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FPB 64 - Reality

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FPB 83 On Deck

FPB 83 Interior

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Staying Cool

We're underway between Fiji and the Samoas. This is backwards, against the trade winds, so for this 630-mile passage we've waited for a "convergence" in the weather, which often weakens the breeze. Sea state is a little confused with swells from the northeast on the bow and southeast on the beam.

This type of weather phenomenon often brings with it squally conditions until the convergence zone has moved east, which means the hatches are closed. Being the tropics, it makes for a warm, humid environment.

On our sailing designs we try to avoid the complication of air conditioning. Space is required, and you need somewhere into which to drain the condensation, and a source for powering the compressors. When we're at anchor (which is 90% of the time) air conditioning is rarely necessary if the correct combination of awnings, opening hatches, and Dorade vents are employed.

We've always felt that air conditioning was not worth the trade off for those one or two nights a year when we really needed it. Of course this presupposes that we are anchored out where the boat can swing head to wind and ventilate, as opposed to sitting in a marina berth.

But with a power boat the equation changes somewhat. First, it is when underway (sail or power) that air conditioning is most needed. Much of the time hatches must be kept closed because of sea-state, and awnings are often furled. By definition, under power with this Unsailboat we have lots of electrical capacity from our big alternator's (making AC current through inverters). The higher freeboard and higher interior means it is easier to deal with condensate plumbing runs. And, there is more space in which to place the equipment.

As a result, Wind Horse has an air conditioned interior. There are four small compressors in the basement. 12,000 BTU for the forward sleeping area, 10,000 BTU shared by the two aft cabins, and a pair of 16,000 BTU units for the saloon.

As we have employed our usual strategy with awnings and hatches, we have rarely needed air at anchor on this boat.

Of course there have been a couple of very still nights, where it was a bit toasty and humid. For these situations we've found that running the generator and air conditioning for 45 minutes to an hour before bed reduces humidity and temperature to the point where we start out sleeping under light covers. Then, usually by early morning, one of us gets up and open the hatches and let some of the night air below.

Underway as we are now, we keep the air running in the forward cabin where we are resting. The temperature is set at 77F / 25C, which is lovely for sleeping. The saloon is left at ambient, as long as we can have the overhead hatches open - or we are sitting on the flying bridge where it is usually cool with a nice breeze. When it is wet on deck - as it was a while ago with rain squalls - we run the saloon air conditioning.

One of the keys to our approach to air on this boat is the eyebrow awning around the perimeter of the house, as you can see outside of the windows in the photos above and below. These shade the windows for all but the first and last hour of the day.

When we first looked at the space and complication of the air conditioning in temperate New Zealand, we felt like having this gear might have been a mistake. But now, after a couple of months in the tropics, we're very glad to have it aboard.

And while we rarely are aboard at the dock, for the week we spent in front of the Hawaii Yacht Club in Honolulu, and for a few days in Marina del Rey, we were happy to have the air conditioning. Do you think we're becoming soft in old age?

Before leaving this subject a word is in order on cabin fans. Over the years we've tried all manner of small "marine" fans. They are usually expensive, noisy, and don't last long. For Wind Horse we went a different route. Our local hardware store had some nice looking, quiet, and efficient table fans for US$12.00 each - we bought three. These work great - much better than any marine fans we have used in the past. Even the AC power consumption, via the inverter, is not too bad.