Shoreham houseboat and the winds of change...

The turbine's large blades can be seen whirring above the boat Jalna, moored at Riverbank, Shoreham Beach.

Phil Whipp has lived on the boat for nearly eight years and said he was something of a guinea pig where the turbine was concerned.

"I am the test case," he told the Herald. "All I have done is had it put up and had it connected. We have just finished putting it up."

Mr Whipp, 67, said it was early days for the turbine, adding small adjustments were still being made to try to make it quieter and stop vibration from its base.

He said: "There is a bit of noise at the moment. It is like a bit of a hum. We are just going to live with it for a while.

"It is still not quite right. We are trying to get rid of the vibration '“ we had it encased in metal and we have now encased it in rubber."

It is hoped the turbine will produce around 700-worth of electricity per year, as Mr Whipp explained.

"We got on to Shoreham Harbour and got the average wind speeds for the whole of last year, and that is the figure it came up with," he said.

Mr Whipp said he was waiting for a change in the weather so the turbine could be put properly through its paces.

"Since I have done it, we haven't had a lot of wind. The last fortnight has been really calm. It is like a test case to see how it all goes, what we save and what we get back. I thought I would give it a go," he added.

The turbine, which will need planning permission if it is to become a permanent fixture, has been supplied by Shoreham firm Advance Electrical Contractors.

Owner Spencer Tebbs said: "I have had an interest in wind turbines for some time. There is a lot of hype about them, and different systems. I just want to see whether it works or not."

Anyone who would like more information about the possibility of putting up a wind turbine should call Mr Tebbs on 01273 464065.