Southern heat and keeping cool

[n36511]

I have searched the forum but was probably not typing in the right things. Interested to hear how you southern boaters keep a tolerable temp on the boat overnight on the hook in the summer months. We run the genny for an hour or two just before bed and run the AC. By the time 4am rolls around it is already really warm and stuffy on board. No inverter. Considering buying some DC fans. Any recommendations. Before I buy, how do some of you beat the overnight heat?

Scott

 

[kulas44]

Run the gen.

 

[Larry M]

We have 9 DC fans throughout Hobo with 3 in our sleeping area. Lena and I each have one that we control and the third one is for extra air or for Morgan. We also have a wind scoop. We have both the Caframos and Hellas (preferred). We spend months at anchor and it isn't practical or necessary to run the AC.

 

[n36511]

Run the gen.

On the warm muggy nights the wind doesn't blow enough to keep the exhaust from entering the boat. My co2 alarms end up going off around 2am.

 

[Larry M]

We also have a bow awning that Lena made. It keeps the sun off the foredeck and allows the pilot house center window and the forward berth's hatch to stay open in all but the heaviest of rain squalls.

 

[BobH]

Fans, wind scoops and awnings.

 

[caltexflanc]

We are pleasure boaters, in that order. When it is really humid and sweltering we close up and run the genset, why not. Never tripped the alarms. In conditions where it is not quite so sticky, then fans (including one big one off the inverter) and hatches open. Nice thing about being on the hook, you are always pointed into the wind.

 

[O C Diver]

Like the birds, travel North in the spring to cooler summer areas. Travel South in the fall to warmer winter locals.

Ted

 

[Ski in NC]

If setting off the CO alarms, must be a gasoline genset and if it is making a good bit of CO, the carb is running rich. Rich mixture means gobs of CO in exhaust. Diesel does not make much CO except if running in overload.

Here in coastal NC, running gennie and AC til bedtime almost always means comfortable sleeping. In an inland lake, it may be too warm to make it through the night with it off.

 

[N4712]

We run the genny. All the time.

 

[BandB]

If we're not plugged into shore power, we're running the generator. We've always lived in air conditioning and can't imagine sleeping in a warm climate without it.

 

[BlueYonder]

Maybe you have an exhaust leak. Even a gas genset should not set off a cabin CO detector on a calm night.

I use a Caframo Taku hatch fan on pleasant nights to move a decent amount of air into the cabin. When it gets hot, the hatches close and the generator comes on.

 

[ranger58sb]

Are there any reliable rechargeable-battery DC fans? Something that doesn't require wiring into the boat's DC systems, yet could be recharged when running the genset later during the day (while cooking and recharging the main battery banks, etc.)?


-Chris

 

[n36511]

Maybe you have an exhaust leak. Even a gas genset should not set off a cabin CO detector on a calm night.

I use a Caframo Taku hatch fan on pleasant nights to move a decent amount of air into the cabin. When it gets hot, the hatches close and the generator comes on.

I have had the genny checked for leaks and have even placed a co2 monitor in the engine room while running. I think I am narrowing it down, but on dead calm nights, I think my engine room blower is pulling in exhaust fumes back into the boat. I say this because if I do not run the blower, I can go hours longer without the co2 monitors going off. I may need to position the blowers differently. However, I will say that it is not uncommon on lake Lanier for other boaters to complain of the same thing.

 

[n36511]

We have 9 DC fans throughout Hobo with 3 in our sleeping area. Lena and I each have one that we control and the third one is for extra air or for Morgan. We also have a wind scoop. We have both the Caframos and Hellas (preferred). We spend months at anchor and it isn't practical or necessary to run the AC.

Thanks for the tip! I may try a few of the Hellas to see where that gets us.

 

[psneeld]

Is there a particular reason you are running the blowers all night?

While people might cite the possibility of explosion, I don't think most people do and there doesn't seem to be rash of explosions from running a gas genset.

I believe the blower issue is really for starting as most blowers aren't continuous duty anyway. On diesels...different issue and thoughts.

 

[Capt. Jon]

On our previous boat we had the same issue with the gasoline generator. We too ran the blowers at night and had to stop that to keep the CO2 out of the generator compartment and the boat. Then one day I had one of those duh-huh moments when I realized the blowers intake was installed on the same side as the generator exhaust! Easy fix but you might also have the same issue. Just a thought.

