Hot weather on a boat?

[JB Segal]

So, I saw an article today saying that the next month is likely to be the hottest ever in England. Luckily I don’t arrive to spend a month on the canals until a month from now. However, I don’t actually expect that that is going to save me.

 

So what is stupid hot weather like when you’re on the boat? Do people manage to run fans all night off the batteries? Is it OK while you’re sailing because you have a 4 mile wind in your face? Should I just plan on stocking up on hundreds of gallons of water to replace what I sweat out?

Let me know...

—complete novice American...

[Nut]

find a nice shady mooring spot in the midday heat, have plenty of cold drinks to hand and have a lovely holiday.

[Chewbacka]

Depends on the boat, if it’s well insulated the inside will be not a lot hotter than the air temp, but if like most boats the insulation is a bit thin then the boat will be very hot inside, moor in the shade or sit under a tree if your cruising plan allows, otherwise big hat and plenty of water.

[Jen-in-Wellies]

1 hour ago, JB Segal said:

So, I saw an article today saying that the next month is likely to be the hottest ever in England. Luckily I don’t arrive to spend a month on the canals until a month from now. However, I don’t actually expect that that is going to save me.

 

So what is stupid hot weather like when you’re on the boat? Do people manage to run fans all night off the batteries? Is it OK while you’re sailing because you have a 4 mile wind in your face? Should I just plan on stocking up on hundreds of gallons of water to replace what I sweat out?

Let me know...

—complete novice American...

Assuming the article.wasn't in the Daily Express and it actually is hot.

If cruising, then change cruising pattern to be on the move early morning and in the evening. Find somewhere shaded to moor up during thr hottest part of the day for a siesta. Cruise with a big golfing umbrella in one hand and tiller in the other. Lose the umbrella when it gets snagged by a low branch and dropped in the cut. Boats with white or cream roofs stay cooler than those painted dark colours. Same with cabin sides.

If it is sweltering at  night and no rain likely I'll remove the drop back hopper glass from windows to maximise air flow. They have to go back in when cruising to.stop leaking lock walls filling the cabin. Actual hot weather seldom lasts for more than a couple of days in the uk. An American from most US States is probably better able to cope than most Brits.

 

Jen

Edited June 23, 2018 by Jen-in-Wellies

[mrsmelly]

I hate hot weather but we always cruise am and moor up around 1pm if possible depending on stuff!! Our boat has sealed unit windows all of which lift out of the frames in seconds enabling all eleven windows to be removed which has two fold effect of letting air or any breeze through the boat and no greenhouse effect from the glass. If thats not possible fully open windows andl leave curtains closed. It is the UK anyway so its not going to get proper hot innitt.

Edited June 23, 2018 by mrsmelly

[Señor Chris]

32 minutes ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

An American from most US States is probably better able to cope than most Brits.

The way they generally cope with it is to install air conditioning in every room in the building.

[Dr Bob]

Where in the States are you from? Unless you are from the distant north, it's not going to feel hot to you. Probably more like an average day in the fall. Canal boats in the U.K. Don't have air con for a reason. It's never gets hot enough for any length of time. 

Where are you hiring the boat? Some canals have more trees than others. Boat in the morning, park under a tree and sit in the pub all afternoon.

 

[reg]

57 minutes ago, Dr Bob said:

park under a tree 

 But choose your tree wisely, not one with exposed roots on a sloping embankment as they have a habit of falling over or shedding large branches. 

[dmr]

Is it cold in winter?  No, but its much too hot in summer!

 

Typical cruising speed is 3 to 3.5mph maximum and this is not "wind in yer face" stuff. Keeping curtains shut on the sun side can help. Mooring under a tree is good. The Caframo 747 fan is the one to get, very good air flow with low current consumption. Ludicrously expensive here but good value in America, bring some over with you and sell them to be before you go home ?

 

..............Dave 

[cuthound]

I find the best coping strategy for dealing with exceptionally hot weather in the UK is to retire to a shady pub. ?

[OldGoat]

Humidity in the UK is a lot less than in some States - but if you moor under a tree (and most canals have a lot of trees) then beware of flies.

We bought some cheap flyscreens from Aldi and hung them in the front doors and side hatch.

[JB Segal]

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/news/releases/2018/june-heatwave fyi.

8 hours ago, dmr said:

Is it cold in winter?  No, but its much too hot in summer!

 

Typical cruising speed is 3 to 3.5mph maximum and this is not "wind in yer face" stuff. Keeping curtains shut on the sun side can help. Mooring under a tree is good. The Caframo 747 fan is the one to get, very good air flow with low current consumption. Ludicrously expensive here but good value in America, bring some over with you and sell them to be before you go home ?

 

..............Dave 

Where are you based? I'd _probably_ be willing to do that for one. I haven't really worked out my packing list yet, mind.

[dmr]

20 minutes ago, JB Segal said:

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/news/releases/2018/june-heatwave fyi.

Where are you based? I'd _probably_ be willing to do that for one. I haven't really worked out my packing list yet, mind.

Was mostly joking, its a nice idea but if there is any trouble at customs you would pay import duty and VAT which wipes out the saving.

I am one of the lucky few who can CC (continuously cruise) so live nomadically on the canal system. Likely plans are:

June, River Weaver

July  up to Manchester then full length of Rochdale Canal

August/September   Rochdale Manchester Stoke on Tent Birmigham Oxford River Thames, Kennet and Avon to Bristol

September/October All the way back North, maybe to Chester   or might stay on the K&A!

 

Let me know if our paths are likely to cross.

