One thing I deliberate over constantly is, should I leave my bedroom hatch open or not. Should I leave the top hatch open, side hatch, head (toilet) hatch? Some of you may wonder why deliberate over such a mundane issue. Of course when it is hot you want to keep as cool as possible because it certainly can get stifling hot in a cramped boat when it is 30° Celsius outside. The danger is there is water all around us and I have been in the washroom on more than one occasion when a fresh blast of salt water came in through the side hatch to douse me with some seawater. When traveling at a good speed, this splash of water through the 1 foot by 8 inch window can still come in with such force and quantity as to require one to either change clothes or stand out in the cockpit to dry off the saltwater in the sun.
Some nights as the waves are gently crashing around us I’m nervous as my bedroom is at the front of the boat only a few feet from the mesh trampoline at the bow. Sometimes large waves do crash up on the front and drench the sails and entire front section of the boat. I have watched while sleeping below the closed hatch as water douses us from above the sealed porthole.
So now that the weather is heating up I deliberate over if I should open or not open each hatch. I’m dying of humid heat if I don’t but I’m also running the risk of a saltwater bath if I don’t. Last night the seas were fairly calm and so I felt confident that I could leave it open, but with each wave splash I was alert and assessing whether or not to close the hatch. Finally I felt asleep knowing that if I felt a splash, I could always close the hatch then… perhaps too late.
7:10 pm PDT, Lat: 06° 10.626′ N, Long: 125° 31.057′ W, Course 193° T, Speed: 7.2 K, Wind: NE `18.2 K, Swell: NE 1′, Cloud Cover: 20%, Barometer: 1006 hPa, Temp: 28°C
This is indeed a weighty question. You would think that with all the innovators in the world, someone would have figured how to get a cooling breeze below decks without the constant salt water baths. Just thinking about it makes me all sticky. I think I’ll go have a warm shower and open our sliding doors to the cool breeze.
It’s a catch 22! The hotter it gets, the more the refrigeration works. Coincidentally, the hotter it gets, the solar panels reduce their output.
They lose 1.5 Volts output for every 15 degrees C. Fact of life when cruising in the tropics…….so much for iced tea!
I have a similar problem on my farm. We have these windows that open to the side, like windscoops, which is so nice on hot dry summer days, unfortunately our weather changes so fast from being still to hurricane winds, that I am always nervous to leave the windows open at night. Already we have had one window-left open only a crack, get caught by the wind and smash open.
Ah, those newfangled cats! What you need is some of those old-fashioned dorade vents or boxes that permit air in and out of cabins or engine rooms. You’ve seen those horn-shaped ventilation cowls on (usually older) boats or ships.
They operate on the principle that air can pass relatively freely through a series of successive ventilation chambers, yet rain or sea wash will be trapped in those chambers and drain out the small holes in the sides. But this is small comfort for you to know now that you’re far from any shipyard or chandlery.
Use a 12v fan to keep you cool at night, does not use a lot of energy and works great. We are in Nuku and use a fan every night. S.v. Wizard
For sure I would leave the head ports open. After all the shower pump out can carry the water away and your bedding stays dry,
I agree with your dad-in-law. We are in the process of installing Dorades on our 54′ cat, which is now in La Paz. The heat stays in the mid 90’s this time of year and gets a good deal hotter during summer. Hatches and fans are great (we installed eight fans), but we have also been faced with adding air conditioning. Darn! Who would have thought? After all, we’re from the Pacific Northwest where air is always optional. Not down here! Much worse than the Caribbean. Be well you guys…very exciting thing you are doing.
Good idea, Ron! Should help some, with the doors open. But remember to tuck away the toilet paper!
wow i have been bust and not checked yiur progress in a while. You are doing great. Therenis another big cat in your space at Marina village and it is a world traveler as well. Glad you are doing well. Penny