 

[ragin cajun]

In Southern heat, 85-94 degrees, 70-90% humidity, the genny becomes my best friend. I have as many hours on the genny as my Cats.....

 

[Larry M]

Are there any reliable rechargeable-battery DC fans? Something that doesn't require wiring into the boat's DC systems, yet could be recharged when running the genset later during the day (while cooking and recharging the main battery banks, etc.)?


-Chris

The O2 Cool 10" fan is rechargeable. You can spend $80 at WM or $60 at Home D for the same fan. Wal-Mart occasionally has them for ~$20. We have an older one (no USB port) but only use it when we are tied to a dock when we are varnishing or painting inside.

10-Inch Portable Smart Power Fan - Fan Model FD10006AU | O2COOL

We wired the Hella 2 speed Turbo fans to the 12VDC light circuits. The fans only draw 6.5 watts with the reported 5000 hour motors so I wasn't concerned about overloading. Occasionally you'll get a fan that vibrates or blades spin a little out of balance. I return those. I've had the same problem with the Caframos.

 

[Baker]

I was under the impression blowers suck air OUT of the engine space....not into it?????

 

[N4712]

I was under the impression blowers suck air OUT of the engine space....not into it?????

Some boats have both. We do. Or we can just suck out depending on what we want to do.

 

[jwnall]

Fans, wind scoops and awnings.

Yup. Plus after you live in these parts long enough you tend to get used to it, believe it or not.

 

[windmill29130]

I like how you northern folks chime in with the DC fans! You obviously have never spent any real time in the south. It does not help to blow 95 degree air in your face.

 

[ranger58sb]

The O2 Cool 10" fan is rechargeable. You can spend $80 at WM or $60 at Home D for the same fan. Wal-Mart occasionally has them for ~$20. We have an older one (no USB port) but only use it when we are tied to a dock when we are varnishing or painting inside.

Thanks, appreciate the tip.

Windmill's got a good point. In our case I'm only thinking about improving air flow from outside up until the time our temps and humidity mandate genset and AC.

-Chris

 

[Capt. Jon]

There are generally two hoses for blowers. One which is an intake going low into the bilge. The other is connected to the blower and forces the air out. If the intake is close enough to the exhaust this might be the CO2 issue. On our last boat it was 6' away and was the culprit.

 

[psneeld]

When I lived on my sailboat in Ft Lauderdale back in the 80s....none of the boats near me had air.

My poor man's air was a cool shower before lying down, towel off, pull the damp towel on me....by the time it dried it either fell off or I pulled it over me as it had cooled off enough to need it.

That was Ft Lauderdale...not sure if it would work along the gulf coast...or inland...my 5 years between Pensacola and Mobile reminded me that hell will be a cakewalk, the humidity is a lot lower....

 

[Gulf Comanche]

I like how you northern folks chime in with the DC fans! You obviously have never spent any real time in the south. It does not help to blow 95 degree air in your face.

Very true, fans in a hot boat just move hot air around. Has anyone tried a rooftop rv type ac? I hate like hell cutting a hole in the roof but my partner hates going out in the summer, too hot she says.

 

[windmill29130]

You can always make one of these and put in your stateroom.

 

[Ski in NC]

After Hurricane Hugo in Charleston, my house was destroyed so I bought this old Harker's fish boat to live on. Working as a nuke engr in the shipyard, I got put on nightshift. This meant sleeping on the boat in the daytime in SC in the fall at Shem Creek. No AC.

Could not sleep at first. Too hot. Finally got so exhausted after a few days that I simply passed out and slept in my own sweat.

Ever since then, I have been able to sleep fine in the heat. Even if sweating.

Pretty hard on the bedding.

But if I have AC, I'm gonna USE IT!!!!

 

[Heron]

Those 02-cool fans are pretty slick. I've put USB Power ports all over the boat. This model might be the hot ticket!

http://www.amazon.com/O2COOL-Portable-Fan-runs-Batteries/dp/B00ATSJ4M8/ref=pd_sbs_hg_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=1Q26MKRFWWS4T6MBG0Z4