'Summerising' as opposed to 'Winterising'

[FONT=&quot]Ok, lots of info on 'winterising', but what about 'summerising'?

[/FONT] In my refit I decided against AC. Yes, Queensland has a similar climate to Florida but I figured that when its too hot to be on board then I would go somewhere else. Like a ski resort.... But that doesn't help the boat itself.

The boat needs to be closed up for security, so it gets pretty hot inside. A few folks in the marina have stuck window type AC in. They are liveaboards and I can see the sense in doing it as a temporary measure, but there is nowhere to store such a bulky unit if you actually wanted to go for a cruise. I am starting to think a split system might be better: put the external bit on the boat deck and have the internal part in the pilothouse. Leave all the internal doors open and the cold air sinks throughout the boat. It could be a fairly small and compact domestic unit. The inverter models are pretty energy efficient but I would plan on only using it at the dock, and a lot of the time unattended probably set to about 27C. Does anyone have any experience with these units on a boat?

The thought comes to mind as we are in a heatwave. Birdsville had 48.7C yesterday. About 120F. Brisbane is forecast for 41 on Sat. When its that hot the humidity is a bit less than normal, still it isn't nice. Getting out onto Moreton Bay for cooling sea breezes wont work. Winds up to 30 kn forecast for tomorrow also. We went over to Amity a few days ago, and although water was great, 20 kn does make it a bit unpleasant on board. So, sitting at home, with AC on, and wondering what others do to care for their boats in periods of extended heat.

Greetings,
We've never left AC on for extended periods. What we DO do (NOT a reference to head repairs/alterations) is leave 110V oscillating fans running summer and winter in our absence. Yup, 24/7. One in each of the areas/cabins of the boat. Soooo.....We have 6 running now including the ER. All interior doors open of course.

Since the boat is secured there is a problem drawing fresh air (even hot fresh air) inside. Some boats have a 120 V engine room intake fan so maybe you could leave that one on, the engine room opened, block off the ER exhaust vent, and force air up through the rest of the boat.

My ER intake fans are 12V Delta T's. Good but noisy, fine with the engines running.

I have 12V Caframo fans in the sleeping cabins, I could try leaving those running. But maybe an oscillating AC unit would be better. It would be easy to stow in the car when I am out in the boat.

Brian,
Like you I have no AC. I have used the window type for long periods in port and then just store them in the shed when finished with or sell cheaply to somebody else on the marina.
I have had split systems on other boats I have worked and played on and they work well. Especially the cassette air diffuser type. The compressor unit can go on top of the wheelhouse or back of fly bridge and you will get at least 5 years out of it.
A small amount of marinising is required, spray all exposed areas etc with Tectyl or a similar product.
I still back off when I go to install AC on Tidahapah as it is something Gayle and I have not found necessary even when cruising in the tropics.
Fans and opening windows are the go.
Cheers
Benn
Presently boatless in Cambodia

Brian, we just came back in a day early because of the conditions you just described. The weather was not appetising. As you say, 30kn winds from the hot north, and then 37 to 41C temps. We also don't have or want aircon out in the boat as a rule, but those conditions are just NOT NICE. However i would be leary about leaving anything powered by electricity on 24/7 for fear of fire if one suffered a meltdown. What I do to keep temps down in the boat when closed up is leave a port in the bathroom open as if rain blows in it just lands in the sink basin, and I have a couple of solar powered ventilators in strategic spots. These work expelling hot air the minute there is any decent light. Even overcast weather does not stop them.
Just a thought..? By the way, I think I have worked out where you got your boat name from. I've just finished the last Stephen Donaldson series...am I close..?

Benn
Boatless doesn't sound fun. Just don't get legless as well....

Good to hear that there is reasonable life from a domestic split system. I don't want AC all over the boat and still feel that it is only a few months, and only a handful of days in those months, when it is in any way necessary. Particularly if in port and not able to swing to best catch the breeze.

But my layout is not as conducive to good airflow as Tidahapah looks to have. The high bows shield the forward hatch. The ports on each side only catch a little. The pilothouse is not too bad with its hatch, doors and access up to the flybridge. The salon has two sliding windows, one starboard at the galley and the other in the aft port corner. It seems to become stuffy. I have yet to try the main stateroom on a hot and humid night with the fan running. It might be OK, but I'd like to have options.

I will hasten slowly with this. I am not able to spend much time on the boat in the first part this summer so there does not need to be an immediate fix. I might be able to work out a way of leaving some hatches/windows slightly open without jeopardizing security.

A bit of Googling today is leading me towards self-contained systems rather than typical marine split-system or chilled water types. Dometic have a drop in unit that might fit where the pilothouse hatch is located. Alternatively, I might find a space to fit one of the units that fit in a cupboard. I need to look at what spaces I might be able to use. These seem to need a water line but that's not too difficult. Avoiding the requirement for a specialist AC tech to gas the system, which any split system will require, is a plus.

I'm still thinking of just one unit in the pilothouse and leaving cold air to sink through thee boat, with maybe some fans to aid thermal convection.
But I'll have to talk to people in the marine AC business to get some idea how to size the unit. Both too little or too much cooling in the PH would be a pain.

