So hot!

[Master56]

I lived in the Northern Territory (Australia) for most of my life. We sail in an average temp of 32 degrees C and very close to 100% humidity, I think similar to the Caribbean. Requires plenty of hatches, opening port holes and electric fans. We sometimes sleep on deck. The right designed yacht is the key as many are claustrophobic and designed for Eskimos.🤪🤣

[MicHughV]

I think that it is quite reasonable to expect that you can adjust to life without a/c. I lived for years without a/c...and never missed it...though I had cabin fans in addition to the breeze.....as long as I had even a smidgen of breeze, generally speaking I was ok.....the full length awnings did a remarkable job of keeping the boat cool...
there were a few nights, when there was no breeze, and it was miserable....sleeping below was simply out of the question, even though I had fans....but sleeping in the cockpit was quite manageable...but these occasions were extremely rare....

I don't know how long it would take to get acclimatized to having no a/c..but it is certainly doable...

[admiralslater]

Having sent the last 5 years on our boat in the Caribbean during the winter Ican say that you are more likely to reach for a blanket at night than a ac remote . When at anchout or on a mooring the breeze is very effective at keeping you cool

[EngineerRetired]

Consider the big positive for a second. Hot and hotter equals fewer clothes and smaller bikinis...

[Tonali99]

Originally Posted by Emoyeni

Hello, I have been enjoying my first season on Lake Ontario with my C&C 30 sailboat. I had inclinations to take this boat down to the Carribean when I first bought it, but I am astounded just how hot and uncomfortable it can be to hang out on this boat in the summer, even in temps ranging from the 20's-30's Celsius, humidity in the 70's.

For those who spend much time in the Carribean, how do you deal with the heat? Is a Carribean winter even more unbearable vs what I'm experiencing here in Canada's summer?

I have a friend not far from you who says the same thing. (his other boat is next to me in Fl.) Marinas are a sort of heat island. All those other boats and docks and you get the idea. A bimini will keep the sun off you but not so much for heat. A canvas awning will help a lot too. Humidity is the major factor. Depending on the unit, it should lower that considersably.
During the heat of the day, 95 or 6, indices of 102 0r better my cabin is around 78. But the humidity is only 45 to 50. Huge difference.
On the hook is nice but the boat will of course weathercock. Not much chance of a breeze thru the portals is there? Unless you create something for that.
Ever try one of those misters you attach to a hose? Drops the temp considerably along the deck. Noticable inside too.

[Tonali99]

Originally Posted by mjsmjsb

I've been in Florida and the South for 25 years and 75 is now jacket weather. After 45 years in the North (VT) / MA / PA. cool is below 80.

thumb: Yep

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by Tonali99

On the hook is nice but the boat will of course weathercock. Not much chance of a breeze thru the portals is there?

I guess there's an advantage to a boat that sails at anchor after all! We're almost always at some angle to the wind one way or the other, so we get lots of air through the boat (comes in the forward hatch and the windows on one side, then switches sides periodically as we tack and sail back the other way).

[NormanMartin]

Go and have fun.

Been down there since the 60s. It is all about the awnings. Rain at night means that the hatches must be shielded from sun as well as rain. The forward hatch must remain open all the time. There are some different awning styles to provide such protection. Pick one but don't try "none."

Anchored out in the Caribbean is usually pleasant under the awning. There are few windless days. Marinas are a different story.

A consideration for a 30 footer preparation is space. Space for food, water, tools, comfort, dinghy, and the awnings. Awnings are bulky so have ones that fit the allotted space.

The C&C 30 Mark I has big cockpit lockers and an airy interior though now considered old fashioned. The Mark II quarter berth, I am told by one who owns the model, is airless. A good storage space for clean and dry.

Which model do you own?

[MicHughV]

here's an idea......my first boat was a center cockpit ketch, and getting air to the back cabin was problematic....
so I sewed up up some "mini" wind scoops that attached over the portholes to some canvas studs I had inserted at the four corners of the porthole, the wind scoop ears...for want of a better description....the fabric was extended out to the lifelines where it was tied to the upper lifeline and deck rail.
it worked like a charm, and funneled an enormous amount of breeze back there.
I didn't use canvas for this, rather was able to find some lightweight, rainproof fabric....
looked like Mickey Mouse ears, but hey....worked great....

[MicHughV]

I should add....when it rained...I left the mini scoops up, simply closed the porthole...I often left them on, even while sailing, as they did not interfere with any boat activities....

[Island Time O25]

One of the best ways to keep cooler in a hot and humid climate is to lose weight. That extra blubber does make the high temps and humidity feel much worse. Ask me how I know.

[MicHughV]

I know we have about kicked this dog to death.....

but....back in my early days, when money was non-existent, I managed to survive at a marina in Florida without a/c.

I had two box fans placed over hatches, one pushed air in, the other one sucked air out, both fans were both under awnings. Those fans moved a tremendous amount of air.

ok, I was young and hardy...but it did the trick....