solar arch spanning the width of the boat (over 7 meters wide and 3 meters tall).

We circle back to our friend Dan on Sel Citron (Catana 52) as he had his solar arch built at Norsand in Whangarei, NZ.  He hired a stainless fabricator named Phil Waddell.  So, we contacted Phil, explained what we were looking for and hired him.

Matt created a design plan of what we were looking for which was similar to Sel Citron but a smidge wider.  

I wrote up a full 10 page document identifying our design process, specifications, must haves and like to haves.  Comment below if you are interested in seeing this.

We want our solar panels to be inset and not sticking out or above the solar arch.  In order to get this look we plan to have the arch go from the outside of each hull.  Sel Citron went on the inside of each hull making his arch narrower.

The solar panels will also run perpendicular to the boat with the longest length of the panel running from port to starboard.  This will maintain our boat length of 14.5m (47′).

Measurements

Our fabricator, Phil Waddell came and took extensive measurements as he and Matt talked through the design.

Big decisions were made about the thickness of the tubes, the angle of the poles, the connecting, points, the conduit entry/exit points, weight, size, and location of each piece going on the arch, and attachment points.

Design imperatives:

• The poles (tubes) had to match the angle of the bimini supports (same trajectory)
• Dimensions of the arch could not extend beyond our davits as we did not want to increase the length of the boat.
• The width of the arch would extend from the outside of each hull making it about 7 meters long.
• The solar panels had to sit flush inside the arch supports.  We did not want the solar panels to sit on top or overhang on any of the edges.
• We wanted the entire arch to be electropolished.
• Each of the four corners and center points have to have entry/exit points for cables and wires.

Phil and Matt decided that the diameter of the poles would be 75mm.

The Fitting

Phil had to buy an extendable trailer hitch to transport our arch from Kerikeri to Whangarei (1hr20min). 

There was a lot of noodling over how to test fit the arch. 

We decided a forklift might work but we quickly realized the yard’s forklift could not lift the arch high enough.

So, we hired Culham Engineering to bring a crane.

It took five of us to gently fly this arch into place.

Matt and Phil attached lines to help guide the arch as she was raised above the boat masts.

We raised the arch above our neighbors mast, and over our mast before slowly lowering it behind our boat.

Phil used “handcuffs” between the forward and aft legs for support (they will not be there permanently. However, because the handcuffs were temporary it negatively impacted the fit.

Phil had to do some adjustments and mark the bottom of the legs for placement.

It took us about 2 hours to do the fitting and at least 8 hours of preparation.

Stay tuned for the installation of the solar arch in our next blog post.

Contacts

Stainless Fabricator: Phil Waddell hardout98@icloud.com and his wife Joy Waddell joyw2@icloud.com. 

Phil is NOT interested in building another solar arch like ours (it was too big).  However, he is open to smaller arches and other stainless fabrication.

Our blog posts run 8-10 weeks behind actual live events. 

We started working with Phil in early November and had the fitting on 16 December 2025.

Our blog posts run 6-8 weeks behind actual live events.  We worked on the solar arch from Nov.2025-February 2026.

Don’t miss our massive project updating our fresh water tanks in our last blog post.