Too Hot to Liveaboard Year-'Round in Florida?

[forsailbyowner]

We live aboard ours with no AC as mentioned a shade cover really helps, along with a good wind scoop. If I were at a dock(yuck) ac would be necessary. I'd opt for one of the freestanding ones instead of a window unit. The cobbled together window unit in hatch looks trashy to me. We had marine air on ours when we purchased. Didn't work well where we were at. The water temp got over 90 and wouldn't cool the unit effectively.

[Minggat]

Since this thread is about staying cool on a boat, I'm going to throw in a little tidbit. I discovered that those mylar survival blankets (cheap) reflect an amazing amount of heat, and they act like sunglasses!! I cut one up and taped it to the outside of my hatch over the forpeak and INSTANTLY cooled my boat and could still see out of the closed hatch. I can partialy open the hatch and still reflect a lot of heat off the boat and let some breeze in. I use it on the outside of portlights and hatches, but you could put it on the inside. One $2 blanket is way more than I need.

[sneuman]

Originally Posted by Minggat

Since this thread is about staying cool on a boat, I'm going to throw in a little tidbit. I discovered that those mylar survival blankets (cheap) reflect an amazing amount of heat, and they act like sunglasses!! I cut one up and taped it to the outside of my hatch over the forpeak and INSTANTLY cooled my boat and could still see out of the closed hatch. I can partialy open the hatch and still reflect a lot of heat off the boat and let some breeze in. I use it on the outside of portlights and hatches, but you could put it on the inside. One $2 blanket is way more than I need.

Great idea. Where is a good source?

[imagine2frolic]

You can see with my 2 neices standing on the roof. I used the same material to cover the hatches to keep out the heat. It may not look yachtie, but it's the minimal amount of money spent to keep the boat cool. When we cruise we remove everything, and just the flow of air from 22 hatches, and ports keep the boat cool.......i2f

[Minggat]

snueman,

Target stores, but lots of other places as well. I'd imagine anyplace that would sell a sleeping bag would have them.

[off-the-grid]

What about good old Sunbrella covers?

Although probably not quite as hot as FL, but still pretty humid, I made through an NJ summer with just those, and no AC, at the dock. All the hatches, windows, and door open, and fans going. There were only a few days where it was really uncomfortably hot aboard.

[bobfnbw]

Hi. Have had a boat in the bradenton area in past, and now Corpus Christi, Tx. Both hot places, so I can give some advice.
First while a deck awning is essential, it will not take away the need for ac.
2nd, depending on the type of boat you get, center cockpit vs aft, you will need either one or two units. The costs can be significant.
I have a 40 foot cc boat that had one 16K btu unit that was poorly installed. It did not cool the boat.
Now have 1 10K and 1 12 K units, installed by myself, and I expect them to keep the boat very comfortable. The trick is to install them properly.
If you buy a boat in florida, it should have ac. But not necessarly, and perhaps not installed correctly.
You dog may have a hard time on board in the hot florida summers. Even with AC. The deck will be hot. The ground hot... the humidity high.
My dog here wont go out except for brief periods in the hot weather. I would not want to live aboard with a large dog in that kind of weather.
Seems to me that finding a slip in Florida that is afforable and allows live a boards would be a challenge. If you are seriouly thinking of this, buy local and insist on the slip being available with the boat. But that may not be possible.
That part of florida, is shallow. And the wind is not always there. We motored a lot in Tampa bay. Was pretty disapointing.
Good luck.
Bob

[S/R Smith]

We've had a boat in Fort Myers/Cape Coral for 12 years and it is hot (actually not any hotter than where we lived in Kentucky, but we weren't on a boat then). We are now liveaboards and wouldn't make it without A/C. We live in a marina and our boat has AC (a 16K and 12 K) so it isn't a problem. There are several marinas in the area that have liveaboards so finding a slip wasn't a problem for us.

When we're not in the marina (a couple of weekends a month plus 2 weeks in the summer in the Keys), the heat's OK until July, Aug & Sept (even before and after those months sometimes can be dreadful, but those are the worst). Night time lows are in the 80's and in summer the winds are calmer than winter. So many times, we're running the generator at night.

Our lifestyle in the hottest time in Florida is either stay in the AC or get in the water!

By the way, as for the comment about Florida boats already having AC. The boats, old and new, in our marina have AC - that's not to say that you might find one in Fl that doesn't, but for the most part, many do.

[bobfnbw]

Originally Posted by S/R Smith

By the way, as for the comment about Florida boats already having AC. The boats, old and new, in our marina have AC - that's not to say that you might find one in Fl that doesn't, but for the most part, many do.

Many Florida boats for sale are brought to florida for sale there due to the high volume of boats sold and brokerages. Not all boats sold in florida are "FLORIDA" boats. Many are crusing boats and most cruisers opt out for AC as it takes up to much room, and to much of the kitty.