Peter B said:

Brian, we just came back in a day early because of the conditions you just described. The weather was not appetising. As you say, 30kn winds from the hot north, and then 37 to 41C temps. We also don't have or want aircon out in the boat as a rule, but those conditions are just NOT NICE. However i would be leary about leaving anything powered by electricity on 24/7 for fear of fire if one suffered a meltdown. What I do to keep temps down in the boat when closed up is leave a port in the bathroom open as if rain blows in it just lands in the sink basin, and I have a couple of solar powered ventilators in strategic spots. These work expelling hot air the minute there is any decent light. Even overcast weather does not stop them.
Just a thought..? By the way, I think I have worked out where you got your boat name from. I've just finished the last Stephen Donaldson series...am I close..?

Click to expand...

Happy New Year Peter!
I do leave the side ports open. They angle downwards to varying degrees, so I don't think much rain will get in. Rain is an issue with the two roof hatches. Maybe I should make a ply dorade unit, fitted on top but secured from underneath, with solar fans in them. Its going to be hotter tomorrow, so more research at home is in order.

Ah yes, got me! I am part way through the final book myself. It was the initial inspiration. And then I discovered the somewhat obscure geographic use and decided that was a good fit also. That's the way I usually explain it. Everyone asks.... My RIB is about to be christened the Ardent.....

Insequent said:

Happy New Year Peter!............Ah yes, got me! I am part way through the final book myself. It was the initial inspiration. And then I discovered the somewhat obscure geographic use and decided that was a good fit also. That's the way I usually explain it. Everyone asks.... My RIB is about to be christened the Ardent.....

Click to expand...

Nice one. Yes, I don't think Harrow, Vizard, or Theomach would really go.
I now tell my wife as I gobble my two capsules of omega 3 each morning I'm swallowing Loric's Krill....

Hey Brian, just another thought, as a last resort what about one of those mobile ACs which would need to run off 240v AC of course, but if you had a place you could store it out of the way, you could trot it out if things got hot enough, either at the berth or off the genny when out, and being stored totally inside the elements would be kinder to it. But, as to leaving it on 24/7... I still have concerns re that...but that's just me maybe..?

Here in Fl many boats sit all hot humid summer .

There have been many attempts , dehumidifier over a sink, button up and place a few bottles of mustard gas , all to stop mildew from turning the inside green or black.

The best , so far , seems to be to replace a hatch cover with a 12 or 14 inch diameter roof turbine.
These are fine and seem to survive the many 60K+ thunderstorms with no water below.
Havent had a hurricane since installing , but it is secured very well.

They will ventilate in a very minor breeze and any water tight vents left open will serve as air source.

Weather to leave it in place for a quick cruise is up to you.

http://www.gaf.com/Roofing/Residential/Products/Roof_Vents/MasterFlow_Rotary_Turbine_Vents

FF,
They are also popular on houses in Australia but also bloody ugly.
Even if I was not in residence on my own boat I would not install one.

I do us dehumidifying products such as hippo ( can't remember the full name) they draw out the moisture but do nothing to cool the space.
I have never worried about cooling the space as once on board , doors and windows open the boat cools down, get under way and it is even better

Cheers
Benn

Bay Pelican is summarized each year. We use a small room size dehumidifier over the sink. Also have both a couple of dorades over the lower stateroom and a single solar powered exhaust fan in the pilothouse. Temperatures in Trinidad and Grenada during the summer are around 31C. Humidity is very high.


Marty

At home, as well as some a/c, in conjunction with 1st floor ceiling vents we have one roof turbine fan, which would not be nice on a boat, and one electric roof fan operating on a thermostat in the roof space, which in some form might adapt to a boat to draw air through from various openings. We have no a/c on the boat, relying on breeze and cross flow, I would be loath to fit a/c, but BNE gets hotter, you may find there is no option after trying the alternatives.

In my previous house in Brisbane I used the roofspace as a storage area. I experienced the amazing difference that the bathroom ceiling fan made in that roofspace. It was very dramatic. I had a couple of the roof turbines also. Hard to assess their effectiveness as they could not be turned on and off. I could see past their ugliness, but am hoping to have something I can readily store on board while cruising.

I think I will try and find the largest diameter, slow turning 12v solar or fans I can and fit them into the 2 hatch spaces with some kind of ply structure that keeps rain (and stray fingers) out. With my ports open to provide air inlets I should get some air circulation. And I'll spend time of the boat, opening it right up, on a regular basis.

The last thing I want to contend with is an outbreak of mold etc That stuff is really bad for your health. Some time back I found traces of black mold on board. The PO had only been in Puget Sound for a long time but when his second wife died, and him being in his 80's I suspect he left the boat closed up far too long. His sons and other helpers did a reasonably good job of cleaning, no doubt prior to listing for sale, about a year before my purchase. Even so, dis-assembly during my extensive refit revealed traces of mold in hard to get to places. But I doubt there is a square inch that hasn't had bleach cleaner by now. We have worked the boat over from stem to stern. Still, there might be traces that could bloom if I'm not careful.

Thanks to all for input, very useful.

I never leave anything but refrigerator and Battery charger on when I am away from the boat. I leave the head windows slightly open year round and have not had any problems. It does get hot in the summer but only takes a couple of hours to cool down once the A/C's are kicked on.

We use a small room size dehumidifier over the sink. Also have both a couple of dorades over the lower stateroom and a single solar powered exhaust fan in the pilothouse.

This is very different from Florida use of a dehumidifier.

Here folks will button the boat air tight , to stop more humid air from entering.

The better units can monitor the air wet level , and will shut down when happy.

A dollar a day buttoned up $3.00+ per day if dehumidifing always new air.

Here in FL many docks have meters,