Wind Scoop Ideas for bow hatch

[Casey]

Happy New Year!!!

We're planning to be on the ICW for several months this summer, cruising from Florida to the Chesapeake and back.... It's going to be hot and humid ....

We don't have a/c for "Dessert First," and since we hope to anchor-out a lot,
shorepower won't be available very often. (Yea, we could take the EU2000 generator, but it can be pretty noisy in an otherwise quiet anchorage.)

So ... we're searching for ideas on how to buy/fabricate something that will help capture a breeze and funnel it into the Bomar hatch over the V-berth. Sailboaters usually use a nylon wind-scoop, and maybe that would work with some modification.

Ideas????? Pictures?????

Best,
Casey&Mary

[srbaum]

DESSERT FIRST,
This one may be the best bet for the C-Dory, as it is freestanding, simple and light.
http://www.breezebooster.com/

[Ray]

We made an awning for the hatch and center window to both catch breezes and allow opening in the rain.

You can see the project here:

http://www.c-brats.com/modules.php?set_albumName=album2017&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php

[Casey]

Both of these are interesting ideas - in fact they might both be useful. One for rainy conditions and the other for when you want to catch any light air.

Thanks!
C&M

[Sunbeam]

I think this is a great idea for your proposed trip. Especially since the boat typically swings head to wind at anchor. I used a windscoop (actual windscoop brand, as it happens) in the tropics and when first getting back aboard it was stifling. Opening the forehatch helped slightly, but it was rigging the windscoop that made the boat come to life, with a wonderful breeze all the way through the boat. Ahhhhh! ('course tradewinds help...)

It's easy to hoist one when you have halyards, so I've never looked into the freestanding ones. Will be interested in what you find out here.

[thataway]

We have used the various "scoops" for the forward hatch, including those types mentioned above. What we settled on, is the "Endless Breeze" fan, on several dowel rods (flatted at Pat Anderson's suggestion). This is a 3 speed fan, and you may be familiar with it from RV's--as it is in most.

This last summer we also experimented with a Ryobi 18 volt battery driven fan, and it was just as effective as the Endless breeze. We could put it in the " opening window" forward in the pilot house for ventilation.

However, These do not substitute for a good window AC unit. The fans, and scoops are OK if the evening cools off. If it remains 100 and 100% then you want AC! By the way, the 5,000 BTU AC units run on the EU 1000.

The wind scoop is fine…..if you have wind. We have spent several years total time in the Caribbean, with no AC on our cruising sail boats--but there was always wind. If it was calm it was HOT. When we got to FL, we realized that many nights up and down the ICW we would not have wind. It would be HOT. So, we did the logical thing, and went directly offshore to Maine, and worked South, with the weather….

Give serious thoughts to the fans.

[Casey]

My mind is 'whirring with possibilities.

We already have a fan very similar to what you (Dr. Bob) described. It's about 12" square and 3" thick, has three speeds, and operates off 12V, internal rechargeable batteries, or D-cell batteries. I had toyed with ideas about how to suspend it over the Bomar hatch ... some dowel rods cut-to-fit (and flattened ) might be the perfect solution.

Then again, A/C should probably still be on our list of possible solutions. We already have a Honda 2000w gen, but if a Honda 1000w would do the job, I'd be willing to buy one. They're lighter, probably even quieter, and would permit us to close the cabin (which would permit us to be mosquito-free). Gotta give that option some serious Thought.

I can see this thread 'morphing into the easiest ways to mount a small A/C in the front window.

Thanks to All! ...keeps me Thinking!

Best,
C&M

[Ray]

[Ray]

[jimicliff]

Hey guys you remember me the guy from Mt Dora, I did two weeks in 14 going up to Savanaha and back. Using fans blowing into the V berth with the forward hatch open did the trick. You just need to hang the fan in a way so the air hits you directly, it will escape out the forwad hatch making a good cont. flow. I hardly had cloths on, I would cover up lightly every hour or so then throw it off. Just the same it was Hot as Hell August weather but the fans left my battries with juice in the morning, by the way I have two battries. Be sure to stay at the marina in Jekyll Island they have a swiming pool it's a religous experience to get in that cool water. Wear cloths that air can pour thru, when you are under way with the forward window open it is Very comfortable, If you remember I have both my forward wind shields on hindges, worth every cent in the summer. Truthfuly it is mind over matter, realise air condioning is new and we are just spoiled, if you take an attitude that you are stronger than most people, and people before Air conditiong delt with this because it was just summer and thats the way it was. Oh my large Pelican cooler is for sale, I just bought another one only smaller, again worth every cent.

[Will-C]

We have roof mounted air I did not favor lugging a window unit around with me one less thing to stow. I would go with the Honda 2000 watt unit. Not all that much heavier. In spite of having roof mounted A.C. we are addicted to fans. We have a Caframo Sirocco fan mounted on a piece of teak on the starboard side of the berth entrance along with a flexible reading light. The fan is swung out of the way except for when we are sleeping we swing it into the opening and have it blowing on us. It has three speeds and has an always on feature or you can set it to stay on for 2, 4, or 6 hours I think and it will automatically turn off to save your battery life. It can be flipped on it's gimbal to blow either in or out. It's been a good unit. We had to replace it once for some reason but we can't do without it. Be cool.
D.D.

[fisherkb]

You might look at www.breezebooster.com They have a wind scoop designed for powerboats without a halyard.

Karl

[Foggy]

Keeping cool when weather is best described as "humisery"*

What works for me w/o A/C: Water from a hand towel and a fan

Aye.

* humid, hot, no wind, miserable

[Sunbeam]

It's true that the Caribbean tradewinds make a huge difference. I spent quite a few summers on the Chesapeake, and there is just NO wind. Not only is it hot and muggy at night, but there are noseeums. For that, a fan is nice if you have the juice to spare. Not only does it give you "wind," but it can keep the noseeums off you (they can't fly against the fan breeze) and you don't have to put up noseeum mesh (which blocks a lot more air then regular screen).

I still carry noseeum mesh to put over the regular screening if necessary, but often just the fan works to keep them off me and then no need for the extra blockage of the finer mesh.

[thataway]

DD's post about the fans, reminded me that we have fans over the aft end of each bunk, (the latest versions have a LED reading light and red light built in, along with remote control for the variable speed fan, which is up to 150 cu feet/ min. The fan blowing directly on you does give better cooling, than the fan on the hatch, which brings in fresh air--at times both are used.

The smaller 10" O2 cool fans from WalMart used to be $10--I see them for more now. They are considerably smaller than the Fantastic "Endless breeze" fans (3.8 x 14.5 x 15.2 inches).

We use Velcro around the forward window and forward hatch, to keep the no see-em netting in place. The netting we purchased from a military surplus store, and one net is probably sufficient for a number of C Dorys. It is designed to go over a fairly good size tent for $10.