Keeping Your Boat Cool

Some of the tips for keeping an RV cool can be used for keeping your boat cool.  However, boats are different than RVs and have some special considerations.

Finding shade out on the water is usually not an option if you want to ''park'' your boat to cool off.  You might sometimes luck out and find a moorage or anchorage under some trees, but finding an appropriate spot for sailboats with their tall masts will be almost impossible. You will have to bring your own shade with you in the form of tarps or canopies to shield you and parts of your boat from direct sunlight.  You also have to deal with sunlight reflected off the water.

Take advantage of natural breezes when you can.   When we are out boating, most of the time the boat is moving, which creates some artificial breeze even on the calmest of days.  Open hatches and portholes where ever possible to allow as much air flow as you can.  You can also get windscoops that fit over hatches to catch the breeze and funnel it down into the cabin.  Remember that air needs someplace to go so always open a hatch or porthole opposite the one used to catch the breeze.  Otherwise the air flow will be blocked and you won't get any cooling!

Since boats sit in the water and the water is usually a lot cooler than the air, the hull will absorb some of the heat from the cabin.  Having removable insulation, such as foam pads, can allow you to disperse unwanted heat by removing the pads when you need to when things cool down.  You might also splash water up over parts of the deck to help cool down the decking both for greater comfort walking on it barefoot and to remove a little heat from the cabin.

I have successfully used mist systems to cool the patio area under the awning of my RV.   Mist systems might also be used on boats and, since boats sit in the water, you wouldn't need a water tank to supply water for the mist.  What you will need is power for the pump.  If you have sufficient solar panels and/or batteries it could work very well.  You may have already enjoyed mist systems in the long lines at amusement parks.  Mist cools by evaporation and high humidity around large bodies of water might reduce its efficiency, but it still might be worth a try.

I have heard of cooling mattress pads to make sleeping more comfortable but I have not had the opportunity to try them out yet.  Might be worth looking into if you often find it too hot to sleep.  Some circulate liquids to do the cooling.  Be sure you have adequate battery power to run the pump.

Larger yachts and cabin cruisers sometimes might have air conditioning you can use, but they are not practical on smaller boats.  Fans can be used on most boats to move air through the cabins.  Note:  fans do not cool the air.  They only move it so it can it can cool YOU better as it removes heat from your skin by convection and by evaporation of perspiration or water vapor on your skin.

Cruise cool!