Oh the modern conviences. I wonder how the old salty sea dogs faired out in the old days or even on the old tall ships of yesteryear??????? Sorry but I will enjoy sitting on the mountain top in AC drinking a cool beer or cold rum but venture outside when dark to see the moon and stars only after working for the last three weeks 10 hours a day in the hot sun getting the Scout boats ready for summer camp.
Cruising in the heat
- Thread starter Bad Obsession
- Start date
Bad,
Have you thought about a forward hatch wind catcher? I have one that gives me more breeze below. There are different styles, I personally like the ones shaped like little spinnakers. You can also adjust the angle of the sail with an extra lined attached to the head & pulled toward the bow to maximize airflow.
Here's a link to give you an idea:
http://store.marinebeam.com/breeze-bandit-wind-scoop-hatch-wind-catcher/
CR
Have you thought about a forward hatch wind catcher? I have one that gives me more breeze below. There are different styles, I personally like the ones shaped like little spinnakers. You can also adjust the angle of the sail with an extra lined attached to the head & pulled toward the bow to maximize airflow.
Here's a link to give you an idea:
http://store.marinebeam.com/breeze-bandit-wind-scoop-hatch-wind-catcher/
CR
We have a bimini and dodger with a center vent that stays open except when it rains. We have a generator and run HVAC continuously when not at the dock, so we keep the interior at 72. We just stay down below during the hot part of the day. In the hot part of the summer, it takes around 24 hours to get rid of all the heat soaked effects, but in 3 to 4 hours, it is usually not too noticeable. By running HVAC, once the interior is cooled and the surfaces aren't radiating heat, it is very comfortable and stays that way. We cook on a grill out in the cockpit and avoid using the stove. The reverse works in the early spring and late fall when it is cold. We put on the rear enclosure panels and the cockpit stays warm from solar heat. By using these methods, we sail about 9 months a year on Kentucky Lake. During the month of August, we pretty much stay home when the temps are high and the humidity is too.
watr under my boat is approx 90-100f. nothing works. storms come., tarps happen and shade is a must or sleep in pools of sweat. i go into a marina for summer and use air conditioning, which occasionally is overrun by the heat, but more the humidity, as that is 9000 percent. air here only gets around 85 uyear round, but humidity in summer is very high
but i willnot go to the north for colder water under my keel. if i go anywhere north is for repairs i cannot do anywhere else.
fans and air, keep boat open until air conditioner can plug in, and covers over coachhouse for comfort, as they lower temps by about 10 degrees f
but i willnot go to the north for colder water under my keel. if i go anywhere north is for repairs i cannot do anywhere else.
fans and air, keep boat open until air conditioner can plug in, and covers over coachhouse for comfort, as they lower temps by about 10 degrees f
After 11 yr sailing in Florida my solution was to move to the west coast! It's been very cool the past month in Southern California (San Diego County) along the coast although very hot in the deserts. Sitting here in Oceanside with the boat, it's cool, overcast (June gloom) with a touch of mist in the air. Cool, but comfortable.
It has been hot. 94 this past weekend. But the water temps on the Ches Bay are just now reaching 80 degrees. What we have always done is seek out summer anchorages - places that offer protection, but are open, so that the breeze can sweep the water and move through the ports and hatches. Beyond that there is a way of living here where you move slower, eat less, swim more and adapt to the sensation of being hot. In the old days, when our boats had fewer opening hatches I swung a jungle hammock from the forestay to the mast and slept outside. That works well.
During the day those sun shades do help, but if its still too hot when the sun goes down, you have to find a breeze. or make one. windscoops, fans.
or, you could get a window a/c unit and plug into a 110 outlet (slip). many folks have made them fit in the companion way...
-there are a few 'anchorages' with docks that I have seen folks put their generator on the dock and run the a/c. (boca chita)
http://www.skianything.com/wp-conte...e-National-Park-Boca-Chita-Boat-Dock-Web1.jpg
I'm not keen on running a portable generator on the boat.
or, you could get a window a/c unit and plug into a 110 outlet (slip). many folks have made them fit in the companion way...
-there are a few 'anchorages' with docks that I have seen folks put their generator on the dock and run the a/c. (boca chita)
http://www.skianything.com/wp-conte...e-National-Park-Boca-Chita-Boat-Dock-Web1.jpg
I'm not keen on running a portable generator on the boat.
