Damar18, There are several types of refrigeration in sailboats 12 volt, 110 volt AC, and mechanical engine drive all of these could be water cooled. If there were a problem with water circulation cooling compressor would run a few minutes before refrigerant gets hot and stops it from running.
I have been providing free assistance to boaters on boat refrigeration for 30 years if you want help I need more info on your system or pictures of its components.