If you're anchored the boat's being pulled away from the anchor so you're pointed into the wind generally. So air would pull through the boat fore to aft yeah?
Posted by checkoutmuhhat@reddit | sailing | View on Reddit | 21 comments
Just daydreaming of me on a boat and what I'd prefer. An opening up forward and then either the main hatch or a hatch/opening halfway through that length, the air would be pushing fore to aft. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Wish I had a longer question, how many of you use/really wish you had air conditioning?
LocoCoyote@reddit
Maybe. There are other factors at play. Current for one.
jmdyason1234@reddit
Yep exactly. You can purchase wind scoops that rig to a halyard and secure to the hatch that maximise this effect. On a calm day with a light breeze, just lounging in the cabin with a beautiful breeze is truly sublime.
Your math is right, most of the time the boat is pointing into the wind at anchor, unless theres a strong tide or current. Occasionally you’ll have wind against tide where the boat is broadside to tide and wind on opposing sides, this is less comfortable.
SailingSpark@reddit
yes, much of it depends on the hull shape. A long full keel will me more apt to pointing into the current while a fin or centerboard boat will probably point into the wind.
checkoutmuhhat@reddit (OP)
That's all bathtubby huh. We would have new people come in and they needed to learn how to drive the damn thing so I have plenty of examples of like absolutely plowing broadside through some shit in a 378' boat getting rocked all to death. Only for like a few minutes though at a time. I always slept well on the boat. Someone before you mentioned the scoops/funnels, aiming the air yeah. It's simple really, and fun to be strategic with.
NecessaryExpensive34@reddit
It depends whether the wind or current is dominant. With zero current, bow will point into the wind. So if you are in the Med or somewhere with little to no tide, this is true almost all the time. Otherwise only if the wind has a stronger influence than the current.
No_Childhood446@reddit
Correct. To which you should take full advantage by putting up a wind sock. I prefer anchor and that's one of the reasons. Much cooler below deck while on the hook.
SaltySailor123@reddit
For safety the forward hatch usually opens with the hinge side facing the bow.
This means that if you accidentally leave it open when underway and a wave breaks over the bow then the weight of the water closes the hatch rather than funneling large amounts of water into the cabin.
Unfortunately the hatch then blocks the wind when at anchor but the wind scoop mentioned in another comment is the best solution.
Necessary-Worry1923@reddit
Facing the STERN? not the Bow?
Firm_Objective_2661@reddit
Race on a C&C 115, and that’s how ours is. Hinges are along the aft edge of the hatch.
JebLostInSpace@reddit
Some bluewater boats do this, but most don't. Production boats almost never do. If you leave a forward hatch open offshore in any kind of decent swell you're asking for trouble regardless of which way it points. And people like the wind scoop effect OP is describing, so 90% of boats have the hatch open with the hinges aft
sarahlizzy@reddit
Would expect to point into the tide flow as a rule.
SVAuspicious@reddit
Mostly. It depends. The key is the companionway. If you have a dodger, the flow of air over the dodger creates a vacuum in the cockpit. Air flows IN the companionway as a result. This is why many boats have aft opening hatches.
Look up Bernouilli effect.
oudcedar@reddit
I’m sure that has a tiny effect but the main effect is the air coming through the forehatch and OUT the companion way. I can feel this right now.
SVAuspicious@reddit
Nope. Not tiny.
Simple-Art-5216@reddit
You can get a wind funnel/sock type thing which goes over the forward hatch & channels the wind down & through the cabin. I forget what it’s called but they’re fairly popular in the Caribbean
Simple-Art-5216@reddit
Found it - a wind scoop https://www.marinesuperstore.com/hatches/fans-windscoops/plastimo-standard-wind-scoop
checkoutmuhhat@reddit (OP)
Oh hell yes, when I was like 14 I played N64 goldeneye at a friend's house and it was a central ac with what I'm assuming are funnels like you're talking about. And they were permeable but I don't know to what extent throughout, but I guess that doesn't matter cause you'd control the openings/output. Thank you, I love that idea and that was a fun memory. You wouldn't even need to do anything other than direct the wind through a big ol sock.
JebLostInSpace@reddit
They're also quite easy to make yourself
Mosher853@reddit
Catching a wonderful fall breeze through the hatch. Best night of sleep in a long time! Some days it’s not enough and AC is nice but a dip in the water is a good solution
Darkwaxellence@reddit
I'm living on my boat in Florida. I'm on a mooring ball so I swing with the tide and wind. No a/c. There were a couple weeks that were kindof brutal but we made it through. Our marina has a lounge with a/c so some of the hottest days we just would hang out there.
Morgan_Pen@reddit
I just raise my forward hatch at an angle and it shoots the breeze down into my V berth and down the centerline of my boat. My head is just aft of the V berth and also has a hatch with the same ability. With both open on a breezy day it’s like a wind tunnel.