Doodlebug Posted July 6, 2013 Report Share Posted July 6, 2013 Hi everyone, Any tips on keeping the boat cool this summer, its too hot for me already and the boat is like an oven. I know it should be painted a light colour (our roof is cream although the sides are blue) but what else can I do to make it cooler than outside? Any tips greatly appreciated. Also as a side note, we have loads of excess power from our solar array. Can you buy air conditioning units? Thanks Doodlebug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenC Posted July 6, 2013 Report Share Posted July 6, 2013 Drill some holes in the base plate, and your boat will be lovely and cool within an hour or so! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doodlebug Posted July 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2013 If this forum had a 'like' button, that would be liked Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackrose Posted July 6, 2013 Report Share Posted July 6, 2013 When it gets really hot I just open up bow and stern doors, side hatches and all the windows and put a mains desk fan on to get some airflow through the boat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightwatch Posted July 6, 2013 Report Share Posted July 6, 2013 When it gets really hot I just open up bow and stern doors, side hatches and all the windows and put a mains desk fan on to get some airflow through the boat.Ditto.In answer you can buy small air on units. Not sure of the power usage or effectiveness. I'd expect you will need to keep all your openings closed. I'm at home and I'm hot as well. It's not just you lucky people on your boats that are effected you know. Smiley here. Martyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jigsawged Posted July 6, 2013 Report Share Posted July 6, 2013 (edited) Find a pub with good beer and air-con, stay there until the sun starts to set. Edited for typo correction - blasted predictive text! Edited July 6, 2013 by Jigsawged Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtB Posted July 6, 2013 Report Share Posted July 6, 2013 Put the stove out. That should help. MtB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenC Posted July 6, 2013 Report Share Posted July 6, 2013 Cover boat with tin foil to reflect all the heat! You can even make a tin foil hat and the aliens won't find you either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chagall Posted July 6, 2013 Report Share Posted July 6, 2013 (edited) close the curtains on the sunny side, or all the curtains if you don't need to look out. and a cheap floor standing fan that oscillates is good for a short while, but after a bit they end up just moving the air about ineffectually. Good for a brief respite though. Edited July 6, 2013 by Chagall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenC Posted July 6, 2013 Report Share Posted July 6, 2013 close the curtains on the sunny side, or all the curtains if you don't need to look out. Just paint your windows black, then you won't have to pull the curtains during the day or at night! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pykebird Posted July 6, 2013 Report Share Posted July 6, 2013 It's on days like this that you find out just how good you insulated the boat! (only feeling slightly smug at those who said I went OTT). As said, try to increase the air flow, if you can take glass out of window. A net of some sort will let in air but keep direct sun out, I use voile on my side hatches for this reason. Another way is to fit Houdini's as warm air rises. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caprifool Posted July 6, 2013 Report Share Posted July 6, 2013 Moor in the shade? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doodlebug Posted July 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2013 Both the curtain idea and the net curtain thing I will try. The air conditioners I have seen all involve using ice, which doesn't help since even if I had a freezer it would heat the boat as well. One idea I quite like is to pump canal water up to the roof and let it run over the boat cooling it down a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louca Inglese Posted July 6, 2013 Report Share Posted July 6, 2013 Can`t wait to get back, it`s 44 degrees here at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenC Posted July 6, 2013 Report Share Posted July 6, 2013 Rip up all your floors and curl up on that nice cold sheet of steel! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackrose Posted July 6, 2013 Report Share Posted July 6, 2013 (edited) I have a friend on a narrowboat who experimented by running a hose down one side of the roof and back down the other, blanked off at the end with holes every ft down its length. The idea was that the water would cool the steel on the roof and the sides of the boat and that would make it cooler inside the boat. He ran it from the waterpoint at his mooring with the intention of buying a pump and using canal water if it worked. After running it for a day, he said it didn't make a blind bit of difference to the internal temperature. At least he only wasted a cheap hose (and a bit of water!). Edited July 6, 2013 by blackrose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chop! Posted July 6, 2013 Report Share Posted July 6, 2013 Cover your roof with top boxes, I think someone on here has mentioned making some..................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naughty Cal Posted July 6, 2013 Report Share Posted July 6, 2013 Buy a white boat with small tinted windows! Just retreated to our very cool cabin to get out of the heat for a few minutes. Bimini over the cockpit is doing a great job of providing shade also. Loving the sun. Hopefully it is going to last for us. The Broads will be great in this weather. Roll on next Saturday.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigel carton Posted July 6, 2013 Report Share Posted July 6, 2013 Moor under a tree Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackrose Posted July 6, 2013 Report Share Posted July 6, 2013 (edited) 3.45pm in full sunshine and it's 26C & 28% RH in my boat at the moment with all the doors and windows open. There's a slight breeze running through the boat so no need to put a fan on today. Edited July 6, 2013 by blackrose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doodlebug Posted July 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2013 Cover your roof with top boxes, I think someone on here has mentioned making some..................... Great idea, any idea where I can get one from? I have a friend on a narrowboat who experimented by running a hose down one side of the roof and back down the other, blanked off at the end with holes every ft down its length. The idea was that the water would cool the steel on the roof and the sides of the boat and that would make it cooler inside the boat. He ran it from the waterpoint at his mooring with the intention of buying a pump and using canal water if it worked. After running it for a day, he said it didn't make a blind bit of difference to the internal temperature. At least he only wasted a cheap hose (and a bit of water!). That would suprise me, if the metal surface is hot, the heat will filter through to the inside of the boat. if you run water over it it will cool down, and not heat the boat up so much. Moor under a tree I can't believe I didn't think of that I'll go find one I also vaguely remember someone saying they put a computer fan between the bilge and the boat, to bring cool moist air up into the boat. Does that really work? Anyone tried it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloggy Posted July 6, 2013 Report Share Posted July 6, 2013 (edited) Wetherspoons then when you get home sit outside under a sun shade. It's too nice a day to sit Inside the boat :-) Edited July 6, 2013 by cloggy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wanted Posted July 6, 2013 Report Share Posted July 6, 2013 I don't think we have enough hot weather to bother with an expensive solution, it's all about the through draft, thankfully we have doors front and back but in our last boat we had to take the hopper windows out and put a desk top fan blowing inwards by the front doors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jelunga Posted July 6, 2013 Report Share Posted July 6, 2013 Remove all clothing and splash cold water over protruding parts. Post photos to show results. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 6, 2013 Report Share Posted July 6, 2013 Only hitting thirty one or two in the Lot his week. The boaters I spoke to yesterday were loving it...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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