Tips for keeping it cool below deck

[Steve]

I'd be interested to hear any old and new tips for keeping it cool below deck, while out on the water under sail or anchored in a cove.

[K9Kampers]

Quebec 1 has tricked out his with some fancy appointments for a definate 'cool' factor. I wouldn't be surprised if he has a incense burner aboard too!!

Highlander has the 'kilt' thing going...

[bobaefa]

We have done three main things that have made a big difference:

1) We use an O2 Cool box style fan. We open the front hatch and put the fan in the hatch if we are having light winds. The hatch is lower onto the fan and a bungee holds fan in place. Cord is routed back to table where 12v is located. This brings cooler outside are in and pushes cabin are to aft. We then have an O2 Cool fan hanging on the pole by the table. I put a zip tie as tight as possible around the pole with another zip tie through it perpendicular to the pole. This creates a loop I can clip the round style fan to.

http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/p ... HOP_419421

http://www.amazon.com/O2Cool-1038-Smart ... B001RIZEIC

2) We borrowed this idea from JaxMac John. We use Shelf or Drawer liner that has the little holes in it. Comes in a roll and you can buy it at MegaLo-Mart or grocery. It is the soft liner rubber material that has holes in it. We cut it to fit the inside windows and put it up with the removeable poster gum like material you used in school. It is a removeable mounting putty. They "curtains" filter light but dont block it out so we don't feel as closed in. Very very simple to do. I have not had a mold issue. I think they are probably treated since they go in the kitchen. Very cheap so if got dirty I would toss it. Makes a big heat differenct.

3) A tarp over the bow and a boom tent. I am just using the loud noisy tarps until I find a better idea. I called softtopper.com to buy their Mac Boom Tent but they told me they no longer make it so I am looking for an alternative.

I like the hatch hoodie below but I think at 6'x5' I think it might be too big for the Mac

https://www.bannerbaymarine.com/store/i ... etail&p=37


Bob





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[K9Kampers]

I have used a silver / brown tarp as a boom tent over the cockpit for shade on hot days as a rain tent as well. I'd like a white tarp, but those are hard to find. I'm thinking of getting a white painters canvas at Lowes for cheap $ to try out on this weeks cruise.

[Chinook]

We've used the Softtopper sun shade on the Sea of Cortez and in the Bahamas, with good results. We also have installed a pair of Nicrovents, one on the bow hatch blowing in and one in the head, blowing out. This helps maintain air circulation. For our Bahamas trip we bought a Breeze Booster hatch ventilation cover. It's a self supporting wind scoop which can be installed facing forward or to either side. It did a great job in ventilating the cabin when we had a breeze. We use a couple of battery powered fans down below, since they can be positioned almost anywhere. They're handy at night when sleeping, and also when preparing meals at the galley. When it's really warm, some water sprayed on the skin from a spray bottle provides effective short term cooling (for best results, use this technique in combination with a cold beer while sitting in the cockpit under your Softtopper sunshade). And, one of our best tricks for keeping cool in hot places, is our bug netting. When it stays hot in the evening in a buggy place, open hatches will result in a maddening influx of mosquitoes and/or no see ums, and will guarantee a miserable night. Bug net covers for the forward hatch and companionway hatch will allow airflow while keeping pests confined to the great outdoors.

[Trouts Dream]

For the front hatch , the Admiral found the fine netting for a baby carraige can be attached to the inside of the front hatch using wooden clthespins (we have a couple dozen on board to dry clothes and towels). The fine mesh keeps out the no-seeums.

Keep it simple.

[bobaefa]

Bug Net: The one thing we have found is the net does reduce airflow. I bought two different kinds of netting from an army surplus store. Both are more rectangle box shape. The are designed to hang over a cot. Imagine a four bolster bed arrangement for a single person army cot. One net has holes about the size of a pencil lead. This helps on airflow BUT the no-seeums can get in. If we are closer to shore and have no-seeums we use the second net. It is like the above but imagine the above folded over on itself and the holes are offset. This really reduces airflow. We drape one over the cockpit or main hatch. And one goes forward. We use clothes pins to attach it. I thought about cutting and sewing to fit but the extra fabric is nice to bunch up and if I get up in the middle of the night to deploy it if the wind stops it is easy to just drape it in place.

These guys sell both types by the yard. It would be much nicer than what I have but mine was cheap. Even having 4 nets on board it can easy be stuffed into a corner. Sometimes we use them as a sunshade to block the setting sun etc.

http://www.mosquitocurtains.com/1-scree ... porch.html

[ronacarme]

1. 2 Caframo cageless 2 speed fans in cabin (my mar 20 2011 post re "fans in cabin")
2. 3" Nicro day/night vent fan in forehatch (my jan 17 2011 post re "nicro vent placement")
3. Solar powered ex-computer 12v fan in side of front dinette seat draws air forward thru bilge from transom area.....primarily to move air thru and dry bilge but blows some air in cabin as well
4. Standard Mac bimini
5. The following in port only.....
a. small beach umbrella, lower half of post stowed, bottom of upper half of post resting in the center hole of a cabin top winch OR
b. light nylon tarp draped over boom, extending from bimini forward to near mast
c. at night, nylon mesh fabric draped to bugproof main and fore hatches.....fore hatch screen has weighted perimeter and drapes over the uphinged fore hatch..main hatch screen is supported by a light line along the top tied around the winches
Ron

[parrothead]

One must-have keep-cool accessory is a boom tent.

Ours was made-to-measure by The Sailors Tailor http://www.sailorstailor.com/
As noted in this thread of two years ago, http://www.macgregorsailors.com/forum/v ... =9&t=14080 it can also be left in place for sailing under headsail alone.

Another great heat-reducer is 2mm white craft foam, cut into squares that can be taped to the inside of the Mac's "windshields". The foam does transmit some light, but eliminates all direct sun rays. It also provides privacy at night.
Since our '05 has the tacky "faux wood" frames around the interior windows, it is also possible to cut window-shaped pieces of the foam that can be snapped into place for sun deflection or evening privacy as desired. We install them whenever we are away from Blue Heaven, effectively keeping out the UV rays and significantly reducing the cabin temperature while she floats in her slip awaiting our return. You can see just how effective the foam is in the photo above -- the only perceptible sunlight belowdeck is coming from the partially-open front hatch. One roll of foam http://kwikcrafts.com/Merchant5/merchan ... gory_Code= is sufficient to cut pieces for every window in the boat.

Finally, we are also O2Cool box fan enthusiasts. The little units are quiet and will run off 12v, 120v, or their own internal rechargeable battery [or D-cells, which we have never used].

[Craig LaForce]

http://www.google.com/products/catalog? ... IIBEPMCMAI

I used this sportbrella in the cockpit console post holder 2 weeks ago when working on the engine in blistering heat. It was extemely helpful. It is very large, takes 2 seconds to pop it open, and the flaps are good to keep the sun off you when it is shining on a slant angle.

[fishheadbarandgrill]

For our trip to Bahia Honda in June we used a boom tent, Windscoop and we cut up a mylar car sunshield to fit the windows. Worked great. We've got a couple of 12V fans but the Windscoop and a little breeze can over power he fans pretty easy.

Bob