Hot weather with no air conditioning?

[skylark]

How do you deal with hot weather on a boat when there is no air conditioning?

I have retreated to an air conditioned room, and I have no idea how southern sailors can live in hot climates.  Do you just get used to it?  Are there things that you can do to deal with the heat?

[Captain Smollett]

How do you deal with hot weather on a boat when there is no air conditioning?

Get an air conditioner?   

Seriously, though, I recognize that that is not a cruising solution or even one for anchoring out.  You did not give the context, so I took the shot.

This year, we made it well into June, almost July, before putting the ac on the boat.  We tried an air scoop for the fore hatch (which works incredibly well when the wind is blowing - well worth the $30 or so, even cheaper if you make one) and a few well placed, well aimed fans.

Those days with 111 degree heat indexes take their toll, though.  The killer is no-wind days.  It is little help to have fans, as you are just moving near 100 degree air in the boat, which is not all that pleasant.

It actually averages about 10 degrees or so cooler right on the coast (we are about 20 miles inland).  So, 95-98 here is mid to upper 80's where you might more likely want to anchor out without ac this time of year.  Also, down there, wind is almost always blowing at least a little bit, and again, that wind scoop has to be experienced to be believed.

So, it could be done without too much discomfort.  We don't push the ac on board here until we are CONSISTENTLY in the upper 90's with no real cool-off at night AND once we hit the summer 'doldrums.' 

We do have a few liveaboards here in the marina that have no ac on board.  Some of them spend a fair bit of time in the air conditioned Captain's Lounge.  Too much time, maybe.

All of this gets back full circle to something that I repeat a LOT => GET OFF THE BOAT.  A few weeks ago, before we shipped our ac on the forehatch, we would leave during the hot part of the day.  Library, aquarium, mid-day movie, or just out doing 'our thing.'  By spending time in the local community, one is not couped up in the boat all day anyway. 

For me/us, the critical metric is getting cool enough (and non-humid enough) at night to get a good night sleep. 

We anchored out one night a few years ago that was a record-setter and the hottest night of the year - nearly 110 degrees actual thermometer temp (heat index even higher) and we had a t-storm, so all hatches closed.  It was a long, hot, soggy night.  That can be a 'sticky' situation fer sure.   

[CharlieJ]

Being acclimated to warmer temperatures does make a difference. However, hot is hot and there are some things you can do to make it better. If we are at a dock, mooring or anchored out we have awnings that make a tremendous difference. We have one that extends from the mast back to the bimini and one the fits between the mast and the forestay. If the wind is light or the current or dock is keeping the bow from pointing into the wind we will usually put the wind scoop in the forward hatch instead of using the awning over the foredeck. If we already have a good breeze coming down the forward hatch then we will use the awning. You can't use both at the same time.

Since we are cruising and not living aboard at a marina we have options other than going ashore during the heat of the day. We can haul the anchor and go for a sail if we have a breeze and we have been known to motor through the heat of the day when we didn't have wind. On days like that I usually keep cool by soaking myself with water; fresh if we have plenty or saltwater if we don't.

The last few days we have had the wind behind us so we have left the awning over the main cabin and sailed or motorsailed with the genny.

Hope this helps, Laura

[Captain Smollett]

Forgot to mention:  Go for a swim.   

[skylark]

This is far more difficult to deal with than snow and ice.

Heading out to the library for the afternoon seems to be the best idea.  However that is not going to help anchored out in some remote bay.

Shade, wet towel turbans, wind or fans and swimming seems to be the solution.

[CharlieJ]

Oh yes. Forgot scrubbing the bottom of the boat and washing clothes. 

Laura

[Captain Smollett]

Heading out to the library for the afternoon seems to be the best idea.  However that is not going to help anchored out in some remote bay.

Remote bay, no. But coastal towns in this ao have libraries that are within walking distance of dinghy dock. Or, Net cafe/coffee shop with wifi if that's more your thing.

Remote bay? I'd probably opt for swimming or Laura's excellent idea - sailing.

[Mario G]

The temp in the cabin has been 90 to 100 last 2 outtings and as much as I like swimming , I've played with one to many jelly fishes lately. so we sail open the front hatch and drink alot of ice cold drinks.  I need to spend work time on the boat to set up an awning

[marujo_sortudo]

All excellent suggestions.  As far as sleeping goes, if you've got enough space to rig up a hammock for sleeping you'll feel about 10 degrees cooler as air can move over your whole body.

[SV Wind Dancer]

Never used AC.

[AdriftAtSea]

While I did use A/C on a recent delivery... I"ve found that at anchor or on a mooring, the air flow through the boat supplemented by some 12 VDC fans is usually enough to keep the boat reasonably cool.  An awning or shade over the cabintop helps a great deal too.

[hearsejr]

this was my 2nd summer with no ac. and the first in a town with a place that's in walking distance with ac. I started doing most of the work on my boat in late noon or at night, and sleep during the hot part of the days under a shade tree, or something. I also went swimming when ever possible,  but jelly fish have been swarming Hampton this summer so I didn't get much swimming in.
 I also have a fan blowing on me when I'm in the cabin. I made a tarp to block the sun from the cockpit and put up a windscoop on the fore hatch. it's not as comfortable as a A/C, but it's the best I can do for now.