Air Conditioning in Caribbean?

[reed1v]

Originally Posted by alansmith

IMO, some of the boats, depending on design, can get real hot below with the tropical sun and become most unpleasant. Many people sleep in cockpits with netting for that very reason. Multihulls seem to cool off quickly and heat up quickly due to thinness of decking.

I am happily married and so I enjoy snuggling with the MRS. If you have a woman with you ...ask her what she wants. I bet she doesn't enjoy sweating her tush off...

Even a fan sometimes will not be enough to keep me cool enough. The other thing I have found as I get older...I don't tolerate the heat as well as I used to when I was younger.

Ain't that the truth. Heat and age do not work well together. You are also on target about women. Hot water showers, cold drinks, a cool bedroom, and clean clothes are usually up there on the 'desirable" list for most women. If you can add them to a boat, why not? Make life comfy.

[a64pilot]

We may be drifting a little, question was do I need AC in the Caribbean Dec thru Mar?

[reed1v]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

We may be drifting a little, question was do I need AC in the Caribbean Dec thru Mar?

You got your answer. It depends. Some say yes and some say no. Its the level of comfort you want that will determine the answer. I say yes, to keep the boat smelling good, dry, and cool for those hot days.

[reed1v]

right now in San Juan, Puerto Rico its 82 degrees with a dew point almost 70. That is humid, and very icky sticky. Welcome to the Carib in winter. Gets a lot hotter and more humid next month.

[Canibul]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

We may be drifting a little, question was do I need AC in the Caribbean Dec thru Mar?

If you've been living in Singapore, Tampico, Salvadore, Perth.... probably not.

Montreal, Seattle, Wyoming.....you might.

and How tough are ya? Okay with humidity, bugs, spraying insect repellent on yourself before slipping into the bunk? Think mainly of no-wind circumstances. And how much time you plan to spend in marinas. That's where you'll want it the most, and unless the boat has a generator, it's the only time you can use it, anyhow.

[Ribbit]

Originally Posted by reed1v

right now in San Juan, Puerto Rico its 82 degrees with a dew point almost 70. That is humid, and very icky sticky. Welcome to the Carib in winter. Gets a lot hotter and more humid next month.

That's why I am more interested in a dehumidifier than a/c (looking at a 50 pint a day one, considering a 70 pint a day one).

I actually need heat (and salt air, and as much boat motion at anchor in the V berth as possible - well, up to a point), and it's going to be a murderous few weeks for me to acclimatise to it, but once I am, then I can start swimming again.

Once I have got myself 'sorted', I may well end up looking at installing a/c though, I must admit. But if I acclimatise ok (I have in the past), and given how the cold affects me (extremely badly*), maybe that nice dehumidifier will deliver all I need, and the watermaker can stay top of the expensive accessory list.

*I made a huge mistake in a hotel in Madrid once. The heat was really creasing me, and the a/c in the room didn't seem to be doing anything (so went out for a meal and a few drinks at a local a/c restaurant before bed).

Well it certainly kicked in later. About 4:am I woke up pretty much paralysed with cold, as I had left the a/c on its lowest setting in hopes of it being able to do at least a bit of cooling.

[a64pilot]

I got it, I have two AC's

A dehumidifier is an AC, just it puts the condenser just down stream of the evaporator so the air get re-warmed. Due to of course your adding energy into the system, they will heat up the boat, I have one so I don't run the AC 24/7 while I'm gone.

Heat wise, my 16K Webasto will run you out it gets so hot, the little 5K only blows warm though, of course in real cold water I'm sure neither would heat much if at all.

[Ribbit]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I got it, I have two AC's

A dehumidifier is an AC, just it puts the condenser just down stream of the evaporator so the air get re-warmed. Due to of course your adding energy into the system, they will heat up the boat, I have one so I don't run the AC 24/7 while I'm gone.

Heat wise, my 16K Webasto will run you out it gets so hot, the little 5K only blows warm though, of course in real cold water I'm sure neither would heat much if at all.

Aye very true, just the 50 pint dehumidifier uses a max of 530 watts (I think the 70 pint uses about 600 watts).

I think the solar panels and large battery bank should allow say a couple of 2 hour sessions a day (I'll be watching the voltmeter like a hawk), which will help a lot in keeping molds and spores under control, and everything aired (especially when I get back to cooler climes, though even Southern Spain can be really cold in the Winter).

[a64pilot]

OK, I see, your trying to do this off of battery power.
Maybe if it's cool inside the boat and you want a little heat and it's buttoned up, cause a dehumidifier will warm the place up, and of course the moment you open a hatch to cool off, humidity is back.
I put the little 5K AC in partially because a Honda 2000 will run it all day long, I eventually gave up on the suitcase generator idea, but it may be the ticket for some.

[reed1v]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

OK, I see, your trying to do this off of battery power.
Maybe if it's cool inside the boat and you want a little heat and it's buttoned up, cause a dehumidifier will warm the place up, and of course the moment you open a hatch to cool off, humidity is back.
I put the little 5K AC in partially because a Honda 2000 will run it all day long, I eventually gave up on the suitcase generator idea, but it may be the ticket for some.

For the mechanically and electrically inclined, you can rig up a 3-5 horsepower outboard motor to give enough charge to run your a/c during the day. Basically an outboard generator.

[monte]

Originally Posted by Saleen411

YES!

I'm a cuddler

Ditto...still no!

[Mithril Bham]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

We may be drifting a little, question was do I need AC in the Caribbean Dec thru Mar?

I would say yes but other's say no. Maybe those various thoughts might help. Air scoops are great but not with no wind. I have had some miserable nights during that period not having A/C at anchor.

[StuartBaker]

Originally Posted by magellanyachts

I would say yes but other's say no. Maybe those various thoughts might help. Air scoops are great but not with no wind. I have had some miserable nights during that period not having A/C at anchor.

Absolutely agree. Lake erie hot summer nights are a killer. Ac all the way. If not needed shut it off.

[EvilRabbit]

Great input - thanks for all the feedback everyone. Seems like its nice to have for those nights at the marina, else not essential.

[reed1v]

Originally Posted by EvilRabbit

Great input - thanks for all the feedback everyone. Seems like its nice to have for those nights at the marina, else not essential.

even nicer when on the hook in some remote cay trying to sleep during a humid and buggy night. Plus the quiet hum will help lull you to sleep. The fan will be always on while the compressor probably will work only about an hour total through the entire night.