[Cruisingdad]

I would highly reccomend ac if you are going to be at a marina. We are on FMB, SW Fl. If you are going to be anchored out or moored all the time, you might as well get used to the heat since you cannot run the generator and a/c all the time anyways.

Brian

[zeehag]

we sailed around fla in summer--yes we are a bit nutz--but we didnt use any a/c--we had plenty o fair movement inside boat---when hot we placed canvas tarpage over the coach house roof and immediately became cooler---i see no earthly reasoning behind airconditioning aboard boats unless one resides within the unlimited electricity confines of a marina. i enjoy the feel of the area in which i am sailing. i live on board in san diego and when it is hot there is not hot inside my formosa due to the tarps over my coach house....they also bring in more air as wind blows under them ....gooodluck and have fun---ft myers was lovely and has goood pizza..lol....very touristy feeling but is cute to watch.....

[Hudson Force]

We've lived aboard our sailboats in Florida since 1972 with ACs that are the household type set in a companionway and since 1985 marine ACs with the heat excahnge with the water. The water exchange is far more efficient and effective than the air exchange, but, sure, more initial expense.

Nobody appeared to answer the original question about legal beach access in Florida waters. As it turns out there is ABSOLUTELY NO private ownership of land in Florida beyond the mean high tide mark. All of the Florida beaches up to the mean high tide mark is public property and available to anyone. Of course this available access may represent only a few inches in places with a near non-existant tide and a steep coral limestone face like Bayside in the Florida Keys or it can be tens of yards in places with a gently sloping beach with a fair tidal range. 'take care and joy, Aythya crew

[skipmac]

Good catch Aythya crew. That part of the original post was completely overlooked.

I will add one small comment. There are a few exceptions to the open beach policy in FL. Some beaches do prohibit pets and one or two spots around the state are designated wildlife sanctuaries and no access is allowed, even people.

The wildlife sanctuaries I have seen were clearly marked with signs all around the area so I don't think there is a concern for entering a restricted area by mistake.

Otherwise, all beach is fair game.

[Gracias]

We have silver/semi-reflective awnings covering the entire boat home made out of tarps from a chandlery...

Phil, that sounds great. Do you know the name of that fabric or the brand of tarp?

Thanks!

Rebecca

[D_e_n_n_i_s]

I've purchased several of the silver/brown tarps at Home Depot and use them to cover the boom, hooked down to my toe rail with the Home Depot construction bungee cords. Spend the extra money on the heavy-duty bungee cords and you'll be glad you did. This cover makes it possible to cool the boat in August and is a HUGE difference all summer. I think I have the 11'4" x 15'5" 10 Mil tarp for $30. I cover 15ft of the boom and drape the other in a "V" shape about 3/4 of the way to the toe rail. This shades any openings, but still lets you see out.

Powering an A/C either has to be at a marina or consider a high-efficiency (spelled e-x-p-e-n-s-i-v-e) generator and even that will cost you about $700/month for 10 hours a day or something along those lines as I vaguely recall my calculations on it.

If you're at the dock, I recommend a Cruisair enclosed system with its water pump to use river water for cooling (and heating). With the tarp, I can manage to just cool my 50ft sailboat in August with a 16K BTU unit. It strains much less during other months. It does take a little while to cool down in August, though. Without the tarp, it would never make it. I live in Jacksonville, Florida and it gets HOT during the summer.

As far as anchoring, you can do this on any waterway in Florida (Just can't block navigation). The ground under the water is state property so this actually falls under state law. Local laws are not allowed to infringe or further restrict the state law, thought they can expand upon it.

Keep in mind that this is from my downloaded copy of the 2008 Florida Statutes so download and read the latest version:
Florida statute 327.60 - Local regulations; (2) Nothing contained in the provisions of this section shall be construed to prohibit local governmental authorities from the enactment or enforcement of regulations which prohibit or restrict the mooring or anchoring of floating structures or live-aboard vessels within their jurisdictions or of any vessels within the marked boundaries of mooring fields permitted as provided in s. 327.40. However, local governmental authorities are prohibited from regulating the anchoring outside of such mooring fields of non-live-aboard vessels in navigation.

(j) Section 327.44, relating to interference with navigation.
327.44 Interference with navigation.--No person shall anchor, operate, or permit to be anchored, except in case of emergency, or operated a vessel or carry on any prohibited activity in a manner which shall unreasonably or unnecessarily constitute a navigational hazard or interfere with another vessel. Anchoring under bridges or in or adjacent to heavily traveled channels shall constitute interference if unreasonable under the prevailing circumstances.

I've uploaded two files on a new anchoring statute for you. These took effect on October 1, 2009 as you can read in the GA005FLAnchoring PDF file. The best part of this is the new definition of a live-aboard, but it does pertain to anchoring and thought it would be of value.