How do you handle the heat?

Phil Herring

Alien
Mar 25, 1997
4,918
- - Bainbridge Island
This summer has been downright toasty in some places. What do you do to handle high temperatures when youre at the dock or at anchor?

 
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Oct 19, 2017
7,732
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
Living aboard in Clearwater Fl, as a kid, I use to take one of those large squares box fans and put it at the head of my bunk. Then, I'd strap one end of my sheet around it and tuck the other edges under me. I'd sleep in an inflated cotton balloon. Very comfy but a little noisy.

- Will (Dragonfly)
 
May 7, 2011
205
Catalina 30 Lake Lanier
Boom tent, open hatches and 12v fans when on the hook and marine A/C when at the dock. A good boom tent can be worth its weight in freshwater on a hot sunny day.
 
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Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
As long as there are hookups there will be AC. Out on the water we enjoy our huge bimini. All the fans below have been replaced with new, more efficient ones as well as LED lighting to save on battery usage.
There's always the option of stepping off the open transom into the lake.
 

DougM

.
Jul 24, 2005
2,242
Beneteau 323 Manistee, MI
If its too hot, there is no wind. Stay home in the air conditioning!
Had enough of the heat when I was working indoors in an un-airconditioned plant.
 
Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
I am presently putting together a cloth panel that, instead of a pup tent, would cover half the boat from the mast to the dodger. The theory is when anchored, one half the boat will be on the sunny side from the sun. This 9- foot long panel will attach to the boom on the upper end. Abeam-wise it will attach down to either lifeline, or to the toe rail- whatever it takes to block the sun and/or rain yet allow the breeze into the open, shady, port. This way, the other side of the boat is open for easy passge.
 
Mar 20, 2015
3,094
C&C 30 Mk1 Winnipeg
Our yearly temps range from -40F to 100ish F, so we are not suffering the avg. higher temps of some places.

Back in the day I worked in a place were it was kept cool for the broadcast equipment, not the humans. Brrrr. Between that, and having central air at home and A/C in the car, we never got acclimatized to summer temps.
This was a problem for 2 people who love the outdoors.

As a test, we spent a whole year without using A/C at home. We open the windows at night, and close them up during the day. We haven't turned our central air since then, and have no idea if it still works.
We use the A/C in our cars, a couple times this year, to quickly cool the interior, before turning it off and enjoying the breeze.

This worked great. Especially when we departed to SE Asia in 96F, 60%rh , and arrived to 102F and 90% Humidity. Within two days, I was wearing jeans like the locals. No more sweating when tenting, hiking at home. etc.

We do the same on the boat. Open the hatches at night. close them up as much as possible during the day. Installing 2 solar fans is on my todo list.
In fact, the boat due to it's size, does a complete air exchange quickly, so it cools fast at night.
A boom tent, and bob's yer uncle.

FWIW: We do need warmer clothes, when other locals who use a/c, find the summer temps nice, but we can live with that.
 
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TomY

Alden Forum Moderator
Jun 22, 2004
2,758
Alden 38' Challenger yawl Rockport Harbor
Docks can be tricky in hot weather. These last few weeks on a few docks and an end for end mooring, I was constantly reversing deck hatches and swinging cowl vents to channel the breeze.

But our awning saved our hides! Literally. At times, the sun was painful, like here in Sandwich Ma. We had a great breeze coming on the beam but until the awning supplied some shade, the heat was intolerable (by us).

In the shade the awning provided, the relief was heaven.
Sandwich awning.jpg
 
Sep 25, 2008
7,075
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
This summer has been downright toasty in some places. What do you do to handle high temperatures when youre at the dock or at anchor?

Most of you northern guys hibernate all winter while the boat sits on stands while we deal with the heat by going sailing or turning on the A/C. Maybe a better question is how people deal with the cold?
 
Mar 20, 2015
3,094
C&C 30 Mk1 Winnipeg
Maybe a better question is how people deal with the cold?
Having worked in the Arctic i can say with conviction that cold is not an issue. You just put on some more clothes.
With heat, removing more clothes is not an option. Less so for people who are less visually appealing. :biggrin: (hmm or more of an option based on what I've seen on some types of beaches)

The same thing applies in winter for us. We do everything we can to acclimatize. With a 140 F range in temps you learn to deal with both. This summer we have set record highs so that 140 F range is looking to be subject to future change. :(

As for winter hibernation.. nope… we just go rent a boat or house down south, and have someone else deal with the maintenance costs and labour. ;)
 
Last edited:
Mar 20, 2015
3,094
C&C 30 Mk1 Winnipeg
Since white is MUCH cooler, why aren't Biminis white? I've had both; there must be a 5F drop in temperature when you change to white (having made the change). You ever see a bus with a dark roof? No, they paint them white on top.
+1

But a bus doens't look very nautical without a blue roof. ;)

My current boom tent is reflective silver. I got the idea after seeing and using sun umbrellas/parasols in asia.
I won't want anything other than white or silver. In spite of it's boring appearance. hehe
 
Feb 20, 2011
7,990
Island Packet 35 Tucson, AZ/San Carlos, MX
I'm so glad our new-to-us boat had AC installed, but it was no match the potent Mexican sun. Deep in the dock box were some shade cloths of differing sizes and shapes of which we had no idea how they might be mounted.

Thus the sad-sack look!

20180808_091741.jpg Instead of cabin temps hovering around 85-86F, we knocked 'em down to 82.

Did get in one decent sail last week where we were able to get all sails up and drawing.

20180809_120818.jpg
Then I hove to to allow the admiral to troll for sharks.

20180809_134658.jpg
 
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jwing

.
Jun 5, 2014
503
ODay Mariner Guntersville
Since white is MUCH cooler, why aren't Biminis white?
1) Darker colors are easier on the eyes. In many areas, the main function of Bimini covers is to protect from sun radiation, not to reduce temperature.

2) I have read several sources that claim that items made with darker colored material are more resistant to UV damage than are items made with lighter colors.