True sea story;
USS Last Ship, Guided Missile Destroyer, on deployment in the Persian Gulf in the summer of 2010. Air temps were a consistent 105 to 110 with darn near 100% humidity. Deck surface temps reached 140. Sea water injection temp between 101 and 104, the coolant in the plants never condensed from gas back to liquid.
When you step out on the weather decks from any sealed hatch you are almost instantly wet, within 10 minutes your uniform is soaked through to include your skivy shorts and socks... Not from sweat. Your body is like a cold beer you pull from a cold reefer, the moisture from the air instantly condenses on your cooler body.
Watch Standers on the bridge, bridge wings, aft-look out, and gunners on the weather decks were miserable and high risk for heat stress/heat stroke.
I jump on the (slow as hell) internet and find a military surplus store in Vermont that sells the old fashioned cammo netting... the type that has a polyester net meshed with strips of cut polyester fabric. The difference is the US military only stocks it in 4 foot by 8 foot panels, it costs way too much and wouldn't show up through regular Navy supply channels until we were already back home 6 months later vs. now-a-days civilian companies manufacture it in any color you want in bulk rolls that are 8 feet wide by as many yards long as you need. I ordered about 8 rolls that were something like 20 yards, paid with Gov't credit card and vendor shipped free UPS ground to our home port where my freight expediters forwarded it out to us "in-bound hot". In less than 2 weeks myself and my sailors armed with scissors (safety first) and a few bulk cans of zip ties, crawled around the entire mast area over the bridge, using things like life line stations and other overhead hard-points to cover all the bridge wings, mid ship quarter deck on both sides, the aft missile deck, and the crew-served 50 cal and 20 mike-mike mounts with the cammo netting...
The netting allowed the wind to pass through without tearing up the material but blocked enough of the sun to cut the temp 20 degrees difference between the beating sun and the shade... no kidding.
I really wish we had taken a bunch of pictures from the RIBs or from one of the Helos; I bet there are a few shots out there... Covering that much of the ship in that netting and concealing our gun mounts really made us feel like a bunch of Pirates.
In hind site, probably my greatest accomplishment as the Ship's Supply Officer in terms of taking care of my people and thinking outside the box.
SO... the take away here for cruising sailors... An 8 x 10 (or bigger) panel of mesh cammo netting makes a great boom tent to cut down the intense sun while allowing wind to pass through. plus, it just looks cool! (please don't stick any black painted broomstick handles out of the netting to simulate gun mounts, that might get you in trouble!)
USS Last Ship, Guided Missile Destroyer, on deployment in the Persian Gulf in the summer of 2010. Air temps were a consistent 105 to 110 with darn near 100% humidity. Deck surface temps reached 140. Sea water injection temp between 101 and 104, the coolant in the plants never condensed from gas back to liquid.
When you step out on the weather decks from any sealed hatch you are almost instantly wet, within 10 minutes your uniform is soaked through to include your skivy shorts and socks... Not from sweat. Your body is like a cold beer you pull from a cold reefer, the moisture from the air instantly condenses on your cooler body.
Watch Standers on the bridge, bridge wings, aft-look out, and gunners on the weather decks were miserable and high risk for heat stress/heat stroke.
I jump on the (slow as hell) internet and find a military surplus store in Vermont that sells the old fashioned cammo netting... the type that has a polyester net meshed with strips of cut polyester fabric. The difference is the US military only stocks it in 4 foot by 8 foot panels, it costs way too much and wouldn't show up through regular Navy supply channels until we were already back home 6 months later vs. now-a-days civilian companies manufacture it in any color you want in bulk rolls that are 8 feet wide by as many yards long as you need. I ordered about 8 rolls that were something like 20 yards, paid with Gov't credit card and vendor shipped free UPS ground to our home port where my freight expediters forwarded it out to us "in-bound hot". In less than 2 weeks myself and my sailors armed with scissors (safety first) and a few bulk cans of zip ties, crawled around the entire mast area over the bridge, using things like life line stations and other overhead hard-points to cover all the bridge wings, mid ship quarter deck on both sides, the aft missile deck, and the crew-served 50 cal and 20 mike-mike mounts with the cammo netting...
The netting allowed the wind to pass through without tearing up the material but blocked enough of the sun to cut the temp 20 degrees difference between the beating sun and the shade... no kidding.
I really wish we had taken a bunch of pictures from the RIBs or from one of the Helos; I bet there are a few shots out there... Covering that much of the ship in that netting and concealing our gun mounts really made us feel like a bunch of Pirates.
