1. Side or top hatches

These should open outwards with the outside of the pane to stern and inside pane facing the bow. When on anchor, in most cases your boat will be facing the wind and a hatch angled correctly can direct more air into the boat. Hatches that open with the inside to stern are effectively barriers preventing airflow from entering where you want it.

2. Adjust your fridge thermostat

Reduce fridge temperature to a lower setting. The heat generated from compressors working harder to keep fridge and freezer icy cold adds heat to your living space, depending on where its located.

3. Switch off and unplug

Have you noticed how hot chargers get when plugged in to devices? That’s the effect all electrics on board have, radiating heat within the boat. Switch off and unplug any electrical devices unless they’re in use. Our inverters are off unless we need AC power. It’s amazing how fast you develop new habits and get used to going to the electric switch panel before turning on the induction stove top. Yes, you heard right, induction…

4. Cooking electric

If you haven’t already, (why on earth not?!) switch from gas to induction cooking. A gas flame heats up the galley considerably. Additionally, any breeze will shift flames away from under pots or pans which is much less efficient. So you’re hearting up the galley more and for longer. Induction cooking is a no-brainer – there’s almost no heat loss. The heat you have is where you want it: directly in the pot.

(BTW, our post explains more about our Kenyon induction stove top.)

5. Shades wherever and everywhere.

I’ve covered solar protection shades for boat panes in more detail already, so check out that post on Solar Protection Blinds if you haven’t yet. Sail shades are also great. If you don’t want to go custom you can still get great ready-made sail shades mounted to cover the cockpit roof, trampoline or hulls on a multihull. These really help keep the cabins below and inside cooler too. We’re actually working on some some nifty multifunctional designs for TALATA Edition sail-shades and plan to get those in place before next summer.

6. Cockpit ‘curtains’

For some reason, our cockpit almost always faces west in the afternoons giving us fantastic sunset views. I know, what a pain. But when the sun doesn’t set until 9.30 or 10 pm in the Med, the heat of almost horizontal sun rays becomes too much of a good thing. We’ve mounted a line around the cockpit which amongst other uses serves as a rail for me to hang pretty swathes of muslin cloth that let in light but help mute the glare.

7. Sleepless in sateen?

Those sweltering summer nights, where you’re drenched in sweat in bed are the worst. Lorenzo doesn’t get too bothered but I find night-sweats unbearable (thanks menopause). This is something I prepared for before leaving land. I researched for months and invested in the best materials for bedding on a boat so you don’t have to. You’re welcome. Trust me, heat and moisture are the enemy here. So banish any synthetic sheets or nightwear. And next up you have the best bedding for a boat:

8. Woollen pillows and duvets

Wool is an amazing natural fibre, known for its excellent temperature and moisture regulating qualities. Wool is biodegradable, hypoallergenic, antibacterial and a natural thermo-regulator. Wool can absorb up to 30% of its weight in moisture (in comparison to cotton’s 10%) meaning no damp pillows that may cause mildew or mold or musty smells down the line. I switched to wool whilst on land to try this out first. Woollen pillows are the most comfortable I’ve ever had, providing good neck support and a soft firmness that I love. Our wool duvet is warm in winter and cool on warmer nights. From June to October in the Med we actually store away the duvet entirely and use sheets only, with a Mongolian yak blanket (thanks Helene!) tossed on top if a night gets chilly. Quality as always, is important here so do your research to ensure wool is free of chemicals and the outer materials are of the best natural, ideally organic fibres. I can wholeheartedly recommend Woolroom (woolroom.co.uk) which offers a fantastic range, sources all wool from farmers and happy sheep in Britain and makes its bedding in the UK and EU.

9. Linen and hemp sheets and pillow cases

Swapping polyester bedding for cotton sheets is an essential starting point but you can do much better. Not all linen is the same so look out for high-quality flax grown in Europe, ideally certified OEKO-TEX. As with wool, linen and hemp are naturally hypoallergenic, antibacterial, highly absorbent and breathable. Both are warm in winter and cool when it’s hot, will not absorb body moisture, staying dry on those humid nights. Since linen is 30% stronger than cotton (hemp is even stronger) it also lasts longer and for us, sustainability and biodegradability are well worth investing in. Now linen or hemp may be slightly heavier, but the magic happens when you wash your linen sheets and see how fast they dry in the air. I hang large sheets and 2m x 2m duvet covers up in the shaded cockpit (that handy line again) and they’re dry within 30 minutes on a hot day and in 60 minutes if it’s a cloudy, cooler day. Line-dried, they’re flat as if ironed (definitely not ironing sheets on a boat – hello extra heat?!) 

10. Cooling mattress protector

Firstly, if you’re sleeping with the under-sheet directly on your mattress then please stop! Moisture from your body will seep into the mattress, which again is a cause of mold. Yuck. Most mattresses are covered in synthetics so tend to feel unpleasant and sweaty. On land we had a thin, wool/felt mattress cover but I felt we needed to ramp it up a bit on the boat. I was sceptical that cooling mattress covers work and the first try was a disaster. After 3 weeks of slipping in discomfort this first try landed in the bin. Once we got to Spain and its fabulous El Corte Ingles department store, I saw a huge selection of protectors and gave it another try. This next thermoregulating mattress protector was a pricier, (€200 for a 150x200cm mattress) better quality Outlast version and three summer months later I can safely say it’s a keeper! Comfortable underneath and amazingly cool!

So there you have our top ten favourite ways and advice on how to keep your cool on a boat in summer!

By the way, you may have noticed we don’t mention those little fans installed in many multihulls. That’s because we don’t have any….! This is a bone of contention on TALATA. Lorenzo is vehemently against them (“Ugly, noisy, poor quality plastic that doesn’t last, they don’t cool – just circulate hot air, generate heat, aren’t effective, yadayadayada..!”). Tania is pro, simply because on those tropical nights, any slight breeze a fan provides is a huge, even if momentary, relief. What’s your experience with those small installed fans? Has Lorenzo got it all wrong??

We’re always on the lookout for more ideas so do please share your effective tips to keep cool in the comments! Keen to see what else we can do to beat the heat on boats!

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