 

.................Dave

[JB Segal]

6 minutes ago, dmr said:

Was mostly joking, its a nice idea but if there is any trouble at customs you would pay import duty and VAT which wipes out the saving.

I am one of the lucky few who can CC (continuously cruise) so live nomadically on the canal system. Likely plans are:

June, River Weaver

July  up to Manchester then full length of Rochdale Canal

August/September   Rochdale Manchester Stoke on Tent Birmigham Oxford River Thames, Kennet and Avon to Bristol

September/October All the way back North, maybe to Chester   or might stay on the K&A!

 

Let me know if our paths are likely to cross.

 

.................Dave

My "plans", such as they are at the moment, are to start from Cowroast around July 19-20. Be at Cropredy Aug 7-11. Arrive back at Cowroast Aug 21. Given that starts with 3 weeks to do something that's a 6 day sail under ideal circumstances, I'll have extra time. I don't know what I'm going to do with it.

So unlikely, not impossible, depending on when you make it to the Oxford?

I'll keep everyone here informed in probably way too much detail as I figure it out, or have questions about it all.

 

JB

[Timx]

Keep cool by drinking beer out of your fridge to help its efficiency, it also helps you sleep well , like a cure all really.Even if you have a bad day you won't remember it tomorrow .

[blackrose]

Even well-insulated boats struggle to keep the heat out in direct sun on a hot day. Basically you're inside a metal box and sprayfoam (or any other insulation) works much better at keeping heat in than keeping it out. In winter you've got warm air against the insulation which is fine, but in summer you've got hot steel bonded to the insulation so it's much less effective. Eventually, even with thick insulation, the heat will pass though, it will just take a bit longer. 

 

In my experience narrowboats tend to be hotter than widebeams in summer simply because proportionately the ratio of steel to internal space is a lot higher on a narrowboat and you're never very far from the cabin sides. Also in a more confined space you tend to get less airflow.

 

Fortunately our summers don't generally last very long....

Edited June 24, 2018 by blackrose

[cuthound]

16 hours ago, Timx said:

Keep cool by drinking beer out of your fridge to help its efficiency, it also helps you sleep well , like a cure all really.Even if you have a bad day you won't remember it tomorrow .

 

I prefer to drink my beer out of a glass. I find a fridge full at a time tends to leave me comatose! ?

[Dr Bob]

17 minutes ago, cuthound said:

 

I prefer to drink my beer out of a glass. I find a fridge full at a time tends to leave me comatose! ?

The wire from my fridge doesnt reach the cratch so I tend to leave it in the kitchen (galley) area.

[Rob-M]

Retired to the pub to let the boat cool down as it has been closed up all week. May set off later this afternoon if I've not consumed too many beers watching the football.

[mrsmelly]

5 hours ago, blackrose said:

Even well-insulated boats struggle to keep the heat out in direct sun on a hot day. Basically you're inside a metal box and sprayfoam (or any other insulation) works much better at keeping heat in than keeping it out. In winter you've got warm air against the insulation which is fine, but in summer you've got hot steel bonded to the insulation so it's much less effective. Eventually, even with thick insulation, the heat will pass though, it will just take a bit longer. 

 

In my experience narrowboats tend to be hotter than widebeams in summer simply because proportionately the ratio of steel to internal space is a lot higher on a narrowboat and you're never very far from the cabin sides. Also in a more confined space you tend to get less airflow.

 

Fortunately our summers don't generally last very long....

I agree re the widebeam being cooler, ours certainly was a more comfortable space in the summer and with bigger doors front and back the air flow is greater................dont get me started about the huge sofa............4 foot shower...............proper bed.................large kitchen....................?

[canals are us?]

2 hours ago, mrsmelly said:

I agree re the widebeam being cooler, ours certainly was a more comfortable space in the summer and with bigger doors front and back the air flow is greater................dont get me started about the huge sofa............4 foot shower...............proper bed.................large kitchen....................?

I would like one!

 

Could just afford a Collingswood sailaway 10 x 55ft and only 15k to start the fit out but would skint me out. Have to move from current Marina as not a wide canal and extra licence and costs. Camping in it while fitting out wouldn't bother me. Ideal really would be to have the boat on land at a boatyard as no licence needed and just storage costs. Love something 11ft by 55ft. There is a few used ones around 55k so probably easier to buy used.

 

James

Edited June 24, 2018 by canals are us?

[mrsmelly]

3 minutes ago, canals are us? said:

I would like one!

 

Could just afford a Collingswood sailaway 10 x 55ft and only 15k to start the fit out but would skint me out. Have to move from current Marina as not a wide canal and extra licence and costs. Camping in it while fitting out wouldn't bother me. Ideal really would be to have the boat on land at a boatyard as no licence needed and just storage costs. Love something 11ft by 55ft. There is a few used ones around 55k so probably easier to buy used.

 

James

Yes they are vastly superior to  narrow boats its just the idiots a few years ago built a load of seven feet wide locks and buggered it all up. I think we may one day go back to a sensible beam boat but at present still doing large cruising area so we have no choice ? Will be in your neck of the woods in a month or twoish.

[tree monkey]

On 23/06/2018 at 08:58, reg said:

 But choose your tree wisely, not one with exposed roots on a sloping embankment as they have a habit of falling over or shedding large branches. 

Do they?

[reg]

4 minutes ago, tree monkey said:

Do they?

Yep.

[tree monkey]

5 minutes ago, reg said:

Yep.

Cool, I expect you have some sort of study to back this up, I would love to read it, I am always up for learning new stuff