In hind site, probably my greatest accomplishment as the Ship's Supply Officer in terms of taking care of my people and thinking outside the box.
SO... the take away here for cruising sailors... An 8 x 10 (or bigger) panel of mesh cammo netting makes a great boom tent to cut down the intense sun while allowing wind to pass through. plus, it just looks cool! (please don't stick any black painted broomstick handles out of the netting to simulate gun mounts, that might get you in trouble!)
This place sells sunblocker mesh netting. Several different levels up to 90% They can also hem and add grommets to your specifications. I've got a 12'X40" piece of 60% that put over my green house in the summer when I'm growing tomatoes in it.
Pretty durable material.
http://www.farmtek.com/farm/supplie...1&langId=-1&division=FarmTek&productId=319387
Pretty durable material.
http://www.farmtek.com/farm/supplie...1&langId=-1&division=FarmTek&productId=319387
I have an older Cruise Air Carryon that I got for free from a customer. It had been sitting in his barn for 10 years. It works great, but I do not have a generator for while on the hook.
Example picture Not Mine.
What size generator would I need to run this while at anchor? Any suggestions?
Example picture Not Mine.
What size generator would I need to run this while at anchor? Any suggestions?
i am thinking a e 2000 honda would do the job...those are great little units...i had one on my boat last year while working on the boat sitting on the hard..it takes a little while for the temp to get down in the boat starting from scratch but when it gets there it seems to maintain it reasonably wellI have an older Cruise Air Carryon that I got for free from a customer. It had been sitting in his barn for 10 years. It works great, but I do not have a generator for while on the hook.
Example picture Not Mine.
What size generator would I need to run this while at anchor? Any suggestions?
I agree. I run a 5000 btu window ac and a fan and light off the honda EU2000.
sometimes it had trouble kicking in the compressor in eco mode, but fine in normal mode.
if I had a sugar scoop transom, Id consider running it on the boat. (with a good CO meter in the cabin)
sometimes it had trouble kicking in the compressor in eco mode, but fine in normal mode.
if I had a sugar scoop transom, Id consider running it on the boat. (with a good CO meter in the cabin)
^ I considered Kipor.
but in the end spent the money for the honda and am happy with the decision.
I got mine from northern tool for 950, during the FLA tax free days.
read reviews and they you decide if its worth saving
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BJOBWV2/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza
fwiw, Generac also makes a clone...too.
N.T. price is 1k today, if you sign up, you get coupons in mail...
but in the end spent the money for the honda and am happy with the decision.
I got mine from northern tool for 950, during the FLA tax free days.
read reviews and they you decide if its worth saving
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BJOBWV2/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza
fwiw, Generac also makes a clone...too.
N.T. price is 1k today, if you sign up, you get coupons in mail...
I have one of those cabin top air conditioning units also, bought new. I used it two seasons but didn't like it very much for two reasons. First, it never cooled very well. The other issue is the condensation from the air duct drips directly into the cabin over several different places. And I mean a lot, we had two keep towels and bowls in place. It is way expensive compared to a window unit. Noisy too. I never tried to run it with the generator. I have run the window unit with the Honda 2000
http://www.westmarine.com/portable-air-conditioning
Interesting. It looks like someone else is now making hatch air conditioners like the old cruise and carry ones.
A window unit can be had around $200. Why in the heck would a glorified window unit with an extra plastic piece and a hood be $800 more? I don't get it.
Has anyone modified a window unit and made it into a cruise and carry?
Interesting. It looks like someone else is now making hatch air conditioners like the old cruise and carry ones.
A window unit can be had around $200. Why in the heck would a glorified window unit with an extra plastic piece and a hood be $800 more? I don't get it.
Has anyone modified a window unit and made it into a cruise and carry?
I have not yet set up an A/C for my boat but have done the research. Amazon sells the Mini Frigidare 6k w/ remote control for just under $200. Larger ones available for bigger boats. My approach will be to glue carpet sponge on the bottom, securing eyes on the top. Design a hood to direct air into the forward hatch and your set. No crawling up there to set it or turn it on/off as the remote does that. I do not think I would use it except in port but if I wanted a generator I have it all ready. Hyundai sells a 2.8kw electric start for only $900 on Amazon. It runs my 13500 RV A/C and thats the main thing I got it for. They have a 2kw as well. Chief
PS: Homedepot sells these generators too.
PS: Homedepot sells these generators too.
several lives boards in my marina have done that. A little plywood, some ingenuity and some fabric and good to go.